health
‘One of the most profound encounters of my life’: could existential therapist Emmy van Deurzen change the way you think?
Her philosophical approach to therapy has become a global phenomenon, and inspired a new book. Could a session with her change Sophie McBain’s life?
TL;DR
- Emmy van Deurzen, a Dutch existential therapist, moved to the UK in 1977 and became influential in popularizing existential therapy.
- She initially worked with the Arbours Association, inspired by RD Laing's anti-psychiatry, but found it lacking in practical support for individuals in crisis.
- Van Deurzen developed existential therapy as a philosophical approach focused on 'working with life' rather than solely the 'psyche'.
- Her work has influenced a large number of UK therapists, and she has organized international congresses for the movement.
- She believes depression can be a form of oppression and that therapy helps individuals understand their pain and regain agency.
- Van Deurzen's new book, 'Beginning to Live', aims to make existential ideas accessible to a general readership.
- She critiques modern therapy speak and advocates for a counter-cultural movement to reclaim human robustness and wisdom.
- She believes society has lost touch with the human spirit due to an overemphasis on materialistic and scientific pursuits, and that wisdom is crucial for a meaningful life and a sustainable civilization.