Clinical Psychology

Existential Therapy

Existential psychologyrejects the mechanistic views of
the Freudians and instead sees people as engaged in
a search for meaning. At a time when so many
people are troubled by the massive problems of a
technological society and seek to repair their alien-
ated modes of living, existentialism has gained great
popularity. It seems to promise the restoration of
meaning to life, an increased spiritual awakening,
and individual growth that will bring freedom
from the conventional shackles created by a con-
formist society (Bugental, 1978).
Hardly a unified movement that speaks with a
single voice, the existential view actually turns out
to be many views. Its roots lie deep in the philoso-
phies of Kierkegaard, Heidegger, Tillich, Sartre,

Jaspers, and others. When we discuss the psycho-

logical applications of existentialism, names such as

Binswanger, Boss, Gendlin, Frankl, May, and Laing

come to mind. Philosophically, existentialism

springs from the same sources as does phenomenol-

ogy (MacLeod, 1964; Van Kaam, 1966).

The existentialists make a number of assertions

about human nature (Kobasa & Maddi, 1977;

Maddi, 1989). Basic to all is a fundamental human

characteristic: the search for meaning (Binswanger,

1963; Boss, 1963). That search is carried out

through imagination, symbolization, and judgment.

All of this occurs in a matrix of participation in

society. From the standpoint of both their physical

environment and their biological environment,

people function in a social context.

BOX13-2 Clinical Psychologist Perspective: Leslie S. Greenberg, Ph.D.

Dr. Leslie S. Greenberg is a Distinguished Research Pro-

fessor of Psychology at York University in Toronto,

Canada. He specializes in psychotherapy research, and

he has become a leader in conceptualizing and studying

emotion-focused psychotherapy. This psychotherapeutic

approach, which comes out of the humanistic-existential

tradition, emphasizes both awareness and transforma-

tion of the client’s emotional experience and the value

of the therapeutic relationship. Therapist presence and

empathy and acceptance and validation of clients’emo-

tions are emphasized. Dr. Greenberg is the author of 15

books and more than 200 book chapters and articles. He

has received numerous honors and awards for his work

in the field, including the Distinguished Research Career

award of the International Society of Psychotherapy

Research, the Canadian Psychological Association Pro-

fessional Award for distinguished contributions to psy-

chology as a profession, and the Carl Rogers Award of

the APA Society for Humanistic Psychology.Dr. Green-

berg responded to several questions regarding his views

of the field as well as his predictions for the future of

clinical psychology and of experiential psychotherapy.

What originally got you interested in the field of

clinical psychology?

I came from a master’s degree in engineering in 1970

into psychology, as I was seeking greater social and

personal relevance. I completed my bachelor’s of engi-

neering in South Africa, where I had gone into engi-

neering rather than physics because I liked working

with people and thought that engineering would lead

more to managing and working with people. I was

involved in antiapartheid student politics in South

Africa, and when I came to Canada in the 1960s, I was

not happy in engineering and was much more inter-

ested in people. I also saw psychology as a way of

becoming more involved in the issues of the era—per-

sonal growth and changing society.

Describe what activities you are involved in as a

clinical psychologist.

I teach counseling and psychotherapy and engage in

research on the process of change and the role of

emotion in this process. I supervise students’clinical

practice in the research studies that I do. I have a pri-

vate practice in which I see individuals and couples.

I write.

What are your particular areas of expertise or interest?

I specialize in psychotherapy research, focusing most

specifically on the process of change and on emotion-

focused methods of intervention. I am particularly

concerned with bringing emotion back into psycho-

therapy, as I see it as central in functioning and in

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