Spiritual Concerns

Is Existential Therapy right for you? 

Do you believe in God? Buddha? Another higher power? Or do you want to but feel too angry or betrayed by your religion? 

Do you hold shame from the religion in which you were raised or carry around unresolved spiritual conflict?

Do you believe there is no higher power but wonder about your existence and purpose?

Do you grapple with being right or wrong and worry about being "good"?

If any of these questions resonate, therapy might be right for you. Psychology and philosophy has grappled with the existential questions of humanity and the meaning of our lives for years. We are human, we are imperfect by our nature. As such, we have big questions, fears and dreams.

Sigmund Freud talked about our two greatest human drives also being our two greatest fears- intimacy (closeness/ sex) and death (annihilation). He explains living is the battle between these and the cause of, our "neurosis". 

Existential Psychiatrist, Irvin Yalom explains, "...the more unlived your life, the greater your death anxiety. The more you fail to experience your life fully, the more you will fear death." He offers the cure is facing our fears of death to bring us closer to living our fullest life.

Psychologist, Richard Alpert, later known as Ram Dass says, "We are spiritual beings having a human experience, [not the other way around]." He teaches teaches us that the more we connect to our soul or spiritual side, the more we live life.

If you are struggling with any of these ideas and have a sense there is "more to life", you may benefit from considering some of these questions in therapy. Therapy can help you make the connections you are longing to make.