Neo-Existential Therapy: Approaches and Methods

Abstract

Existential therapy (ET) is a form of psychological and existence therapy that links a clinical approach with a philosophical reading of reality.

Compared to other psychotherapeutic approaches, ET’s identity is not anchored to etiological certainties or codified treatment techniques. This feature, along with the complexity of the theoretical assumptions it refers to, has resulted in a reputation that is not very high in terms of popularity among both practitioners and possible patients that had resulted in a prejudice of a psychotherapy without tools.

The aim of the paper is to modify this prejudice and underline how existential psychotherapy, especially some schools as S.P.Es. (Italy), uses many tools and techniques, also borrowed from other psychotherapies. The core of existential therapy is its epistemological approach and its mental attitude of non-invasiveness of the emotional sphere and the noetic development of the client.