What Is Existential Therapy?

Existential Therapy is a philosophically rooted approach to counselling and psychotherapy that invites clients to explore what it means to be human. Rather than focusing on diagnosing symptoms, it emphasises lived experience—freedom, responsibility, mortality, isolation—and helps people face life’s inherent uncertainties through open, supportive dialogue.

Core Principles of Existential Therapy

Founded in European existential-phenomenological traditions, existential therapy is less about rigid techniques and more of an orientation that encourages spontaneity, relational awareness, and ethical self-exploration. It centres on universal “givens” of human life—freedom, death, isolation, and the search for meaning—acknowledging that confronting them naturally brings anxiety.

How It Works in Practice

Therapy is a collaborative journey. The therapist strives to “bracket” assumptions, offering a non-judgmental space where clients are supported to think, feel, and choose more authentically. Clients are seen as “fellow travelers” rather than patients, invited to reflect on their values and the consequences of their freedom and choices. The process focuses on the present and future, rather than rehashing the past, and is flexible, adapting to many personal and cultural contexts.

What It Can Help With

Existential therapy is especially relevant for those facing major life transitions, existential uncertainty, grief, or questions around identity and meaning. Rather than “fixing” problems, it supports individuals in engaging creatively and reflectively with their life circumstances. It provides space to consider the weight of freedom and responsibility, and how these shape personal values and purpose.