What Is Existential Therapy?
Existential therapy is a philosophical approach to psychotherapy that helps clients explore fundamental questions about meaning, freedom, responsibility, and authenticity. Becoming an existential therapist typically requires a master's or doctoral degree in counseling or clinical psychology, state licensure (typically around 3,000 supervised hours, though requirements vary by state), and specialized training in existential-humanistic approaches. Mental health counselors who practice existential therapy earned a median salary of $59,190 annually according to 2024 BLS data, with the highest earners reaching $98,210 or more.
Table of Contents
- What Is Existential Therapy?
- The Four Core Existential Themes
- How Existential Therapy Differs from Other Approaches
- What Does an Existential Therapist Do?
- Education and Training Requirements
- Licensing and Certification
- Where Do Existential Therapists Work?
- Salary and Career Outlook
- Existential Therapy Techniques and Methods
- How to Get Started in Existential Therapy
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Key Takeaways
Educational Purpose Only: This article provides educational information about existential therapy as a career path. It is not intended to provide mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you're experiencing mental health concerns, please consult with a licensed mental health professional.
In a world where many people struggle to find meaning in their daily lives, existential therapy offers a unique approach to mental health treatment. Rather than focusing solely on symptoms or diagnoses, this philosophical form of psychotherapy helps clients explore the deeper questions that shape human experience: Who am I? What gives my life meaning? How do I face my mortality? What does it mean to be free?
This career-focused guide explores existential therapy from both clinical and professional perspectives. Whether you're a psychology student considering specialization options, a practicing therapist interested in expanding your approach, or someone curious about this philosophical form of treatment, you'll find comprehensive information about what existential therapy is, how it works, and what it takes to build a career in this meaningful field.
Existential therapy emerged from European philosophy and gained prominence in American psychology during the mid-20th century. Today, it continues to offer valuable tools for therapists working with clients facing life transitions, identity crises, grief, anxiety about mortality, and the universal search for meaning.
What Is Existential Therapy?
Existential therapy is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on the human condition as a whole, emphasizing personal responsibility, freedom of choice, and the search for meaning in life. Rather than treating mental health issues as diseases or disorders, existential therapists view psychological struggles as natural responses to the fundamental challenges of human existence.
This therapeutic approach has deep roots in existential philosophy, drawing from thinkers like Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Martin Heidegger. These philosophers explored questions about existence, freedom, authenticity, and the anxiety that comes from confronting life's uncertainties. In the 20th century, psychiatrists and psychologists, including Viktor Frankl, Rollo May, and Irvin Yalom, adapted these philosophical concepts into practical therapeutic methods.
Unlike traditional medical model approaches that categorize mental health problems as illnesses requiring treatment, existential therapy starts from a different premise. It recognizes that anxiety, depression, and other psychological struggles often stem from confronting life's inherent challenges: the responsibility of making choices, the isolation each person ultimately faces, the need to create meaning, and the reality of death. These aren't pathological conditions but fundamental aspects of being human.
Existential therapy is particularly effective for clients dealing with life transitions, identity questions, relationship difficulties, grief and loss, career dissatisfaction, and spiritual or philosophical concerns. It helps people move from feeling like passive victims of circumstance to recognizing their capacity for choice and their responsibility for creating meaning in their lives.
The therapeutic relationship in existential therapy is collaborative rather than hierarchical. Therapists don't position themselves as experts who diagnose and fix problems. Instead, they serve as companions in philosophical inquiry, helping clients explore their assumptions, values, and choices. This authentic, person-to-person connection becomes a model for how clients can relate more genuinely with others in their lives.
The Four Core Existential Themes
Psychiatrist Irvin Yalom, one of the most influential figures in existential psychotherapy, identified four fundamental "givens" of existence that form the core concerns addressed in existential therapy. These universal aspects of human life can create anxiety and psychological distress when people struggle to accept or cope with them.
1. Freedom and Responsibility
At the heart of existential thinking lies a paradox: humans are fundamentally free to choose, yet this freedom comes with the weight of responsibility. As Jean-Paul Sartre famously stated, "Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you." We don't control everything that happens to us, but we're always free to choose how we respond.
