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Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy
Published in: Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy 1/2015

01-03-2015 | Original Paper

The Case for Existential (Spiritual) Psychotherapy

Author: Kirk J. Schneider

Published in: Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

As I conceive it, existential psychotherapy has deep spiritual roots. Following in the tradition of existential-spiritual philosophy, I describe the nature of these roots, the implications of them for existential-integrative therapy, and a case vignette to illustrate their application. I conclude with a reflection on the importance of contextualizing and integrating existential themes into general therapeutic practice.
Footnotes
1
The case of Janice is a composite drawn from my practice combined with elements of my work with a client in the APA video series Existential-Humanistic Therapy Over Time (Schneider 2009), and not reflective of any individual client.
 
Literature
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Binswanger, L. (1958). The case of Ellen West. In R. May, H. Ellenberger, & L. Binswanger (Eds.), Existence: A new dimension in psychiatry and psychology (pp. 237–364). New York: Basic Books.CrossRef
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Kramer, P. (1997). Listening to prozac. New York: Penguin.
Krug, O. T. (2009). James Bugental and Irvin Yalom: Two masters of existential therapy cultivate presence in the therapeutic encounter. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 49, 329–354.CrossRef
Laing, R. D. (1969). The divided self: An existential study in sanity and madness. Middlesex: Penguin.
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Schneider, K. J. (2004). Rediscovery of awe: Splendor, mystery, and the fluid center of life. St. Paul: Paragon House.
Schneider, K. J. (2008). Existential-integrative psychotherapy: Guideposts to the core of practice. New York: Routledge.
Schneider, K. J. (2013). The polarized mind: Why it’s killing us and what we can do about it. Colorado Springs: University Professors Press.
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Metadata
Title
The Case for Existential (Spiritual) Psychotherapy
Author
Kirk J. Schneider
Publication date
01-03-2015
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy / Issue 1/2015
Print ISSN: 0022-0116
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3564
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-014-9278-8

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