The Psychology of Existence: An Integrative, Clinical Perspective

Preface to the McGraw-Hill Create Edition

Kirk J. Schneider, Ph.D.

On behalf of my late friend and mentor, Rollo May, I am delighted that this time-

honored text is once again available to the English-speaking world. In the 16 years since

this book was published, there have been important developments in the field of

psychotherapy practice and research, and I am very heartened to report that The

Psychology of Existence has been a key influence on those developments. There have

been new books on existential practice for example (see Bugental,1999; Barnett &

Madison, 2012; Cooper, 2003; Schneider, 2004, 2008, 2009; Schneider & Krug, 2010;

and Yalom, 2002), a new video series sponsored by the American Psychological

Association (APA)—( see “Existential-Humanistic Psychotherapy Over Time”

[apa.org/videos]), an updated video on Rollo May’s life and work (see “Rollo May on

Existential Psychotherapy” at psychotherapy.net), new developments in training (see

ehinstitute.org), and new feature articles about the influence of existential therapy on

other therapeutic modalities (see Price, 2011, November and the New Existentialists

website- http://www.newexistentialists.com/posts/07-05-11). Indeed, the convergence of

these developments has moved leading psychotherapy researcher Bruce Wampold to

suggest “that an understanding of the principles of existential therapy is needed by all

therapists, as it adds a perspective that might…form the basis of all effective treatments”

(Wampold, 2008, p. 6).

 In the world at large, we also see increasing interest in existential-integrative (EI)

and existential-humanistic (E-H) approaches to therapy. For example, the Existential–

Humanistic Institute (EHI) and the International Institute for Humanistic Studies (IIHS),

both in the San Francisco Bay Area, are helping to facilitate E–H/EI practices to a

growing regional and worldwide audience. Among the countries benefiting from trainings

by these institutes (or their instructors) are Russia, Lithuania, Poland, Japan, and China

(the first major U.S-China existential therapy conference took place in April, 2010, and

the second is to take place in May of 2012). Younger E–H/EI theorists, such as Louis

Hoffman, Brent Dean Robbins, and Shawn Rubin, have been actively introducing

students to the new E–H/EI practice philosophies, and women, such as Orah Krug, the

late Elizabeth Bugental, and Myrtle Heery, have been advancing a new feminist

sensibility in E–H/EI theory and practice.

But the introduction of the EI approach to practice is not the only notable feature

of this text. Less publicized but equally important are the three theory chapters in this

text dealing with the existential movement as a whole. Many students and faculty have

conveyed their appreciation for these chapters, which are unfortunately missing from

subsequent existentially oriented volumes. These chapters include the literary, the

philosophical, and the psychological roots of existential psychology, and they comprise

some of the classic writings in the movement. No less important are the classic case

studies in this volume not included elsewhere, such as “A Depressed Artist: The Case of

Amanda” by Chris Armstrong and James Bugental, “Dialogical (Buberian) Therapy: The

Case of Dawn,” by Maurice Friedman, “An Obsessive-Compulsive Male: The Case of

Ron” by Ed Mendelowitz, “An Existential-Spiritual Perspective: The Case of Sarah” by

Paul Bowman, and “Psychotic Clients, Laing’s Treatment Philosophy…and The Case of

Jerome” by Michael Guy Thompson.

In short, there is no end to which E–H and EI practice philosophies are being

applied today, and the surge of energy around this perspective is contagious. (See

Hoffman, Yang, Kakluaskas, & Chan, 2009 and Hoffman, Stewart, Warren, & Meek,

2009 for comprehensive overviews of existential psychology’s diverse and growing

influence). I know that Rollo would be extremely gratified by what has blossomed since

the inception of our 1995 text.

References

Barnett, L. & Madison, G. (2012). Existential therapy: Legacy, vibrancy, and dialogue.

New York: Routledge.

Bugental, J.F.T. (1999). Psychotherapy isn’t what you think. Phoenix, AZ: Zeig, Tucker,

& Theisen.

Cooper, M. (2003). Existential therapies. London: Sage.

Hoffman, L., Yang, M., Kaklauskas, F., & Chan, A. (2009). Existential psychology East-

West. Colorado Springs, CO: University of the Rockies Press.

Hoffman, L., Stewart, S., Warren, W., & Meek, L. (2009). Toward a sustainable myth of

self: An existential response to the postmodern condition. Journal of Humanistic

Psychology,49, 135-173.

Schneider, K. J. (2004). Rediscovery of awe: Splendor, mystery, and the fluid center of

life. St. Paul, MN: Paragon House.

Schneider, K.J. (2008). Existential-integrative psychotherapy: Guideposts to the core of

practice. New York: Routledge.

Schneider, K.J. (2009). Awakening to awe: Personal stories of profound transformation.

Lanham, MD: Jason Aronson.

Schneider, K.J., & Krug (2010). Existential-humanistic therapy. Washington, DC:

American Psychological Association Press.

Wampold, B. (2008, February 6). Existential-integrative psychotherapy comes of age.

[Review of the book Existential-integrative psychotherapy: Guideposts to the

core of practice]. PsycCritiques 53, Release 6, Article 1.

Yalom, I. (2002). The gift of therapy. New York: HarperCollins.

--Kirk J. Schneider, Ph.D.

January 1, 2012