This freedom can be terrifying. Many people prefer to believe they have no choice, that circumstances or other people determine their lives. Existential therapists help clients recognize the choices they're actually making, even when those choices feel forced or limited. A person who says "I have to stay in this job" might explore what they're actually choosing and what they fear about making a different choice.
The flip side of freedom is responsibility. Once you acknowledge your freedom to choose, you can no longer blame others for your unhappiness or attribute your problems solely to past events. Existential therapists don't use this insight to shame clients but to empower them. Recognizing your responsibility means recognizing your capacity to create change.
2. Existential Isolation
Irvin Yalom wrote, "No matter how close each of us becomes to another, there remains a final, unbridgeable gap." This existential isolation refers to the fundamental reality that each person enters and exits existence alone. No matter how intimately we connect with others, we can never fully share another person's subjective experience or eliminate the separateness of individual consciousness.
This type of isolation differs from loneliness or social isolation. You can be surrounded by people who love you and still feel existentially alone. This realization often surfaces during major life transitions, after loss, or when facing serious illness. It can provoke anxiety, but confronting this reality can also deepen our appreciation for the connections we do have.
Existential therapists help clients distinguish between existential isolation (an unavoidable fact of existence) and interpersonal isolation (which can be addressed through better relationships). They also help clients develop the capacity to be alone without overwhelming loneliness, finding comfort in their own company while still seeking meaningful connections with others.
3. Meaninglessness
"Existence precedes essence," Sartre declared, meaning that humans aren't born with a predetermined purpose or meaning. Unlike objects designed for specific functions, people must create their own meaning and values. This freedom to define meaning can be liberating, but it also provokes anxiety. If life has no inherent meaning, what's the point?
Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist who survived Nazi concentration camps, developed logotherapy based on the principle that the search for meaning is the primary human motivation. His experiences taught him that people could endure tremendous suffering if they could find meaning in it. Existential therapists help clients identify what matters most to them and align their lives with those values.
Rather than prescribing what should give life meaning, existential therapists help clients discover their own sources of meaning through work, relationships, creativity, nature, spirituality, or contributing to something larger than themselves. The goal isn't to eliminate the question of meaning but to help clients engage with it actively and authentically.
4. Death Anxiety
Simone de Beauvoir observed, "Today, however, we are having a hard time living because we are so bent on outwitting death." The awareness of our mortality is perhaps the most fundamental existential given. Everyone will die, yet we often organize our lives around avoiding this reality.
Death anxiety doesn't always appear as explicit fear of dying. It can manifest as general anxiety, compulsive busyness, avoidance of meaningful commitments (why start something if it will end?), or pursuing distractions to avoid contemplating mortality. Some people become so focused on avoiding death's awareness that they fail to truly live.
Existential therapists help clients face mortality not to increase fear but to enhance life. Confronting death can clarify priorities, deepen appreciation for the present moment, and motivate people to live more authentically. Many clients find that accepting death's inevitability paradoxically makes life feel more precious and meaningful.
How Existential Therapy Differs from Other Approaches
Understanding how existential therapy compares to other therapeutic approaches can help clarify its unique perspective and when it might be most appropriate.
| Approach | View of Problems | Role of Therapist | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Existential Therapy | Natural responses to life's fundamental challenges | Philosophical companion, fellow explorer | Meaning, freedom, responsibility, authenticity |
| Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) | Result of distorted thinking patterns | Teacher, coach providing techniques | Thoughts, behaviors, symptom reduction |
| Psychoanalysis | Unconscious conflicts from past experiences | Expert interpreter of unconscious material | Past experiences, unconscious drives, defense mechanisms |
| Person-Centered Therapy | Blocked natural growth tendency | Non-directive facilitator, empathic presence | Self-actualization, unconditional positive regard |
Existential therapy shares some similarities with person-centered therapy, particularly the emphasis on authentic relationship and respect for the client's subjective experience. Both reject the medical model that positions the therapist as an expert diagnosing and treating pathology. However, existential therapy engages more directly with philosophical questions and confronts clients with their freedom and responsibility more actively than the non-directive person-centered approach.
Unlike CBT, which focuses on changing specific thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms, existential therapy explores the deeper questions underlying those symptoms. A person with anxiety might learn coping techniques in CBT, while existential therapy would explore what the anxiety reveals about their relationship to freedom, meaning, or mortality. That said, many therapists integrate existential insights with CBT techniques.
