Existential therapy can assist with various issues, including:
Anxiety and panic feelings
Loneliness, disconnection, isolation, and difficulty focusing
Depression and post-natal depression
Constant worrying and thinking about the future
Reoccurring thoughts about death
Difficulties in relationships, family, parenting, work dynamics, etc.
Relational struggles, ending abusive relationships, bullying, and challenging dynamics
Concerns about others' opinions
Bereavement, loss, miscarriages, and stillborn experiences
Workplace stress
Low self-worth or self-esteem
Addictions and eating disorders
Sexuality and intimacy
Crisis management
Self-sabotage and fear of failure
And more...
You have the choice not to delve deep initially, but eventually, existential therapy can assist in facing life events positively.
Existential therapy is a contemporary psychotherapeutic approach involving dialogue and exploration. Through dialogue, sessions gradually unveil specific details of your mind, body, relationships, and life situations. The aim is to uncover meanings and alternative perspectives, enabling you to live life more fully.
Existential therapy may yield several benefits, such as:
Shifting perceptions to see personal challenges differently
Questioning and exploring the meaning of life
Discovering personal meaning
Coping with life's uncertainties
Feeling empowered and open to change
Uncovering new choices and pathways
Building self-awareness and recognizing mental states
Managing life's challenges and reshaping them
Gaining confidence by re-evaluating one's role in situations
And more...
The overarching purpose of existential therapy is to allow honest, open, and comprehensive exploration of your lived experiences.
This collaborative process helps gain a clearer sense of experiences and the subjective meanings they hold.
To make the most of your therapy sessions, a little preparation can go a long way. Before your appointment, take some time to reflect on what’s been on your mind lately. You might want to jot down specific thoughts, experiences, or emotions that you’d like to explore further. Consider any questions or goals you have for therapy, and think about moments in your week where you felt particularly challenged or strong.
If there’s a recurring pattern or issue, bring it up—even if it feels small or difficult to share. Remember, therapy is your space to be open and honest. Preparing doesn’t need to be formal or time-consuming, but a few intentional moments can help you approach your session with clarity and focus, ready to make meaningful progress.
Key concepts include:
Developing deeper self-awareness
Balancing freedom and responsibility
Creating identity
Forming meaningful relationships
Exploring personal purpose and values
Accepting anxiety as part of life
People may opt for existential psychotherapy for various reasons:
Search for meaning and purpose
Coping with existential concerns
Addressing emotional and psychological challenges
Engaging in self-reflection and self-awareness
Enhancing relationships and interpersonal skills
Embracing personal responsibility and choice
Developing resilience and finding fulfillment
It's important to note that these reasons are not exhaustive, and individuals may have their own unique motivations for seeking existential psychotherapy. Ultimately, the decision to pursue therapy depends on an individual's personal circumstances, goals, and preferences.
Existential therapy may not be suitable for those with multiple complex issues, high resistance to exploring past struggles, or an unwillingness to be open and honest.
However, it may be best suited if you are open to:
Exploring yourself and your relationships around you
Investigating your core identity and values
Widening your past, present and future perspectives
Being ready to be a bit uncomfortable or to have your views challenged in healthy ways
Being willing to step out gently of your comfort zone
Considering different ways of looking at the world around yourself
Being able to let go of certain beliefs that no longer serve you and to take on new ones
Creating a space to look deeply at your choices
Discussing what sits at the core of you and what you care deeply about...
Existential therapy can be beneficial for post-crisis work, especially with clients who have experienced disasters or pandemics.
Sessions involve safe, reflective exploration of issues causing conflict, aiming for deeper self-understanding, compassion, and empowerment. Creative arts or other techniques may be used if they are helpful to the process.
The number of sessions varies based on individual issues. Generally, sessions are weekly, with the decision to finish discussed collaboratively.
Sessions are confidential, with exceptions explained in the first session relating to ethical and legal obligations. These relate primarily to ethical and legal obligations such as the Children First Act.
Explore deeper self-awareness, the tension between freedom and responsibility, creating identity, meaningful relationships, personal purpose, and accepting anxiety.
While not providing emergency services, contact is possible at any time, with responses during business days or returned the next business day for night-time or weekend calls.
Regular individual and group supervision is undertaken, emphasizing the value of supervision in the therapeutic process.
Clients include those dealing with life issues, relational struggles, transitions, trauma, depression, grief, and various concerns across age groups.
The therapist recommends listening to this BBC article on UK therapists for important training information.
The therapist’s own interest lies in core relational existential themes, along with depression, stress, grief, cancer, and supervision.
With 25 years of experience, the therapist holds a master’s degree in Existential Psychotherapy, a Graduate Diploma, and a Bachelor's degree.
Medicare rebates aren't available, but private health insurance rebates vary. Cancellations without 24-hour notice may incur charges.
Please refer to the cost page for more information about private health Insurance.
The therapist has had long-term therapy, periodically continuing for personal growth.
While not providing emergency services, the therapist tries to make herself available, with alternative help suggested for urgent situations.
The therapist balances personal and professional life, running a psychotherapy practice and designing courses.
Interest lies in the basic existential themes, such as freedom, death, isolation, meaning.
Clients can contact the therapist through phone or email, with a free 15-minute consultation available. Session’s cost is detailed on the website.
The therapist is registered with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia and SUPERVISION WA.
Existential psychotherapy involves exploring the core of one's existence, distinguishing it from therapies focused on life events.
This comprehensive overview provides essential information for potential clients, offering transparency and clarity about the therapist's approach and practice.