Existential Therapy

While my theoretical approach can best be described as eclectic, I have a strong foundation in existential psychology and am heavily influenced by that school of thought, so I do often see things through that lens: really upbeat stuff like ‘neurotic anxiety’ and ‘existential paralysis.’ But it’s a lot more fun than it sounds. And it can be very liberating to view life in those terms, to find meaning in the way we are interacting with the world, and to make a choice to choose differently.

Rather than reduce you down to a measurable set of symptoms and diagnoses, I prefer to expand your story outward--how is it that YOU experience your unique suffering, joy, anger, etc.? Emotions are not problems to be solved, but signals towards what is meaningful in your world.

Existential therapy asks deep questions about the nature of being human. Why am I here? What do I want from life? What gives me purpose? What matters to me? It simultaneously asks us to consider our unique experience in this world while also helping us to see that everything we're going through is also connected to a universal human experience.

We're all going to die. (Yeah, I know). No but like, really. We are. At one point we didn't exist and at some point we will again not exist. In the meantime, what do we do with that? Is it motivating? Paralyzing? Somewhere in the middle? Let's go there. Let's dive in.

Existential therapy offers a space to explore the deeper questions we all face — about purpose, identity, freedom, and uncertainty. Many of my clients come to therapy not because something is “wrong,” but because something feels off, or missing. I help people make sense of their experience and move toward more meaning, direction, and inner freedom in the face of life’s complexity.

My focus in graduate school (and prior) was in existential theory, and I see the counseling process as one steeped in meaning, finding agency, seeking authenticity & aligning values, considering how life experiences shape a person, accepting anxiety & mortality as part of life & exploring ways to live with that through practices like mindfulness & acceptance techniques, and asking questions which encourage growth. In this way, I do not ask of others that which I do not ask of myself.

We all want purpose. We all want meaning. But tackling questions such as "What does it mean to be alive?" or "What provides me meaningful joy?" is a difficult, lifelong venture. I use Existential Therapy to help you look at the choices you make, and calibrate authenticity as the compass bearing for navigating life. By helping you understand the ways you keep and break faith with yourself, you can chart a course for a more expansive, self-determined life.

With personal experience navigating life's meaning and purpose, I specialize in existential therapy to help clients confront life's big questions—identity, freedom, isolation, and mortality. I provide a safe space to explore these existential concerns, empowering you to find clarity and meaning in your life. My approach blends empathy and insight to guide you toward authentic living, helping you make conscious choices that align with your values, creating a deeper sense of fulfillment and peace.

Existential Therapy is based on existential philosophy and is focused on identifying what is meaningful to you individually, and identifying how core anxieties (Death, Freedom, Isolation, and Meaninglessness) are impacting you and working through that.

My first love was philosophy. I believe that we all struggle with the existential conundrums of the human condition, whether we know it or not, and one or more of them is behind all mental and emotional angst.

Many of my clients are attracted to exploring philosophical themes in their lives, whether that is the philosophical narratives that inform their day-to-day lives, relationships, or worldview. I find that therapy can feel like applied philosophy, by exploring the values we hold about how the world works, why we do what we do, and what we truly desire. It is incredible how sometimes a challenging exploration of our personal philosophy can create deep and lasting changes in how we navigate life.

Existential theory suggests that we are all working to grapple with the knowledge that one day, we will die. How we integrate this knowledge impacts the ways that we give meaning to our experiences and the world around us , connect to others, and often feel a pull towards both responsibility and freedom. Existential therapy gives clients the chance to explore how the "big questions" of life are shaping their experiences and behaviors while supporting them to more skillfully live in paradox.

Underneath it all I see myself as a human- one who struggles and has struggled with the same fears that all humans have struggled with- mortality, isolation, our freedom to make choices, and our ultimate meaninglessness in a universe that is indifferent. I believe then that it is critical as a therapist to support people in finding their own meaning and purpose; and that they can trust themselves to make that decision.

I use existential therapy because it helps clients explore fundamental questions about life, such as meaning, purpose, freedom, and the challenges of existence. This approach encourages self-reflection and empowers clients to confront their fears, find their authentic selves, and live in alignment with their values. By examining life’s uncertainties, existential therapy fosters personal growth, emotional resilience, and a deeper sense of connection to oneself and the world.

"What is the meaning of life?" is an eternally joked about question, but when we do not have our own personal answer to this question it often leads to mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and interpersonal conflict. I support clients to ask the deep questions, seek and understand their core values, and find meaning in their life as a way to reduce negative symptoms and bring about positive mental health.

Meaning & purpose in life can help us survive the toughest situations. Unfortunately society often describes it as "finding meaning" so we keep hoping it will happen to us, or we are prescribed a purpose/meaning through religion, family, career, identity, etc. that may no longer be a good fit. Existential therapy helps us recognize that we have the power & responsibility to decide what is meaningful to us, create opportunities to nurture it, & re-evaluate it over the course of our life.

An existential approach to therapy emphasizes the importance of the meaning that each person makes in life and that the path that one takes can only be understood in the context of their unique life experience. This means that the questions, "Who am I?" and "What is the meaning of life" is a personal journey that, ultimately, only the individual can discover for themselves.

I practice existential therapy by focusing on areas of your life in which you can promote a greater sense of meaning and purpose, interpersonal connection, freedom, and fearlessness. I embrace the discomfort of not knowing the answer to all of life's questions, and strive to help my clients ease their anxiety about the great unknowns. Realizing that life's decisions can not always be put into boxes of "right" or "wrong" helps clients become more confident and assertive about making choices.

Considering the deeper issues of what it means to be human and exist at this time and in this place. Trying to figure out what the heck it's all about anyway. What do I believe? What do I think is BS? What happens when I die? What is death? Why am I here? What is the point of life? Will I make a difference? What matters most?