Bob Edelstein, LMFT, MFT is an Existential-Humanistic psychotherapist. In addition to being a therapist since 1973, he also provides consultation, supervision, and training for clinicians and students. Bob offers a one-day workshop entitled “Deepen Your Therapeutic Work Using an Existential-Humanistic Perspective” and a one-day workshop entitled “Authentic Engagement: A Radical Way of Being in the World”. Bob is a blogger for Psychology Today and has published a number of articles on the Existential-Humanistic Perspective. Bob is a former board member of both the Existential-Humanistic Institute and the Association for Humanistic Psychology. He is a founding member of the Existential-Humanistic Northwest Professional Organization.

Bob read Freedom to Learn by Carl Rogers, Ph.D. in 1971, and has had a passion for both the Existential Humanistic perspective and what it means to be authentic ever since. He is fascinated by the ways in which all of us as human beings construct and discover meaning in our lives and the uniqueness of each person’s lived experience.

After studying the works of the existential humanistic pioneers – Carl Rogers, Rollo May and Abraham Maslow – Bob entered into a mentorship with Jim Bugental. Starting in 1991, Bob participated in Jim’s yearly week-long intensive training on “The Art of the Psychotherapist.” These trainings served to deepen the participants’ work as psychotherapists within the existential humanistic perspective, and within Jim’s unique lens. After Jim retired, the trainings became collegial and consultant-led. Bob took what he learned from these trainings to Portland and created an existential humanistic training and case consultation group for professionals and students, which he has provided annually since 1995.