https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/5/110/206.full.pdf

The american psychological association.

In Practising Existential Psychotherapy Ernesto Spinelli presents us with his attempt to provide a readable, accessible, and practical outline of the theory and practise of his existential approach to psychotherapy. The book consists of two main parts, the first describing what the author feels to be the basic theoretical underpinnings of existential psychotherapy followed by a second, longer section describing what he calls ‘‘a structural model’’ to ‘‘practising existential psychotherapy.’’ As emphasised by the title of the book, his main focus is on the latter section. Spinelli argues in his introduction that there are a number of books around dealing with ‘‘various forms and expressions of existential theory’’ while he feels there is presently a ‘‘paucity’’ of books ‘‘focusing directly and methodically upon the application of existential-phenomenological theory to psychotherapeutic practise.’’ This book is an attempt to at least partially remedy that situation by providing a more practical or ‘‘structural’’ model for existential psychotherapy as outlined in the present volume. It’s a bit of a ‘‘how to’’ book in an age in which popular manuals to various types of psychotherapy abound. In the case of existential psychotherapy in particular though, this presents some very interesting and almost paradoxical problems. This is so, largely because the existential approach itself is likely as far from (and as philosophically opposed to) a manualized, one-size-fits-all approach as one can get in the psychological field. But the author is quite clear that he is only presenting ‘‘an approach’’ or ‘‘a model’’ (his own) of existential psychotherapy, not ‘‘the way’’ of proceeding. Indeed he quotes Nietzsche’s famous pluralistic motto from Zarathustra on ‘‘my’’ way (for ‘‘the way—it doth not exist’’) as the first of several excellent chapter-introducing quotations. Similarly the content of his approach, which emphasises an uncommon degree of openness, an extremely non-judgmental stance toward patients, and even a concept he calls ‘‘un-knowing’’ (as opposed to a know-it-all’s approach) make it clear that his way is anything but one which treats patients as if they were all quite similar. On the other hand, someone has to be able to address such questions as those of ‘‘what do existential psychotherapists actually do in practise?’’ and ‘‘how does this approach proceed differently than other approaches?’’ These are important questions to answer, particularly for trainees in the field, and it is no coincidence that it is Dr. Spinelli who takes up this difficult task, likely responding to a need he has had much first-hand experience with in his capacity as the director of a training programme in existential psychotherapy (in London, UK). Many of the ‘‘exercises’’ he outlines in the second half of the book seem particularly directed toward either trainees in this approach or to practitioners from other backgrounds who are trying to newly acquaint themselves with existential psychotherapy. One important item of note to potential readers regards Spinelli’s use of the term ‘‘Structural’’ or ‘‘Structural Model.’’ These terms could be quite misleading to many in the psychotherapy field if it is not made clear that the author here is using the term structural only in referring to the basic procedural patterns or organisational forms of how one proceeds in this type of therapy. His usage of the term structural is not at all related to Freud’s familiar ‘‘structural model’’ (e.g. of ego, id, and superego ‘‘structures’’) and should not be confused with those or any other model of Edwin L. Hersch is the author of ‘‘From Philosophy to Psychotherapy: A Phenomenological Model for Psychology, Psychiatry, and Psychoanalysis’’.

Ernesto Spinelli, Practising Existential Psychotherapy: The Relational World

The central achievement of this book, it seems to me, is that it maps a diverse and demanding intellectual movement, that of Existentialism, explicates the forms this has taken in the therapeutic w...

Existential psychotherapy and counselling: contributions to a pluralistic practice

Memory reconsolidation and the crisis of mechanism in psychotherapy

This study aimed to qualitatively analyze the significant events that occur during existential psychotherapy sessions from the perspective of the patient. Ten patients completed the HAT—helpful aspects of therapy—shortly after existential psychotherapy sessions during existential psychotherapy treatment, which lasted 1 year and consisted of 48 sessions. The data were analyzed using grounded theory. The results emphasized the following categories: the promotion of self-awareness, the possibility of verbalizing experiences, and the deepening of meanings. In addition to emphasizing human relationships, the patients also emphasized a preference for interventions by existential therapists that were more directive, such as providing feedback, challenging personal beliefs, and asking questions. The results emphasize the integrated use of the two phenomenological methods, specifically, the static and the genetic methods.

Self-Awareness, Verbalization and New Meanings as the Heart and Soul of Significant Events in Existential Psychotherapy

This research focuses on the descriptions of significant events experienced in the context of existential psychotherapy as described by five clients. The results include a set of eidetic dimensions...

Significant Events Identified by Clients Engaged in Existential Psychotherapy: A Descriptive Phenomenological Exploration:

Deliberate practice in schema therapy.

Deliberate practice in motivational interviewing.

Deliberate practice in dialectical behavior therapy.

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