Existential therapy differs most sharply from psychoanalysis in its time orientation. While psychoanalysis explores past experiences and unconscious drives, existential therapy focuses on present experience and future possibilities. It's less concerned with why you became who you are and more interested in what you're going to do with who you are now.
Existential therapy works particularly well for clients dealing with major life transitions, identity questions, spiritual or philosophical concerns, grief and loss, relationship difficulties rooted in authenticity issues, career dissatisfaction related to meaning, and anxiety about freedom and responsibility. It's less suitable as a standalone approach for severe psychiatric conditions requiring medication management or crisis situations requiring immediate symptom stabilization.
What Does an Existential Therapist Do?
Existential therapists work with clients much like other mental health counselors, but their philosophical orientation shapes how they understand problems and facilitate change. In initial sessions, existential therapists focus on understanding each client's unique worldview, values, and way of being in the world rather than immediately diagnosing symptoms or planning interventions.
The therapeutic process centers on dialogue. Existential therapists ask questions that help clients examine their assumptions, explore their choices, and consider how they're living in relation to their stated values. Rather than offering advice or solutions, they create a space where clients can think deeply about their lives and discover their own insights.
A typical session might involve exploring a client's anxiety about an upcoming decision. Instead of teaching anxiety management techniques, the existential therapist might ask: What does this decision represent for you? What are you really choosing between? What might you gain or lose? What does your anxiety tell you about what matters to you? This Socratic questioning helps clients move from seeing themselves as victims of anxiety to recognizing the meaningful choice the anxiety represents.
Existential therapists pay close attention to how clients speak about their lives. Phrases like "I have to" or "I can't" signal places where people deny their freedom. Questions like "What would happen if you didn't?" or "What are you choosing by staying?" help clients recognize the choices they're actually making. This isn't about making people feel guilty but about helping them reclaim their agency.
The therapeutic relationship itself becomes an opportunity for growth. Existential therapists strive to relate authentically to clients, acknowledging their own humanness rather than hiding behind a professional persona. This genuine encounter models how clients might relate more authentically in their other relationships. When therapists admit uncertainty or share their own struggles with universal human concerns, it normalizes the client's experience and reduces shame.
Existential therapists commonly work with clients experiencing midlife crises (questioning life direction and meaning), grief and loss (confronting mortality and meaning), relationship problems (issues of authenticity and intimacy), career dissatisfaction (lack of meaning or purpose in work), depression related to meaninglessness, anxiety stemming from freedom and responsibility, and identity questions (who am I, who do I want to become?).
Sessions don't follow rigid protocols. The content emerges from what's most alive for the client in each moment. One session might involve deep philosophical discussion. Another might focus on very practical decisions. The unifying thread is the focus on helping clients live more consciously, authentically, and meaningfully.
Education and Training Requirements
Becoming an existential therapist follows the same educational pathway as other mental health counseling careers, with the addition of specialized training in existential and humanistic approaches.
Undergraduate Education
Most aspiring existential therapists begin with a bachelor's degree in psychology, philosophy, counseling, or a related field. While no specific undergraduate major is required for graduate programs in counseling or psychology, certain coursework provides a strong foundation. Classes in general psychology, abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, and research methods are essential. Philosophy courses, particularly in existentialism, phenomenology, and ethics, offer a valuable background for understanding existential therapy's theoretical roots.
Maintaining a strong GPA (typically 3.0 or higher) and gaining experience through volunteer work, internships, or jobs in mental health settings strengthens graduate school applications. Many students work as crisis counselors, residential assistants, or research assistants to explore the mental health field before committing to graduate education.
Graduate Education
A master's degree is the minimum educational requirement for practicing as a mental health counselor specializing in existential therapy. Most existential therapists earn degrees in clinical mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, or clinical psychology. These programs typically require two to three years of full-time study and include both coursework and supervised clinical experience.
Master's programs in counseling cover core areas including counseling theories, psychopathology, assessment, ethics, research methods, group counseling, career counseling, and multicultural counseling. Students complete extensive supervised practicum and internship experiences, typically accumulating 600-1,000 clinical hours during their graduate program. While in school, students can seek out programs or supervisors with existential-humanistic orientations.
