Research article summary (published 30 Dec 2005):

A new look at existential psychotherapy.

Full Abstract

Existential psychotherapy has remained on the fringes of the mainstream practice of psychotherapy. One reason for its limited acceptance is that the literature has tended to be convoluted and existential psychotherapists' ideas heterogeneous. Another reason is the dearth of empirical validation studies. What if a more succinct, well-defined and research-friendly model of existential psychotherapy could be developed? An argument against such a manualized approach is that making the model more mechanized and structured goes against some of the tenets of existential psychotherapy. Another argument is that the heterogeneity of the field prohibits manualization of existential psychotherapy. Although these reservations have some legitimacy, the purpose of this paper is to develop a more clinically oriented adaptation of existential psychology and lay the groundwork for a manualized approach to existential psychotherapy.

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Author information

Author/s: Keshen, Aaron (A);

Affiliation: Dalhousie University, 1041 Wellington St., Halifax, Canada. akeshen(-atsign-)hotmail.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Case Reports; Journal Article

Journal: American journal of psychotherapy (Am J Psychother), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-; vol 60 (issue 3) : pp 285-98

Dates: Created 2006/10/27; Completed 2006/11/24;

PMID: 17066759, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult Aged, 80 and over Defense Mechanisms Depressive Disorder - psychology; therapy Existentialism - psychology Female

Female Humans Male Middle Aged Psychological Theory Psychotherapy - methods; trends

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