Existential counseling is based on a philosophical concern with what it means to be human. Existentialists believe that finding meaning in life is the only way to cope with the anxiety brought by existence.
Many of the individuals credited with advancing the existential movement did not necessarily label themselves as existentialists and included philosophers, playwrights, authors, and leaders of political movements.
While existential counselors do not necessarily engage in philosophical discussions with their clients, they do attempt to help them find meaning and purpose, take responsibility for their decisions, and come to terms with the finite and fragile nature of life.
Once existential realities are acknowledged and addressed, this approach assumes that clients will be better able to live in a purposeful way and be better able to cope with their life circumstances. Existentialists view anxiety as an appropriate response to the situation in which humans find themselves, i.e., we are confronted by the fundamental concerns of existence (death and freedom, for example). If one finds the anxiety associated with the nature of life to be unacceptable, neurotic anxiety will result, which comes from walling off the unpleasant realities of life.
The role of the counselor is relatively straightforward in helping clients confront existential realities and find meaning and purpose in life. However, the search for meaning in life is obviously complex, far-reaching, and never fully resolved.
Rollo May summarized existential counseling as a series of client-therapist encounters in which the counselor attempts to help the client identify personal sources of meaning, then to lead life according to those values.
Existential counselors are not especially concerned with using formal techniques in counseling. However, Victor Frankl's logotherapy utilizes techniques such as paradoxical intention.
The philosophical foundation of existential counseling makes it somewhat suitable for use with clients from diverse backgrounds and for integration with some other counseling approaches. However, potential limitations include its emphasis on the individual and its lack of empirical research support.