Exploring the Depths of Existential Therapy for Meaning and Purpose

11 December 2025

Ever find yourself sitting on the couch staring at the ceiling fan, wondering if your life has a purpose beyond binge-watching Netflix and eating snacks that come in crinkly bags? Yeah, same. Congratulations, my friend—you’ve touched the fringes of existentialism, that deep, philosophical rabbit hole where therapists don’t just ask how you feel, but also why you exist.

Welcome to the fascinating, quirky, and surprisingly uplifting world of Existential Therapy. It's like regular therapy—but with more questions, fewer judgmental eyebrows, and a whole lot more pondering about the meaning of life.

Let’s dive into the steamy existential stew together, shall we?

What the Heck is Existential Therapy?

Imagine therapy and philosophy had a baby. That’s Existential Therapy. It’s not about fixing your fear of spiders or helping you stop compulsively organizing your spice rack (though power to you if that’s your thing). It’s about helping you grapple with life’s big questions—you know, the ones that hit at 2 a.m. when you're staring into your open fridge.

At its core, Existential Therapy is centered on freedom, choice, meaning, and responsibility. It's like your therapist is channeling Socrates while also making sure you don’t spiral mid-session.

You’re the main character here, and existential therapy hands you the pen and paper. You're not broken—you’re just deeply, gloriously human.

The Four Big Existential Givens (Cue Dramatic Music)

Let’s face it, life's a weird ride. And existential therapy doesn’t shy away from that awkward truth. Instead, it grabs the weirdness by the horns and says, “Let’s talk.” Here are the four existential givens—a.k.a. the unavoidable truths we all (unwillingly) RSVP to at birth:

1. Death (No Soft Way to Say That, Sorry)

Yep, we’re all going to die. Existential therapists don’t sugarcoat it—they just help you not freak out about it. Instead of viewing death as a cosmic buzzkill, they say, “Hey, it means your time is limited—so make it count!”

Think of it like a concert with limited seating. Would it be meaningful if it went on forever? Probably not.

2. Freedom (With Great Power Comes...You Know)

You’re free to make choices. Great, right? But here’s the kicker—freedom also means responsibility. No blaming Mercury in retrograde when you ghosted your boss’s email. Existential therapy is all about owning your power without spiraling into existential dread.

You’re not just riding the wave—you’re steering the surfboard. (Don’t worry, you can still wear floaties.)

3. Isolation (But Not Just the Sad Kind)

We’re all fundamentally alone in our own minds. I know, bleak. But this truth is less about sulking in solitude and more about embracing that we’re all uniquely weird and ultimately responsible for connecting with others.

Existential therapy helps you bridge that gap. After all, even existential loners need brunch buddies.

4. Meaninglessness (Wait, Don’t Panic Yet!)

If life doesn’t come with an instruction manual (spoiler alert: it doesn’t), then what gives it meaning? You do. Existential therapy says: instead of looking for a purpose like a lost sock, why not create one?

You’re basically the author of your own self-help book. Start writing, champ.

Existential Therapy vs. Other Therapies: The Cage Match

You might be thinking, “This sounds deep, but how is it different from other types of therapy?” Great question. Let’s break it down with minimal jargon and zero textbooks.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): “Let’s fix that faulty thinking.”

CBT is like a detective for your thoughts: “Aha! You’re catastrophizing again.” Existential therapy? More like, “Okay, what does it even mean to catastrophize, and what does it say about your relationship with uncertainty?”

Psychoanalysis: “Let’s talk about your mom.”

Freud wants to dig into your unconscious. Existential therapy wants you to surf the waves of your consciousness... without blaming your fear of spreadsheets on potty training trauma.

Positive Psychology: “Think happy thoughts!”

Existential therapy? “Think honest thoughts. Even the messy ones. Especially the messy ones.”

What Happens in an Existential Therapy Session?

If you’re imagining incense, a giant hourglass, and someone reciting Nietzsche quotes, please lower your expectations. Existential therapy is surprisingly grounded. No crystals required.