Some therapists pursue doctoral degrees, though this isn't required for clinical practice. A PhD in counseling psychology or PsyD in clinical psychology typically requires four to six years beyond the master's level. Doctoral training provides more extensive research training, deeper theoretical knowledge, and often more prestige in academic or institutional settings. Psychologists with doctoral degrees can also practice independently in all states, while master 's-level counselors face more restrictions in some locations.
Specialized Training in Existential Therapy
Graduate programs in counseling typically cover existential therapy as one of many theoretical approaches, but developing expertise requires additional training. Several institutes offer specialized training in existential and humanistic psychotherapy. The Existential-Humanistic Institute in San Francisco provides certificate programs and workshops. The International Society for Existential Psychology and Psychotherapy offers training opportunities and conferences. The New School for Existential Psychoanalysis and other training centers provide intensive programs for therapists wanting to deepen their existential practice.
Many therapists develop their existential orientation through extensive reading, personal therapy with an existential therapist, consultation groups, and ongoing supervision. Core texts include Irvin Yalom's "Existential Psychotherapy," Rollo May's "The Discovery of Being," Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning," and works by European existential psychotherapists like Emmy van Deurzen and Ernesto Spinelli.
Continuing education is required to maintain licensure in all states, providing ongoing opportunities to attend workshops, conferences, and training programs focused on existential approaches. Many therapists join professional organizations focused on existential and humanistic psychology to stay connected with the community and access training opportunities.
Licensing and Certification
Practicing as a mental health counselor requires state licensure, regardless of your theoretical orientation. Requirements vary by state, but the general pathway is consistent across the country.
After completing a master's degree in counseling or a related field, graduates must accumulate supervised clinical experience post-degree. Most states require around 3,000 hours of supervised clinical work, though this varies by state, and it typically takes two to three years to complete. During this time, supervisees work in clinical settings while receiving regular supervision from licensed professionals.
Once the required hours are complete, candidates must pass a national licensing exam. The National Counselor Examination (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) are the most common exams for counselors. Psychologists take the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). These exams test knowledge of counseling theories, ethics, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning.
Each state has its own licensing board that sets specific requirements, grants licenses, and handles complaints. Common license designations include Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and Licensed Clinical Psychologist. The specific title and requirements vary by state, so check with your state's licensing board early in your training to ensure you meet all requirements.
All licenses require ongoing continuing education to maintain active status. Most states require 20-40 hours of continuing education every two years. These requirements ensure therapists stay current with developments in the field and can provide opportunities to deepen existential training through workshops and courses focused on existential and humanistic approaches.
No separate certification exists specifically for existential therapy. Existential therapy is a theoretical orientation rather than a credentialed specialty, unlike some specialized areas like EMDR or play therapy. However, completing recognized training programs, maintaining membership in existential psychology organizations, and demonstrating ongoing education in existential approaches help establish credibility as an existential therapist.
Where Do Existential Therapists Work?
Existential therapists work in diverse settings across the mental health field. The philosophical nature of existential therapy adapts well to many contexts, from private practice to institutional settings.
Private Practice represents the most common setting for existential therapists. Private practice offers maximum autonomy to work from an existential perspective without institutional constraints. Therapists can take time for deep philosophical exploration with clients and select clients whose concerns align well with existential approaches. Many existential therapists maintain private practices either full-time or in combination with other employment.
Mental Health Clinics employ counselors to provide outpatient therapy services. Community mental health centers, counseling clinics, and group practices offer opportunities to work with diverse populations. While these settings may require more structured treatment planning and documentation than private practice, existential approaches can still inform clinical work.
Hospitals and Medical Centers employ therapists in psychiatric units, oncology departments, palliative care teams, and consultation-liaison services. Existential therapy's focus on meaning, mortality, and authentic living makes it particularly valuable in medical settings where patients face serious illness, life-threatening conditions, or end-of-life issues.
University Counseling Centers provide mental health services to college students dealing with identity questions, career uncertainty, relationship struggles, and existential concerns common during young adulthood. Many university counseling centers welcome existential approaches and offer supportive environments for therapists interested in depth work.
Hospice and Palliative Care programs benefit from existential therapy's direct engagement with mortality, meaning, and acceptance. Therapists in these settings help patients and families navigate end-of-life issues, find meaning in suffering, and say meaningful goodbyes.
