Existential therapies and the extended evolutionary meta-model: Turning existential philosophy into process-based therapy

This article reviews the central theoretical claims found in the various psychotherapeutic approaches broadly referred to as the existential therapies. Despite substantial differences across existential packages, these therapies broadly arise from the theoretical position that the pain and suffering common to our species arises, not from illnesses hypothesized in traditional medical and psychiatric accounts, but rather from a set of existential concerns that all humans must face. These ‘givens’ of existence include death, identity, isolation, meaning, and freedom. From this theoretical perspective, all branches and brands of psychotherapy need to include some procedures to address these issues. Evidence for the importance of these constructs in human experience is presented, followed by evidence for existential therapies themselves. A dearth of quality research trials establishing a strong evidence base for this branch of therapy was noted. Further, process-based research in this area was shown to be weak. That is, few researchers have sought to show that the hypothesized processes are responsible for the changes observed in existential therapy. We describe how viewing existential therapy through a Process-Based Therapy (PBT) framework and the Extended Evolutionary Meta-Model (EEMM) will encourage: (1) a greater examination of the processes of change occurring; (2) an expansion in the way in which existential therapies operate, enabling the inclusion of procedures drawn from other therapeutic modalities; and (3) more nuanced targeting of existential processes in any given case.