The Problem With Existence

It's probably rooted here, here, here... and here

Someone asked me about existentialism recently and I realized I use the term freely as it grounds how I live my life and how I work with clients. It is simply about realizing that many of people’s problems, such as relationship issues, job/career concerns and questions about life purpose, are rooted in the idea of problems of existence. Existential therapists emphasize the core concepts of living. In fact, master existential therapist Irvin Yalom grouped these concepts into four main ideas: death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness. As we go about life, wherever we are and whoever we are, we all grapple with these life issues.

Death

One client I worked with was unhappily married. She had one child who was five years old and really wanted another child but at 40 years old she was running out of time biologically to have another child. Does she leave her husband and hope she meets someone else so she can have another baby before it’s too late? Or does she recommit to her marriage and…