Existential Therapy

At the core of human experience are fundamental questions about responsibility, freedom, life and death, and meaning. My approach connects client experiences to these questions.

Our search for meaning and identity is often difficult in a world that is not set-up for those of us who are Neuro-Spicy (GT, ADHD, ASD). Additionally, we cycle through periods of Positive Disintegration that are often misunderstood by others and even ourselves. Though we are not in control of external circumstances, our ability to determine our own meaning and lessons from our experiences still remains. I'd love to help you find meaning and growth through your challenges.

Existential Humanistic Psychotherapy has its roots in Existential Philosophy and is concerned with mortality, freedom & responsibility, isolation and meaning. Much of my work is focused on the meaning that my clients create in their lives, their relationship with that for which they are responsible and how this relates to the power and freedom they experience in their lives.

Life is hard, and we all face times of doubt and existential crisis. I believe that we engage in these periods with intentionality, and perhaps even find ways to face the big questions of life on purpose. You will often find me asking the question "What does this mean for you?" and much of how I will engage you is through asking hard questions. Therapy can be hard at times, I won't lie about that, but together we can find YOUR answers to those big questions.

In my philosophical counseling practice, I draw on existential thinkers like Nietzsche, Sartre, De Beauvoir, Buber, Frankl to help clients to work through different versions of the "existential crisis." Together we work through the loss of meaning brought on by an experience of disillusionment, the loss of self brought on by various identity crises, and the loss of freedom and authenticity brought on by experiences of alienation, objectification, oppression or "bad faith".

To be human is to endure pain and hardship. I utilize existential therapy to help clients find meaning and value in their lives, despite the challenges and hard times.

Underneath it all I see myself as a human- one who struggles and has struggled with the same fears that all humans have struggled with- mortality, isolation, our freedom to make choices, and our ultimate meaninglessness in a universe that is indifferent. I believe then that it is critical as a therapist to support people in finding their own meaning and purpose; and that they can trust themselves to make that decision.

Do you ever feel unsure of your purpose, or that you struggle with being true to yourself and the life you want to live? Existential psychotherapy explores the fundamental questions of human existence, such as the meaning of life, freedom, responsibility, and the mysteries of the unknown. By embracing these existential concerns together, this approach helps you feel empowered to confront your own unique existence, find purpose, and live more authentically.

A fan of Abraham Maslow, I view client experience as one that, cultural contexts aside, has universal elements across all people when it comes to issues of purpose and meaning, life, esteem, aging, and death.

You will find a safe space to explore in your darkest and brightest of hours. For four years, I have had the privilege of walking alongside people on their cancer and grief journeys—from diagnosis to treatment to survivorship and beyond. From them, I have learned how people navigate life within an existential crisis. My own struggles, analysis, training, and growth allow me to be fully present with you.

"He who has a why can endure almost any how," Victor Frankl once famously wrote. One of my key tasks is to help my clients find their why. This varies greatly from person to person, but consistent themes include: core values; most important people/relationships in one's life; work and the mark one wishes to leave on the world; fun and adventure; resilience, strength, and wisdom in the face of unavoidable suffering; and clarity on one's views about the nature of reality and one's place in it.

My first love was philosophy. I believe that we all struggle with the existential conundrums of the human condition, whether we know it or not, and one or more of them is behind all mental and emotional angst.

I am an eclectic therapist and draw on multiple approaches to provide therapy tailored to each patient's needs and priorities, with a focus on trauma healing, existential therapy, psychodynamic/attachment therapy, and liberation psychology. I have an academic background in existential and classical philosophy.

We are all capable humans with some amount of self-determination in our lives. My belief is that we each create meaning in different ways. Part of my goal is to explore with you how you find meaning in your life and what your narratives about yourself and others are to see where supportive shifts can happen.

I have a deep appreciation for the place of meaning in human life.

Where do you find meaning? What is important to you? What does happiness look like to you? Who or what are you living for in this season of your life? The idea that only we can define or determine our own purpose and path can be daunting and overwhelming, but can also be liberating and life-affirming.

I focus on the "why" by exploring deep into the past of my clients for the purposes of uncovering the source(s) of trauma.

An existential approach to therapy emphasizes the importance of the meaning that each person makes in life and that the path that one takes can only be understood in the context of their unique life experience. This means that the questions, "Who am I?" and "What is the meaning of life" is a personal journey that, ultimately, only the individual can discover for themselves.

We all want purpose. We all want meaning. But tackling questions such as "What does it mean to be alive?" or "What provides me meaningful joy?" is a difficult, lifelong venture. I use Existential Therapy to help you look at the choices you make, and calibrate authenticity as the compass bearing for navigating life. By helping you understand the ways you keep and break faith with yourself, you can chart a course for a more expansive, self-determined life.