What makes existential therapy distinctive compared to traditional therapeutic models?

Existential therapy is distinctive largely because it prioritizes the exploration of current experiences and future possibilities. This therapeutic approach encourages individuals to confront their present conditions and the meaning they ascribe to their lives, promoting personal agency and the potential for change. By focusing on the here and now, existential therapy helps clients recognize their freedom to make choices and the responsibility that comes with those choices, ultimately aiming for a deeper understanding of self and existence.

In contrast to traditional therapeutic models that may focus extensively on past behaviors or fixed techniques, existential therapy is more fluid and adaptive, centering on individual experiences and the possibilities that lie ahead. This emphasis on the present and the future allows clients to find meaning through their current realities and to visualize a future aligned with their true selves.