Assignment: Existential Therapy

Assignment: Existential Therapy

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Design a 15-slide PowerPoint that compares and contrasts Adlerian and existential theories. Include the following:

1. Describe the key concepts and therapeutic process of Adlerian theory and therapy.

2. Describe the key concepts and therapeutic process of existential therapy.

3. Compare and contrast the rationale of the two therapeutic approaches for explaining psychological behavior.

While APA format is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected and in-text citations and references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

HAS TO PASS TURN IT IN

You may have a certain set of assumptions or associations pop into your head when you hear (or read) the word “existential.”

Perhaps you think of movies or books where “everyone dies” seems to be the overarching message.

Maybe you recall philosophers you read about in high school or college – the ones who, based on the portraits accompanying the relevant passages in your textbook, seemed to be in some sort of competition for most morose expression.

You might think of moody teenagers who wear black and listen to the sort of music that practically oozes with angst and screams identity crisis.

While these may be manifestations of a preoccupation with existentialist themes or a novice philosopher’s take on existentialism, they certainly don’t make up a representative snapshot of what existential theory truly is. The average existentialist is neither constantly depressed or obsessed with death!

Read on to learn about what existentialism really is, and about a type of therapy that was developed based on this interesting philosophy.