`A lucid and much-needed account of existential psychotherapy... As well as locating existential psychotherapy within a historical and philosophical context, Hans Cohn encompasses various therapeutic issues and provides some vivid and sensitive passages of case material... I found the book provided a concise and clarifying account of the underlying philosophy and of the psychotherapeutic practice... The existentialist challenge to Freud outlined in the book provides an alternative point of view to counter potentially engulfing aspects of a psychoanalytic vision. This is a stimulating book which is a valuable contribution towards dialogue between different approaches of psychotherapy' - International Journal of Psychotherapy

`A lucid and much-needed account of existential psychotherapy... As well as locating existential psychotherapy within a historical and philosophical context, Hans W Cohn encompasses various therapeutic issues and provides some vivid and sensitive passages of case material... I found the book provided a concise and clarifying account of the underlying philosophy and of the psychotherapeutic practice... The existentialist challenge to Freud outlined in the book provides an alternative point of view to counter potentially engulfing aspects of a psychoanalytic vision. This is a stimulating book which is a valuable contribution towards dialogue between different approaches of psychotherapy′ - International Journal of Psychotherapy `If you want at least one "existential psychotherapy" text in your library, buy this one. It′s a winner′ - The Psychotherapy Review The theoretical framework used by many counsellors and psychotherapists is predominantly `psychodynamic′, rooted in psychoanalytic theory and frequently felt to be inadequate for an understanding of the many-shaded spectrum of disturbances experienced by clients. Although many practitioners have discovered existential-phenomenological thought, they may wonder what relevance these philosophical ideas have to their actual practice, to their day-to-day meetings with clients and to the relation between client and therapist. There is often a divide between thought and practice, and this book bridges that gap. The author introduces the history and ideas of existential phenomenology and existential psychotherapy, and shows how therapeutic phenomena familiar to all therapists and counsellors can be understood from an existential viewpoint. Hans W Cohn also demonstrates how the existential approach opens up access to issues that other therapeutic orientations have neglected, such as the difficulty of choice, the burden of responsibility and the inevitability of death. The existential approach is constantly compared to the relevant psychodynamic counterpart, so that readers can assess the unfamiliar against a background of the more familiar.

In 1958 in their book Existence, Rollo May, Henri Ellenberger and Ernst Angel introduced existential therapy to the English-speaking psychotherapy world. Since then the field of existential therapy has moved along rapidly and this book considers how it has developed over the past fifty years, and the implications that this has for the future. In their 50th anniversary of this classic book, Laura Barnett and Greg Madison bring together many of today's foremost existential therapists from both sides of the Atlantic, together with some newer voices, to highlight issues surrounding existential therapy today, and look constructively to the future whilst acknowledging the debt to the past. Dialogue is at the heart of the book, the dialogue between existential thought and therapeutic practice, and between the past and the future. Existential Therapy: Legacy, Vibrancy and Dialogue, focuses on dialogue between key figures in the field to cover topics including: historical and conceptual foundations of existential therapy perspectives on contemporary Daseinanalysis the search for meaning in existential therapy existential therapy in contemporary society. Existential Therapy: Legacy, Vibrancy and Dialogue explores how existential therapy has changed in the last five decades, and compares and contrasts different schools of existential therapy, making it essential reading for experienced therapists as well as for anyone training in psychotherapy, counselling, psychology or psychiatry who wants to incorporate existential therapy into their practice.

`Hans Cohn has given us a personal and valuable statement about the theoretical underpinnings of his work as a psychotherapist. These can be little doubt about his contribution to our thinking practice is invaluable. Students will find Cohn's easygoing exposition of complex ideas enormously helpful' - Professor Emmy van Deurzen, Existential Analysis `One of the most important books published this year. This long-awaited book by the foremost expert on the relationship between Heidegger and psychotherapy, manages to encapsulate the essence of Heidegger's thinking and make of understandable and relevant to therapists without losing any of the original meaning' - Counsellingbooks.com Anyone interested in modern philosophy is familiar with the name of Martin Heidegger but there is a serious gap in even the most complete accounts of his life and thought. This is Heidegger's association with, and influence on, psychotherapy. Hans C Cohn explores the role of Heidegger's thought in providing an alternative basis for psychotherapeutic practice to the dominant psychodynamic, humanistic and cognitive approaches, also focusing strongly on the practical therapeutic relevance of Heidegger's ideas. This book will be essential reading for students and teachers of modern philosophy, as well as existential psychotherapists, and all practitioners interested in existential approaches to therapy.