Nonprofit Organizations focused on specific populations (veterans, trauma survivors, LGBTQ+ communities) employ counselors who can help clients explore identity, meaning, and authentic living while addressing specific challenges faced by these communities.
Academic Settings provide opportunities for therapists with doctoral degrees to combine clinical work with teaching and research. Universities and training institutes need faculty who can teach existential and humanistic approaches to the next generation of therapists.
The flexibility of existential therapy means it can be practiced in almost any setting where therapists have sufficient time and freedom to engage in meaningful dialogue with clients. The key is finding positions that allow for depth work rather than requiring brief, symptom-focused interventions exclusively.
Salary and Career Outlook
The salary for existential therapists generally aligns with that of mental health counselors, as existential therapy represents a theoretical orientation rather than a separate profession. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report, mental health counselors practicing existential therapy earned a median annual salary of $59,190.
The salary range varies significantly based on experience and setting. Entry-level counselors in the 10th percentile earned approximately $39,090, while the highest-earning counselors in the 90th percentile earned $98,210 or more annually. The mean annual wage across all experience levels was $65,100, with a total of 440,380 mental health counselors employed nationally.
| Work Setting | Median Annual Salary Range |
|---|---|
| Private Practice | $55,000 - $95,000 |
| Hospitals | $65,000 - $75,000 |
| Outpatient Clinics | $58,000 - $68,000 |
| Government | $60,000 - $72,000 |
| Educational Services | $52,000 - $65,000 |
Several factors influence earning potential for existential therapists. Geographic location significantly impacts salary, with higher compensation in metropolitan areas and states with higher costs of living. Years of experience matter considerably, as established therapists can command higher fees and attract more clients. Education level affects earning potential, with doctoral-level psychologists typically earning more than master's-level counselors. License type influences what services you can provide and bill for. Practice setting determines compensation structure, with private practice offering higher earning potential but requiring more business management.
The job outlook for mental health counselors remains strong. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects faster-than-average growth for mental health counseling positions over the coming decade. Several factors drive this demand: increased recognition of mental health's importance, reduced stigma around seeking therapy, insurance coverage expansion for mental health services, growing awareness of trauma's impact, and aging populations requiring mental health support.
Telehealth expansion has created new opportunities for existential therapists. Virtual therapy platforms allow therapists to reach clients across state lines (where licensed) and offer flexibility that attracts many practitioners. The philosophical nature of existential therapy translates well to video sessions, as the work centers on dialogue rather than requiring physical presence.
Specialization in existential therapy can provide competitive advantages. While many therapists practice eclectically, establishing expertise in existential approaches attracts clients seeking this specific orientation. Therapists who write, speak, or teach about existential therapy can enhance their reputations and attract referrals.
2024 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures and job growth projections for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health and Mental Health Counselors are based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed October 2024.
Existential Therapy Techniques and Methods
Existential therapy relies less on specific techniques than many other therapeutic approaches. The focus is on the quality of the therapeutic relationship and the depth of philosophical inquiry, rather than on applying standardized interventions. However, existential therapists do employ distinctive methods.
Phenomenological exploration forms the foundation of existential therapeutic work. Therapists help clients describe their lived experience as richly and completely as possible, setting aside interpretations and judgments. Questions like "What is that like for you?" or "How do you experience that in your body?" help clients examine their experience more carefully. This phenomenological attitude respects each person's unique perspective and reveals patterns and meanings that might not emerge through more directive questioning.
Socratic questioning challenges clients to examine their assumptions and beliefs. When a client says, "I can't leave this relationship," the therapist might ask, "What do you mean by 'can't'?" or "What would happen if you did?" These questions help clients recognize where they've foreclosed possibilities or denied their freedom. The goal isn't to trap clients in contradictions but to open space for new awareness.
Here-and-now awareness focuses attention on present experience rather than past history or future worries. Existential therapists notice what's happening in the moment during sessions. "I notice you looked away when you said that," or "Your voice just got quieter," draws attention to embodied experience. This present-moment focus helps clients become more aware of how they're living right now rather than staying stuck in stories about the past.
