Please note that I use the words "existential counselling", "existential psychotherapy", "existential angst psychotherapeutic counselling" & "existential talking therapy" and also "counsellor for existential angst", "psychotherapist for existential crisis", "existential angst psychotherapeutic counsellor" & "talking therapist" interchangeably. I am trained & accredited as a counsellor, psychotherapist & talking therapist and I am happy to discuss their differences with you.
Something Missing Despite friends & family, at some point men & women can experience the stark realisation that we are alone. We may be suffering inside from both the limitations & possibilities of l i f e. This experience can trigger existential concerns. Some people call this existential angst or midlife crisis. We can invest our time, energy & passion on external factors, entertainment or material things, yet we may have neglected our very s e l f - our inner being. Most of us have experienced those lonely moments, f e e l i n g like an outsider. Yet they can also offer us the opportunity for looking inside o u r s e l v e s, reflecting on the world and us in it. Something can be missing for us, that we can't put our finger on. We may f e e l helpless or heartbroken, yet not know fully why. It can dawn on us that there is more to l i f e than what's happening to us at the moment. We may have less tangible, yet important "meaning of life" concerns, with little relevance to our past, wondering what is this all about, or struggle to reconcile l i f e's big questions. We may be at a crossroads, or turning point, in which old ways of responding no longer work. Midlife crisis or existential crisis affects both males & females.
Feeling Restless Yet Not Knowing Why Our sense of worth may be based upon what we do & what we have, without valuing who we are and what we really f e e l. Rich in terms of wealth, we may f e e l impoverished. In our pursuit for wealth we may f e e l deeply unhappy, or alienated, as if our soul is restless. We can be successful, creative or rewarding in some aspects (maybe our relationships, work or business, where we may be a high achiever, at the top of our profession), yet f e e l unfulfilled at a deeper level. We could be very busy, rushing or chasing things - constantly distracting o u r s e l v e s, yet l i f e appreciation may be missing. We may have lost our focus or purpose. Our relationships may seem hollow. We may f e e l empty or alone in the world, even when surrounded by people, and some of us may turn to unhelpful habits or addictions. We may long to create a new way of being and seeing in the world. Some of our concerns may therefore be of an existential nature.
Wherever I go, Whatever I do, Whoever I am with - Here 'I' am.Glen Gibson
To know & live this 'I' - this 'me', this is my challenge. Whatever I am 'I' have to be.
Existential Dimension Some of the emptiness, loneliness, disappointment, disillusionment, frustration, anger or depression we f e e l may be of an existential nature, as too may our grief, loss, sense of pointlessness or alienation - the very dilemmas of being human. We may fear death or dying, or come up against our own mortality. Our l i f e may seem meaningless, and we may experience a crisis of identity. The therapy here may also include deep conversations together about l i f e, longing & its meaning, loss (see Existential Grief), love, values & our very existence. Feeling deep sorrow, or a stirring, some may be in touch with their longing & yearning, and this too can be explored in the therapy. You may also want to explore your spiritual or religious l i f e.