Table of Contents

About the Author ix

Preface to the Second Edition x

Preface to the First Edition xii

Acknowledgements xv

Introduction 1

Section 1 Paradox 15

Introduction: The Central Role of Paradox in Human Existence 15

1 Ontological Insecurity Revisited: Self‐confidence Versus Anxiety 23

2 Courting Death: Life in the Balance 37

3 The Survival of the Self: Identity, Freedom and Disintegration 58

4 Intimacy and Love: Closeness and Distance Between Self and Other 69

5 Alienation and Adaptation: Being a Stranger in a Foreign Land 77

Section 2 Passion 87

Introduction: the Central Role of Passion in Human Existence 87

6 A Passion for Life: Rediscovering the Intensity of Living 95

7 Truth as a Touchstone: Reality and Meaning as the Bedrock of Living 106

8 Hard‐earned Lessons: a Therapist’s own Journey to Self‐understanding 121

9 Letting the Client’s Life Touch Yours: the Art of Resonance and Presence 143

10 The Moral Compass: How Can Counselling and Therapy Help? 158

Section 3 Existential Psychotherapy 173

Introduction: A New Way of Working 173

11 Widening Horizons: Universal Dimensions of the Human Dilemma 177

12 What is Existential Analysis? Sketch for an Existential Approach 189

13 Philosophy as Therapy: The Ultimate Goal of our Work 200

14 A New Challenge: Towards Transcendence 208

Section 4 Illustrations of Existential Work 223

Introduction: What We Can Learn From Practice 223

15 Marie‐Louise: Letting Go of the Past in Order to Reclaim it 227

16 Vicky: Learning to Be More by Being Less 233

17 Peter: Finding Oneself in Spite of Psychotherapy 241

18 Jerry: Transcending Trauma 251

Conclusions 263

References 266

Index 273

About the Author

Emmy van Deurzenis a Philosopher, CounsellingPsychologist, and Existential Psychotherapist. She foundedthe School of Psychotherapy and Counselling at Regent sCollege, UK, the Society for Existential Analysis, and the NewSchool of Psychotherapy and Counselling, of which she continues tobe Principal. She lectures worldwide and is currently VisitingProfessor at Middlesex University, UK. She was the first chair ofthe United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy, and was instrumentalin establishing the existential approach in the UK and Europe. Herbooks include Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling inPractice (3rd edition, 2012), Psychotherapy and the Questfor Happiness (2008), and Everyday Mysteries(2nd edition, 2010).

Reviews

UK (All author requests) Existential Analysis Contributor, (Editorial AdvisoryBoard) BPS Counselling Psychology Review, contributor. European Journal for Counselling and Psychotherapy British Journal for Psychotherapy British Journal of Clinical Psychology British Journal of Medical Psychology Therapy Today The Psychotherapist The Psychologist Philosophy Now Self and Society US (all author requests) The American Psychologist The North American Journal of Psychology Canadian Journal of Psychology Current Directions in Psychological Science Humanistic Psychologist International Journal of Psychology International Journal for Psychotherapy, (on Editorial Board) International Journal for the Psychology of Religion Journal of Consciousness Studies Journal of Humanistic Psychology Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology New therapist magazine Psychotherapy: Theory/Practice/Research/Training Radical Psychology