Carrying Existence Forward. Introducing Experiential-Existential Psychotherapy - Siebrecht Vanhooren

Sooner or later, every human life confronts the same profound questions: What does it mean that we are alive, yet will one day die? What truly matters? How do we face loneliness, our longing for connection, and the countless choices that shape our lives?

For some, life begins with love, care, and belonging. For others, early wounds raise deeper doubts-about whether one has the right to exist, whether life can be trusted, and whether there is anything solid on which to build hope.

For therapists and counselors, accompanying clients through these ultimate concerns can be equally challenging. In such moments, clinicians may feel small, uncertain, or unsure what to say. Yet these are often the very moments when the deepest possibilities for growth and transformation emerge.

Carrying Existence Forward introduces experiential-existential psychotherapy, a framework that helps readers recognize and work with the existential themes that run through both life and therapy. Through compelling case examples and practical reflections, the book guides clinicians in remaining present with clients in moments of vulnerability, uncertainty, and meaning-making.

By cultivating existential empathy, therapists can transform existential struggle into an opportunity for growth-helping clients engage life more fully and carry their existence forward.

Written for psychologists, counselors, social workers, nurses, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and students-as well as thoughtful readers seeking a deeper understanding of the human search for meaning.