Haven’t we all pushed harder and harder on a door that would not open, only to pause, look at the handle, or see the sign “pull,” realizing then it was
In 19th-century Vienna, Sigmund Freud confronted a mystery that medicine couldn’t explain: patients with symptoms like paralysis and seizures, yet no physical cause. One case, Anna O., became a turning
The Existential Moment, the series found here on EHI’s blog, is currently on a hiatus and will be back in the new year.
Here are some lists of of posts related to some topics in the series from the last couple of years.
Just as the Pullman workers faced their harsh reality, we are often called to ask ourselves: “How am I presently living?” Often, this question arises from feelings of despair. In existential-humanistic therapy, awareness is the first step toward transformation . Presence means coming into contact with uncomfortable truths and recognizing patterns or conditions that no longer serve us. This awareness reveals what holds us back and opens the door to change. One key role as therapists is helping our clients come into this presence.
The “good enough mother” (later “good enough parent”) concept is not just a cute catchphrase but a powerful view into the parent-child relationship. It describes a mother who provides an environment that meets the child’s needs adequately but not perfectly, allowing the child to experience and manage frustration in a safe setting. This approach, often overlooked or assumed, plays a pivotal role in helping children develop resilience and independence as they learn that the world will not always cater to their needs immediately or perfectly. Winnicott argued that being a ‘good enough mother’ is crucial for healthy emotional and psychological development, as it balances care and challenge, enabling children to grow into well-rounded adults.
Can we be present with it? It’s beyond difficult. The news and social media teem with stories of the Israel-Hamas War. Parents talking about the horrific murder of their children or burning of their families
Questions endure about the origin or meaning of dreams, from unconscious, repressed desires and archetypal symbols of the collective unconscious to modern theories about memory consolidation, emotional processing, and problem-solving. Regardless, dreams are one thing most surely: an opportunity. Take it!
Existential-Humanistic therapy draws its way of working with dreams from its humanistic heritage. Notably, it approaches dreamwork with the same emphasis on presence and experience as therapy. Furthermore, it avoids one-sized fits all dream interpretations.
Existential-Humanistic therapy is experiential and relational. Transparency stands as a central issue for both.
For the client, openness and honesty are the ground for healing and growth. Closedness and self-deception ensure the status quo. However, when basked in presence, transparency leads to revelation. The process of transparency is therefore worth reinforcing and encouraging with sensitivity.
Existential-Humanistic theory holds that the self of the client relies on protective layers. A diagram of those layers includes the following:
E-H therapy is more a journey of exploration than a classroom or doctor’s office. The journey depends on a different, less hierarchical relationship. Of course, the therapist has a role, specific skills, and expertise. However, the relationship is one of collaboration, co-creation. The therapist and client are more “fellow travelers.”
The standard interpretation of the parable of the Good Samaritan is about having compassion and charity for those in need, without expectation of reward. But what if we think about it slightly differently?
Happy New Year!
The ringing in of the New Year is a time for new beginnings. The celebration of a new year dates back to the Babylonians, and current cultures the world over continue to embrace comparable rites and rituals.
The New Year’s resolution is a celebrated example of ringing in the new in the US. We commit to a change, make a promise to do something different in our lives in a process of growth (sometimes, sadly, a fleeting process). Notably, the promise of the resolution presumes a before and after, an old and new. The new is our goal.
His words were stoic and straightforward: “I’ve been in well over a hundred firefights. When I picked up pieces of my buddy and put them in a body bag…that’s hard
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