Existential psychology studies life, the existence of man in his becoming and development, and comes from the word existentia - existence. A person comes to this world and solves the problems of loneliness, love, choice, search for meanings and a collision with the reality of the inevitability of death.
Existential psychology - definition
Existential traditional psychology is a direction that has grown out of existential philosophy, which views man as a unique creature, and his whole life is unique and of great value. The existential direction in psychology began to develop actively two centuries ago, and is in demand in the modern world.
History of existential psychology
The founder of existential psychology - it is difficult to name one particular person, a whole pleiad of philosophers and psychologists influenced the development of this direction. Existential traditional psychology takes its development from the phenomenology and ideas of Russian writers LN. Tolstoy and F.I. Dostoevsky. At the beginning of the XX century. the German psychologist and philosopher K. Jaspers, revising the traditional approaches of psychiatry, introduced the ideas of existentialism in them.
Ludwig Binswanger, a Swiss doctor, studying the works of Jaspers and Heidegger, introduces existentialism into psychology. Man becomes no longer a simple controlled container of psychological mechanisms and instincts, but an integral, unique entity. Then there is a rapid development of existential psychology and its branches, which include the famous logotherapy of V. Frankl.
The basic ideas of the existential approach in psychology
Existential-humanistic psychology is based on key aspects:
- consciousness and self-awareness;
- freedom;
- a responsibility;
- search for meaning;
- choice;
- awareness of death.
Existential psychology, its ideas and principles are taken from existential philosophy, which is the "foremother":
- the free will of man helps him to be in constant development;
- the knowledge of one's inner world is the leading need of the individual;
- awareness of their mortality and the adoption of this fact - a powerful resource for disclosing the creative component of the individual;
- existential anxiety becomes the trigger mechanism for finding your own unique meaning in an apparent meaningless existence.
Existential psychology - representatives
The existential psychology of V. Frankl is the most outstanding example not to give up, to find in oneself the desire to live on. Frankl caused great confidence in the fact that all of his psychotherapeutic methods were tested on himself and those people who, by fateful coincidence, were in the dungeons of a fascist concentration camp. Other known existential psychologists:
- Rollo May;
- Irvin Yalom;
- James Buergenthal;
- Alfred Lengle;
- Alice Holtzhey-Kunz;
- Boss Medard;
- Ludwig Binswanger.
Existential approach in psychology
The existential-humanistic approach in psychology is a direction in which a person's personality is a huge value in connection with her unique inner picture of the world, her uniqueness. Existential psychology teaching simple techniques and patient exercises in situations of doom and devastation from being helps people to find new meanings and choices, to get out of the victim's position when nothing can be done to improve.
Basic provisions of humanistic and existential psychology
Existential psychology is a branch of humanistic psychology, so many central concepts about a person's personality have a similar description. Humanistic and existential psychology main points:
- the openness of the person to the world, the experience of oneself in this world and the sense of peace in oneself is the main psychological reality;
- the nature of man is such that he constantly needs self-disclosure and the continuous development of his potencies;
- a person has the freedom, will and choice within his values;
- personality is a creative, active entity;
- the life of an individual should be considered as a single process of becoming and being.
Understanding the personality within the framework of existential psychology
Personality in existential psychology is unique, unique and authentic. Existential psychology does not set a framework for a person, locking it in the present, but it allows it to grow, change. When describing the personality, existentialists use the category of processes, and are not based as other directions of classical psychology on the description of character traits and state. The person has freedom of will and choice .
Methods of existential psychology
Existential psychology as a science must be based on specific methods, techniques, empirical studies, but here one can come across a number of contradictions. The most basic method is to build such relationships between the client and the therapist, which can be described in words: authenticity, loyalty and presence. Authenticity implies the full disclosure of the therapist to the patient in order to create a trusting relationship.
Methods of work of an existential psychologist with the fear of death:
- "Permission to endure" - to work with the realization of death, the therapist himself must work out his fears in this area and strive during therapy to encourage the patient to talk about death as much as possible.
- Work with protective mechanisms. The therapist leads the patient to changes in his ideas about death gently, but persistently, working through and identifying inadequate protection mechanisms.
- Work with dreams. Nightmares often contain unconscious suppressed fears of death.
Problems of existential psychology
The main ideas and theories of existential psychology were summarized by specialists of this direction to the general series of problem areas faced by existential psychology. Irvine Yalom has identified 4 series of key problems or knots:
- The problems of life, death and time - a person realizes that he is mortal, that this is an inevitable given. The desire to live and the fear of dying form a conflict.
- The problems of communication, loneliness and love - the realization of loneliness in this world: a person comes to this world alone and leaves him alone, lonely in the crowd.
- The problems of responsibility, choice and freedom - the desire of man for freedom and the absence of patterns, restraining, ordered structures and, at the same time, the fear of their absence generates conflict.
- Problems of meaning and meaninglessness of human existence stem from the first three problems. Man is constantly in the knowledge of himself and the world around him, creates his own meanings. Loss of meaning comes from the realization of one's loneliness, isolation and the inevitability of death.
The existential crisis in psychology
The principles of existential psychology are based on the existence of problems arising in the individual. The existential crisis overtakes any person from his youth to old age, each one at least once asked himself the meaning of life, his existence, his being. Some people have ordinary reflections, others may have a sharp and painful crisis, lead to indifference and lack of further motivation for life: all the senses are exhausted, the future is predictable and monotonous.
The existential crisis can penetrate all spheres of human life. It is believed that this phenomenon is inherent in people of developed countries who have satisfied all their basic needs and there is time for analysis and reflection on their own lives. A person who has lost his loved ones and thinks in the category "We" faces the question: "Who am I without them?"
Books on existential psychology
Rollo May "Existential psychology" - one of the unique publications of an authoritative existential therapist, written in simple language will be useful for reading to ordinary readers interested in psychology, and experienced psychologists. What else can you read in the framework of this topic:
- " Existential psychology of deep communication " Bratchenko. The book details the history of the emergence of the existential-humanistic approach in psychology, much attention is paid to counseling.
- " Life options. Essays on existential psychology . " V.N. Druzhinin. The problems of life and death, how to find the meaning of a tired person in all this, and what an existential psychologist can help - all these issues are covered in the book.
- " Existential psychotherapy " I. Yal. The books of this famous psychoanalyst can be re-read to infinity, the author is talented not only in his profession helping people, but also as a writer. This book is a fundamental work with a set of operating techniques and techniques.
- " Psychotechnics of the existential choice ." M. Papush. It is difficult to learn how to live and live fruitfully, enjoy and work, how to learn something, for example, playing the piano - it's difficult, but with practice everything comes.
- " Modern existential analysis: history, theory, practice, research ." A. Langle, E. Ukolova, V. Shumsky. The book presents a holistic view of existential analysis and its value contribution to the development of existential psychology.