Here’s what you can expect:

- Open-ended questions like, “What does it mean to live an authentic life?”
- Discussions about freedom, choices, regrets, and values.
- Zero judgment. Existential therapists aren’t here to shame your existential crisis—they’re here to sit in the confusion with you and pass you the mental flashlight.

It’s less, “Let me fix you,” and more, “Let’s figure out how you want to live.”

Why Bother with This Philosophical Navel-Gazing?

Because spoiler alert—you’re already doing it. Every time you:

- Change careers.
- Leave a toxic relationship.
- Sit in traffic questioning your life decisions.

You’re having an existential moment. This therapy just helps you lean into that discomfort without going full Shakespearean tragedy.

Here are some benefits of existential therapy that might surprise you:

1. Boosts Authenticity

No one likes a fake personality (looking at you, plastic Instagram lives). Existential therapy helps you get real with yourself. What do you truly value? What kind of person do you want to be?

Spolier: “Authentic you” is probably cooler than “people-pleaser you.”

2. Reduces Anxiety (Seriously)

Existential anxiety is different from general anxiety. It’s rooted in the Big Questions. By addressing that root, existential therapy doesn’t just slap a band-aid on—it rewires your perspective.

3. Gives You More Life Direction Than A GPS

Purpose isn’t handed to you on a silver platter. But existential therapy helps you cook one up from scratch. It’s like Blue Apron for your soul.

Is Existential Therapy Right for You?

If you’re someone who:

- Craves meaning beyond your 9–5
- Feels stuck in the “meh” of life
- Has ever whispered “What’s the point?” into your pillow

...then yeah, existential therapy might be your jam.

But heads up: it’s not for everyone. If you’re looking for clear-cut steps and quick fixes, existential therapy might just hand you a mirror and ask, “What do you see?”

It requires emotional elbow grease and a willingness to sit with uncertainty. It’s less “self-help” and more “deep dive into the cosmic soup of your existence.”

Famous Existential Therapists (a.k.a. the OGs of Angst)

Can’t talk existential therapy without tipping our hats to the greats:

- Viktor Frankl – Holocaust survivor and author of Man’s Search for Meaning. He believed even in suffering, we can find purpose. Absolute legend.
- Rollo May – Made existential therapy more mainstream in America, and gave us gems like “The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.”
- Irvin D. Yalom – Therapist, professor, and all-around existential rock star. He brought storytelling into therapy and made meaning more accessible than a college philosophy 101 syllabus.

Practical Tools from Existential Therapy (Because Philosophy Without Action Is Just Procrastination)

Alright, let’s land this existential spaceship with some practical takeaways you can start using today (yes, today, even if you’re reading this in pajamas with coffee breath).

1. Value Clarification

Write down your top five values. Family? Honesty? Taco Tuesdays? (Just kidding. Kind of.)

Now ask yourself: am I actually living in alignment with these?

2. Choice Awareness

Next time you say, “I have to,” try replacing it with, “I choose to.” It makes everything from doing laundry to quitting a job feel more intentional.

3. Accept What You Can’t Control

Pro tip from the Stoics (those grumpy ancient dudes): control what you can, surrender what you can't. Existential therapy agrees—uncertainty is part of the deal, not a bug in the system.

4. Write Your Eulogy

Morbid? Maybe. Powerful? Absolutely. What do you want to be remembered for? Existential therapy dares you to live like you mean it.

Final Thoughts: Embrace the Weird, Beautiful Chaos

Let’s face it—life is as confusing as IKEA instructions. You won't always have the answers, and that’s okay. Existential therapy won’t hand you a shiny guidebook, but it will help you become the author of your own epic story.

So, the next time you find yourself spiraling into a midnight existential crisis, remember: you’re not alone. And somewhere out there, a therapist is ready to say, “Let’s sit with that discomfort together… and maybe bring snacks.”

You're not broken. You're just beautifully, gloriously, terrifyingly alive.

Don’t waste it.