Many existential therapists work with dreams, though from an existential rather than psychoanalytic perspective. Dreams are viewed as expressions of how the dreamer is living in the world, revealing concerns about meaning, freedom, death, or relationships. Rather than interpreting symbolic meanings, the therapist helps the client explore what the dream might reveal about their current life situation and choices.
Paradoxical intention, developed by Viktor Frankl, involves prescribing the symptom the client wants to eliminate. A person with insomnia might be told to try to stay awake as long as possible. This paradoxical approach reduces performance anxiety and helps clients recognize their capacity for choice even in areas where they felt controlled by symptoms.
Meaning-centered interventions help clients identify sources of meaning and align their lives with their values. This might involve exploring meaningful memories, imagining one's legacy, identifying what matters most, or finding meaning in unavoidable suffering. The therapist doesn't prescribe what should be meaningful but helps clients discover their own values and purposes.
Some existential therapists incorporate literature, poetry, or films into therapy. Discussing existential themes in great works of art can help clients explore philosophical questions less directly. Reading Camus or Dostoevsky, discussing films that grapple with mortality or freedom, or writing personal narratives can deepen existential exploration.
The therapeutic relationship itself serves as an intervention. By relating authentically, acknowledging uncertainty, and treating clients as equals in the human condition, therapists model authentic relating. This genuine encounter can be transformative for clients who've experienced mostly superficial or manipulative relationships.
How to Get Started in Existential Therapy
Building a career in existential therapy requires both formal education and ongoing personal and professional development. Here's a practical pathway for aspiring existential therapists.
Start by researching graduate programs in counseling and clinical psychology. Look for programs that emphasize humanistic and existential approaches or have faculty members who teach and practice from these perspectives. Even if programs don't specialize in existential therapy, most will expose you to these theories as part of a comprehensive counseling education.
Gain relevant experience before applying to graduate programs. Volunteer at crisis hotlines, work in residential treatment centers, assist with research projects, or find entry-level positions in social services. This experience helps clarify your commitment to the mental health field and strengthens graduate school applications.
Complete your required education through a master's program in clinical mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, or a related field. Take every opportunity during your program to learn about existential and humanistic approaches. Seek practicum and internship placements with supervisors who practice from existential perspectives. Write papers and do research projects on existential topics when possible.
Accumulate supervised clinical hours after graduation while working toward licensure. Seek supervision from existentially-oriented therapists when possible. These relationships provide not just the required supervision for licensure but also mentoring in how to practice existential therapy effectively.
Pass your licensing exam and obtain your license to practice independently. This typically happens two to three years after completing your master's degree, depending on your state's requirements and how quickly you accumulate supervised hours.
Pursue specialized training in existential therapy through certificate programs, workshops, and intensive training experiences. Organizations like the Existential-Humanistic Institute, the International Society for Existential Psychology and Psychotherapy, and various training centers offer programs specifically focused on existential approaches.
Build your professional network by joining professional organizations focused on existential and humanistic psychology. Attend conferences, participate in consultation groups, and connect with other therapists who share your theoretical interests. These connections provide ongoing learning opportunities, referral sources, and professional support.
Consider personal therapy with an existential therapist. Experiencing existential therapy as a client deepens your understanding of the approach and addresses your own existential concerns. Many therapists find their personal therapy invaluable for their professional development.
Develop a reading list of core existential texts and work through them systematically. Start with accessible works like Yalom's "Existential Psychotherapy" and Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning," then explore more challenging philosophical texts. Join or form a reading group with colleagues to discuss these works.
Once licensed, seek opportunities to teach, write, or present about existential therapy. Contributing to the field through writing articles, presenting at conferences, or teaching workshops enhances your professional reputation and deepens your own understanding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What conditions does existential therapy treat?
Existential therapy isn't designed to treat specific diagnoses but rather addresses universal human concerns that underlie many psychological problems. It works well for depression related to meaninglessness, anxiety stemming from freedom and responsibility, relationship difficulties involving authenticity and intimacy, grief and loss, identity crises, and midlife transitions. It's less suitable as a standalone treatment for severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, which typically require medication management alongside therapy.
How long does existential therapy typically last?