Existential psychotherapy has emerged as an approach that is distinctively different to that of the other models and systems within psychotherapy. It provides a set of significant challenges to, and critiques of, contemporary Western psychotherapy both at the level of theory and of practice. Although a substantial amount of writing that seeks to describe and delineate the theoretical underpinnings of existential psychotherapy already exists, this is not the case with texts dealing with the application of theory in the form of practice. Practising Existential Psychotherapy examines the unique qualities and possibilities of an existential approach to psychotherapy. Drawn from Ernesto Spinelli's own experience as an internationally recognised theorist, lecturer and practitioner, the book's overall aim is to provide a thorough and accessible explication of existential psychotherapy in practice. Beginning with an overview of the theoretical underpinnings and distinguishing features of existential psychotherapy, the text describes and develops a three-phase structural model for its practice. As well as describing the key components of each phase, the text provides descriptive examples and topic-focused exercises designed to assist readers in developing their own practice-based understanding of existential psychotherapy. Ernesto Spinelli is a Professor in the School of Psychotherapy and Counselling at Regent's College, London.

Less of an orientation and more a way of understanding the challenges of being human, existential therapy draws on rich and diverse philosophical traditions and ways of viewing the world. Traditionally it has been seen as difficult to summarise and comprehend and the air of mystery surrounding existential ideas has been exacerbated by the dense language often used by philosophers and practitioners. Existential Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques provides a comprehensive and accessible guide to a fascinating and exciting body of knowledge, and the therapeutic approach it informs. Divided into five parts the topics covered include: Existentialism – inception to present day Theoretical assumptions Existential phenomenological therapy in practice Ethics and existential therapy Bringing it all together Existential Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques will be essential reading for all trainee and qualified counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists and psychiatrists who want to use the wisdom of existential ideas in their work with clients. It will also benefit clients and potential clients who want to find out how existential ideas and existential therapy can help them explore what it means to be alive.

The definitive account of existential psychotherapy. First published in 1980, Existential Psychotherapy is widely considered to be the foundational text in its field— the first to offer a methodology for helping patients to develop more adaptive responses to life’s core existential dilemmas. In this seminal work, American psychiatrist Irvin Yalom finds the essence of existential psychotherapy and gives it a coherent structure, synthesizing its historical background, core tenets, and usefulness to the practice. Organized around what Yalom identifies as the four "ultimate concerns of life"—death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness—the book takes up the meaning of each existential concern and the type of conflict that springs from our confrontation with each. He shows how these concerns are manifest in personality and psychopathology, and how treatment can be helped by our knowledge of them. Drawing from clinical experience, empirical research, philosophy, and great literature, Yalom provides an intellectual home base for those psychotherapists who have sensed the incompatibility of orthodox theories with their own clinical experience, and opens new doors for empirical research. The fundamental concerns of therapy and the central issues of human existence are woven together here as never before, with intellectual and clinical results that have surprised and enlightened generations of readers.

′A concise introduction to existential counselling is a superb addition to the literature on existential counselling and psychotherapy. Martin Adams provides an excellent overview of the field for those who are new to it at the same time as distilling key features in a way which will be valuable for experienced practitioners′ - Meg Barker, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Open University A Concise Introduction to Existential Counselling is just that: a brief and accessible pocket guide to the underlying theory & practice of the existential approach. Addressing everything a new trainee needs to know and do in a way that is entirely accessible and jargon-free, this book: - Provides a short history of the existential tradition - Puts key concepts into contexts, showing how theory translates into practice - Discusses issues in the therapeutic process - Shows how to work effectively with whatever the client brings to the session - Addresses the significance of existential thought in the wider world This book will be the perfect companion to new trainees looking to embark on their path to thinking and practicing existentially. Martin Adams is a practitioner and supervisor in private practice and a Lecturer at the New School of Psychotherapy and Regents College, both in London.

