Time-Limited Existential Therapy. Alison Strasser
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1999, p. 11).
Time also interacts with and influences our concept of our self. In existential terms, we are continually reacting to what is happening to and around us and we are constantly making moment‐to‐moment passive and active choices. The self continually shifts and flows between feeling worthy and secure and inferior, doubtful and insecure, as we find ourselves in relationship with the ontological givens and our ontic responses. The self is thus in constant flux.
Time and the self will be explored further in Chapter 2.
The Principle of Interconnectedness
The World and I are within each other.
Maurice Merleau‐Ponty, The Phenomenology of Perception (1962)
The dividing lines between the sections of the Wheel are blurred or intentionally indistinct to denote the interconnectedness of human concerns or ‘givens’, the overlap of our ontic reactions and the interplay of our ontic reactions with the ontological givens that underpin them. Both the universal existential givens and our individual responses to these universal givens are incorporated into the Wheel of Existence so as to signify the interplay between the two.
Husserl (1977) coined the term ‘intentionality’ from his questioning of the Cartesian mind/body and subject/object dichotomy. In opposition to Descartes’s maxim I think, therefore I am, Husserl developed a theory that refutes the separation of our thinking self from being and advocates that our thoughts, body, emotions, and our connection to the external world, our environment, are always in relationship with each other and woven into the fabric of our existence. He argued that we are constantly interpreting and consequently constructing meaning out of every situation, every thought, every interaction from our own unique standpoint. He suggested, furthermore, that our understanding of everything is experienced in our consciousness in its entirety and is inextricably joined to our perceptions of them.
Simply put, if I am conscious, I am always aware of something. When I become aware of my anger, for example, I might also notice that my anger is directed towards something or someone (Husserl, 1977). If we take this further, I might become aware that my anger is pulsing through my body and memories may begin to arise of situations where I might have felt similarly. Simultaneously, sadness, fear or other emotions might emerge where a possible link to some particular sense of uncertainty might be felt as I begin to reflect on my lack of control and feeling of unease.
This interconnectedness amongst all things in our experience includes the interrelationship between the two philosophies of existentialism and phenomenology and, as the Wheel demonstrates, the relationship between ontological givens, ontic reactions, time, and self – and, indeed, the therapist’s resonance with client’s subjective experience. All of these interconnections will be explored more fully in Section 2.
Application to Psychotherapy
Existential therapy is a process of truth finding. It aims to help people to disentangle their lives and generate clarity. It addresses all‐important issues directly and encourages a person to reconnect with a strong sense of personal direction. Careful attention is paid to both the universal and the particular aspects of a person’s existence in order to understand the relationships and tensions between them … People learn to live deliberately rather than by default.
Emmy van Deurzen, 1997, p. 236
Integral to working existentially with clients is the integration of other applied or practical philosophies such as dialectics, Socratic dialogue and hermeneutics – but probably most importantly, that of phenomenology. As an applied philosophy, this is sometimes described as the phenomenological method of investigation, a term which sounds somewhat aloof but is, in fact, the opposite in that the interweaving elements bring forth a relational connection between therapist and client. Simply put, a phenomenological attitude helps us become aware of our judgements and biases, fostering a spirit of wonder, curiosity, and admiration as we ‘tune’ in, and attempt to understand our client’s worldview.
Tucked within the layer of leaves are the nuggets of existential and phenomenological practice that bring forth both the phenomenological, relational process and the various approaches to working with the existential themes as they arise within the therapy. This will be explored more fully explored in Chapter 6.
As time in general underpins the way we relate to the hum of temporality and to all of the other ontological givens, so time and temporality are a constant in the therapeutic relationship. Every beginning has an end and every ending opens itself to new beginnings. Time, the effects of ending and the temporal aspects of each session are intrinsic elements within any therapy. The manner in which both the client and therapist are able to negotiate the continuum between the start and the closure of each session as well as the overall journey is worthy of its own exploration and understanding. Sometimes endings are difficult to talk about and sometimes they reveal themselves at the most opportune moments.
There are as many different ways of considering and integrating the existential perspective into psychotherapy practice as there are readers of the texts. Overall, and possibly most importantly, the existential therapist is asked to make their own interpretation of the philosophy and integrate this personal perspective into their practice. We all bring our individual essence to the practice of the philosophy.
The following example demonstrates how the Wheel may be employed to explore a client’s experience and how the segments of the Wheel interact to shape his reality:
Serge at 5'5″ (facticity) believed that he was tall (worldview) and acted accordingly, ensuring that he maintained his tall stature by standing on the balls of his feet (physical dimension). Serge was also attracted to tall women (revealing the relationship). His personality stood out as someone who was funny, curious and intelligent with a largesse that was attractive to others (mind and body). He suffered a rude awakening, when looking at a video, and was shocked to realise that he was the smallest of his peers (authenticity). He wasn’t as tall as he imagined. This led us to explore (phenomenological process) his desire to stand out (choices and meaning) in all his four worlds.
Serge, as the youngest of four boys with a dominant father, had felt insignificant and small (polarity). As the youngest and smallest he hated being petted and patronised, which made him feel small and demoralised (anxiety). He wanted to be treated as big and substantial like his brothers and developed a personality to match this desire (meaning and choice). If he felt he made the wrong decision about anything (self‐esteem) he would feel wracked with guilt and felt small and inconsequential. Serge was always proudly prompt as this related to his desire to be seen by others (interpersonal relationship) as reliable and responsible (worldview). However, he avoided the future, agonised about decisions (time) as this related to change and uncertainty.
The Wheel of Existence provides a frame or background integrating the philosophy of existentialism with the practice of phenomenology: existentialism, in its quest for understanding and asking the questions about our living and dying; and phenomenology, in its pursuit to more fully comprehend the client’s worldview within all the vagaries and tensions that we encounter as human beings.
For all its advantages, with the Wheel providing a structure and an anchor and as an invaluable tool in therapy, it is still a metaphorical not literal representation of the existential themes that arise within our humanness. It offers a guide for the therapist to listen, to note and even discover the connections within the Wheel, as it pertains to an individual’s unique experience, providing a structure for reflections and possible interventions.