Existential therapy can be either short-term or long-term, depending on the client's needs and goals. Some clients engage in brief existential therapy lasting 12-20 sessions to address specific life transitions or decisions. Others pursue long-term existential therapy lasting a year or more to engage in a deeper exploration of life patterns and philosophical questions. Unlike manualized therapies with predetermined lengths, existential therapy's duration emerges from the collaborative relationship and the client's evolving needs.
Is existential therapy effective? What does research show?
Research on existential therapy's effectiveness is more limited than for approaches like CBT, partly because existential therapy resists standardization and measurement in traditional research paradigms. However, studies have found existential therapy effective for depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and adjustment to medical illness. Meaning-centered psychotherapy, a structured existential approach developed by Dr. William Breitbart, has particularly strong empirical support in palliative care and oncology settings, demonstrating significant benefits for patients facing serious illness. The quality of the therapeutic relationship, which existential therapy emphasizes, consistently predicts positive outcomes across all therapy types.
Can I combine existential therapy with other approaches like CBT?
Many therapists integrate existential insights with techniques from other approaches. You might use CBT's cognitive restructuring while maintaining an existential focus on freedom and meaning, or employ mindfulness techniques within an existential framework emphasizing here-and-now awareness. Existential therapy's philosophical foundation can inform any therapeutic approach, helping therapists understand clients' deeper concerns while using various interventions. The key is maintaining theoretical coherence rather than randomly mixing techniques.
Do I need special certification to practice existential therapy?
No separate certification exists specifically for existential therapy. You need a master's or doctoral degree in counseling or psychology, state licensure, and additional training in existential approaches through workshops, certificate programs, or intensive training experiences. Many therapists develop their existential orientation through extensive reading, personal therapy, supervision, and participation in existential psychology professional organizations rather than through a single certification program.
What's the difference between existential therapy and humanistic therapy?
Existential and humanistic therapies share common roots and considerable overlap, both emphasizing human potential, authentic relationships, and respect for subjective experience. Humanistic therapy tends to focus more on self-actualization and innate growth tendencies, maintaining an optimistic view of human nature. Existential therapy directly confronts anxiety-provoking realities like death, isolation, and meaninglessness, acknowledging the tragic dimensions of human existence alongside growth possibilities. Many therapists identify as existential-humanistic, drawing from both traditions.
Is existential therapy suitable for all clients?
Existential therapy works best for clients with sufficient psychological stability to engage in philosophical inquiry and confront anxiety-provoking questions. It's particularly effective for reasonably healthy individuals facing life transitions, identity questions, or meaning concerns. Clients in acute crisis need more directive, stabilizing interventions before they can benefit from existential exploration. People who prefer concrete advice and structured techniques may find existential therapy's open-ended inquiry frustrating. Cultural considerations matter too, as existential therapy's emphasis on individual freedom and choice may not align with more collectivist cultural values.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Existential therapy is a philosophical approach to psychotherapy that helps clients explore fundamental questions about freedom, responsibility, meaning, isolation, and mortality rather than treating symptoms as diseases.
- Becoming an existential therapist requires a master's or doctoral degree in counseling or clinical psychology, state licensure (which typically involves around 3,000 supervised hours, though requirements vary by state, and passing a licensing exam), and specialized training in existential-humanistic approaches.
- Mental health counselors who practice existential therapy earn a median salary of $59,190 annually, according to 2024 BLS data. The highest-earning counselors reach $98,210 or more, particularly in private practice settings.
- The four core existential themes explored in therapy are freedom and responsibility, existential isolation, the search for meaning, and death anxiety, which represent universal human concerns that can create psychological distress.
- Existential therapy works particularly well for clients dealing with life transitions, identity questions, grief and loss, relationship difficulties involving authenticity, career dissatisfaction related to meaning, and anxiety about freedom and responsibility.
- The job outlook for mental health counselors remains strong, with faster-than-average growth projected due to increased mental health awareness, reduced stigma, expanded insurance coverage, and telehealth opportunities.
- Successful existential therapists combine formal clinical training with extensive reading in existential philosophy, personal therapy, ongoing supervision, and participation in professional organizations focused on existential and humanistic psychology.
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2024 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures and job growth projections for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, Industrial-Organizational Psychologists, School Psychologists, Psychologists-All Other; Psychiatric Techs; Psychiatrists; Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health and Mental Health Counselors; Marriage & Family Therapists; and Social Workers are based on state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed October 2025.