What is a common goal of existential therapy?

A common goal of existential therapy is to help individuals find meaning in their existence. This therapeutic approach emphasizes personal freedom and responsibility, encouraging clients to explore their values, beliefs, and the purpose of their lives. Existential therapy recognizes that individuals often grapple with feelings of emptiness, isolation, and disconnection, leading to a search for significance.

Through this process, clients are guided to confront the fundamental aspects of human existence, such as mortality, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness. By doing so, they can develop a deeper understanding of their life choices and how those choices align with their true selves. The goal is not just to address surface-level issues but to engage with the deeper questions of existence, allowing for personal growth and the establishment of a more authentic life.

The other options do not align with the primary focus of existential therapy. While achieving specific milestones can be a broader therapeutic goal, it is not the central aim of this approach. Similarly, while uncovering unconscious motives is a key aspect of different therapeutic modalities such as psychodynamic therapy, existential therapy focuses more on conscious experience and meaningful existence rather than unconscious processes. Lastly, eliminating anxiety is typically not a goal in existential therapy; rather, it acknowledges that anxiety can be an inherent part of the