Which therapist developed existential therapy?

Which therapist developed existential therapy?

• A. Victor Frankl
• B. Sigmund Freud
• C. Carl Jung
• D. Carl Rogers

Answer: (A)

Existential therapy centers on meaning, freedom, and responsibility as people navigate the realities of existence. Viktor Frankl developed existential therapy, most notably through logotherapy. His ideas grew from his experiences in concentration camps, where he observed that the will to find meaning can help people endure unbearable suffering. In logotherapy, therapy helps individuals identify meaning in work, love, and the attitude they adopt toward unavoidable circumstances, guiding them to pursue purposeful goals and reclaim agency even when circumstances can't be changed. The focus is on choosing how to respond and on discovering what gives life significance, rather than only analyzing past drives or internal structures. This sets it apart from Freudian psychodynamics, which emphasize unconscious drives and early experiences, Jungian analysis with its archetypes and individuation, and Rogers’s client-centered approach, which centers on the therapeutic relationship and personal growth through unconditional positive regard. Viktor Frankl is the figure most closely associated with developing existential therapy.

Existential therapy centers on meaning, freedom, and responsibility as people navigate the realities of existence. Viktor Frankl developed existential therapy, most notably through logotherapy. His ideas grew from his experiences in concentration camps, where he observed that the will to find meaning can help people endure unbearable suffering. In logotherapy, therapy helps individuals identify meaning in work, love, and the attitude they adopt toward unavoidable circumstances, guiding them to pursue purposeful goals and reclaim agency even when circumstances can't be changed. The focus is on choosing how to respond and on discovering what gives life significance, rather than only analyzing past drives or internal structures. This sets it apart from Freudian psychodynamics, which emphasize unconscious drives and early experiences, Jungian analysis with its archetypes and individuation, and Rogers’s client-centered approach, which centers on the therapeutic relationship and personal growth through unconditional positive regard. Viktor Frankl is the figure most closely associated with developing existential therapy.