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Attaining freedom in existential group therapy

Attaining freedom in existential group therapy THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOANALYSIS 38:179-183 (1978) BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS Each person from birth to the grave is faced with the constant necessity for deciding between conflicting events. These decisions will determine his style of life. Examples of important choices are those of occupation, mate, or whether or not to relocate. All of these are subject to the difficulties of the decision crisis. The dilemma of people who see the basic need for meaning in their lives is whether to be free to choose the route of authenticity, or to choose the safe but long and dull life of inauthenticity. With authentic values a person can become more creative. He can then choose a new course of action. Freedom will replace despair and he will gain greater vitality. Instead of being absurd, life can then become meaningful. Ability to move toward authenticity, however, presupposes a condition of freedom to choose. When one has become free to choose, he will then be in a painful state of non-choice--painful because it is filled with anxiety. This state of freedom to choose means that the decision rests squarely on the patient's shoulders. He is separated from the authoritative support--society, parents, boss--to whom he http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png The American Journal of Psychoanalysis Springer Journals

Attaining freedom in existential group therapy

Miller, Jason
The American Journal of Psychoanalysis , Volume 38 (2): 5 – Jun 1, 1978
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Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
1978 The Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis
ISSN
0002-9548
eISSN
1573-6741
DOI
10.1007/BF01252201
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOANALYSIS 38:179-183 (1978) BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS Each person from birth to the grave is faced with the constant necessity for deciding between conflicting events. These decisions will determine his style of life. Examples of important choices are those of occupation, mate, or whether or not to relocate. All of these are subject to the difficulties of the decision crisis. The dilemma of people who see the basic need for meaning in their lives is whether to be free to choose the route of authenticity, or to choose the safe but long and dull life of inauthenticity. With authentic values a person can become more creative. He can then choose a new course of action. Freedom will replace despair and he will gain greater vitality. Instead of being absurd, life can then become meaningful. Ability to move toward authenticity, however, presupposes a condition of freedom to choose. When one has become free to choose, he will then be in a painful state of non-choice--painful because it is filled with anxiety. This state of freedom to choose means that the decision rests squarely on the patient's shoulders. He is separated from the authoritative support--society, parents, boss--to whom he

Journal

The American Journal of Psychoanalysis – Springer Journals

Published: Jun 1, 1978

Keywords: Clinical Psychology; Psychotherapy; Psychoanalysis

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