`One can only applaud the bravery of an author who gently send up Kierkegaard's wilful obscurantism and cleans out the acrid smoke of Gauloises from the room. With welcome clarity and sanity, Mick Cooper efficiently lays out the concepts, techniques and directions adopted by several key figures in the broad field of existentially informed psychotherapy. In an excellent first chapter, Mick Cooper pointed out my `ontic' from my `ontological'; and I could see, behind the long-words-with-dashes, the true resonance of these ideas with real human and therapeutic issues, dilemmas and goals' - Clinical Psychology `This book proves to be a real treasure chest: what you always wanted to know about existential psychotherapy but failed to find anywhere else in such a comprehensive, clear and concise manner. In that sense, this publication provides a missing link. One merit of the book is its systematic structure. As extensive, and in part as heterogeneous as existential philosophy and therapy also maybe, Mick Cooper had nevertheless been able to build convincing clusters with, on the one hand, an enormous understanding of details and, on the other, a far-sightedness that, like a map, provides orientation in the diversity of existential therapy. I really appreciate this publication and can recommend it very strongly' - Person-Centred and Experiential Psychotherapies `Existential Therapies will I suspect, suddenly make "existentialism" come alive. The author, Mick Cooper loves his subject, it fascinates and enthrals him, and we get to experience some of that, even though the book is "academic". The connections and overlaps with person-centred psychology are there for us to be, but so are the differences' - Person-Centred Practice `As an overview of a number of different existential therapies the book is extremely welcome and manages in a relatively short space to cover a wide arena. Overall I rate the book highly. To pull together a large and somewhat disparate literature, then make sense of it and finally retains the reader's interest, is difficult' - Existential Analysis `Mick Cooper has done an impressive job in writing a much needed, current and user friendly survey of the field of existential therapies. If I were to teach this course, I would use this book. I applaud Mick Cooper for having admirably achieved the aim he set out to achieve. All this makes Mick Cooper's book a must-read for anyone wishing to explore the topic of existential therapy' - Society for Laingian Studies Website `What makes this book unique is that all the different strands of Existential philosophy are always clearly linked to practice' - Counselling and Psychotherapy Journal `This is a very fresh book, not treading well-worn paths and genuinely informing us about a small but important field. This is really an indispensable book for anyone who wants to understand existentialist approaches to therapy' - Self and Society `This publication marks a milestone providing an excellent, clear and critical overview of the contrasting forms of the approach as it is currently practised' - Emmy van Deurzen, New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling, Schiller University, London `This is a book of superb thoroughness and scholarship - an unprecedented guide to existential therapy's chief positions and controversies' - Kirk J Schneider, President of the Existential-Humanistic Institute, USA `Combines scholarship with a writing style that makes difficult concepts accessible. This book should be required reading on any course where the existential tradition plays a part, and that includes person-centred courses and all sympathetic to the idea that psychotherapy is, in essence, a human encounter where warmth, understanding and a deep respect for the individual are key values' - Tony Merry, University of East London What does it mean to practice in an existential way? What are the different existential approaches? What are their strengths and limitations? Existential Therapies addresses these key questions, and more, by providing students and practitioners with an invaluable introduction to the diverse and multifaceted world of existential therapeutic practices. Focusing on practical, face-to-face work with clients, the book: · introduces readers to six key existential therapies · discusses key figures and their contributions, including Irvin Yalom, Emmy van Deurzen, Ernesto Spinelli, Viktor Frankl and R D Laing · compares and contrasts the various approaches, highlighting areas of commonality and difference · outlines key debates within the existential therapy field · provides detailed suggestions for further reading Existential Therapies offers students and practitioners of all orientations much that they can incorporate into their own therapeutic work, and each approach is vividly brought to life through therapist-client dialogues and case studies. Written in an accessible, warm, and engaging manner, Existential Therapies is an essential introduction to this rich, vibrant and stimulating field.

This book explores the existential themes and challenges present in all therapeutic relationships when working with children. Existential ideas and concepts are a rapidly growing influence on the practice of psychotherapy and yet their application to work with children remains largely unexplored. This book begins to redress this imbalance in a practical and engaging way by presenting an existential perspective on some key themes in practicing psychotherapy with children, including: play, anxiety, guilt, choice, family relationships, language and process. Each chapter is punctuated with engaging vignettes of case material, blending theoretical insight with the realities of practice. Through these narratives readers are challenged to question their own assumptions and beliefs whether they are new to existential psychotherapy or already immersed in its rich philosophical traditions. Children are born into the world without choice and are drawn towards making connections with others, developing self-awareness and personal identity.