An Existential Processual An Existential Processual MethodMethod

for freeing from occupying experiences:

Personal Existential AnalysisPersonal Existential AnalysisLängle Alfried, M.D., Ph.D.

International Society for Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, Vienna

www.existential-analysis.org / www.laengle.info

1. The background1. The background

[a glimpse on Existential Analysis- [a glimpse on Existential Analysis- Vienna]Vienna]

Aim of Existential Analysis:

to help the person to live with

inner consent to what he/she is doing

Existential Analysis: Process model [Structural model]

Power of [Basis of

the person existence]

PEAPEA [Fundamental ex. Motivations]

Process of consent denotes →

mobilisation of the “person“

2. What is the

“person“

Being a person means:

dialogical exchange with oneself and

others[ basic principle of EA]

IIInner world Person Outer world

Person stands in continuous inner and outer dialogue

Some descriptions of “person“:

• What is saying “I“ within oneself

• What is free in the subject choosing, deciding, feeling responsible

Some descriptions of “person“:

• Autonomous, authentic, pure subjectivity

• This with what I identify with me

• Also “self-efficacy”

3. Specific power/potential of the

“person“

Specific potentials of the “person“:

1. to be receptive

An inner world is attainable An autonomous world is approachable

Specific potentials of the “person“:

2. to be understanding

Connects new / strange information with own / known

Specific potentials of the “person“:

3. to be responsive

Something new, genuine, original comes to the world –

corresponding to its demands

to be understanding

PERSONPERSON

to be receptive to be responsive

[The specific potentials of the person seen as a process]

Psychological health:When a person is able to

realize these potentials

She or he can be present in the actual situation

Subjective experience of these potentials:

Inner Positioning

Impression Expression

Hindrance of the personal potentials:

1. Impression: one may be confused, overwhelmed, alienated, hurt, anxious…

2. Inner positioning: one may be confused, exerted, unsure, thrown…

3. Expression: one may be strained, anxious in showing oneself, helpless in realization

Hindrances of the personal potentials:

Inner Positioning

Impression Expression

Result:

To be oneself in each situation

≠ automatic and natural≠ succeeding always

= endeavour!

Failure psychopathology

4. The application

Short form:

1. How is it for you? E.g. to live without a relationship…

2. What is your opinion? E.g. about the fact that you life alone?

3. What would you do? E.g. what would you say to a woman who would ask me about that?

Psychotherapeutic application:

PEA 0: information[Not specific for PEA]Watch: unclear passages

ContradictionsMissing elementsno opinions

Attitude of Psychotherapist: cognitive-empathetic

PEA 0: Information – What happened?

Tasks• Description• What happened?• Stay with facts and

description of emotions• Minimize opinions, wishes,

and explanations

Aims• Coming to terms with

reality, as it really is• Relate to real situation• Face and deal with rather

than avoid facts of existence

Impediment of writing:

PEA 0: information

Teacher: “You cannot write – you will never succeed!”

Mother: “Your sister is much better than you in writing. You must read more!”

PEA 1 - impression:= analysis of experience

“How is it for you?”

a) Primary emotion spontanous feelings

b) Impulse automatic impulsec) Phenomenological content

received message

Attitude of Psychotherapist: empathetic

Impediment of writing:

a) Primary emotion tense like in test-situation; fear of failure

b) Impulse run awayc) Phenomenological content

devaluation: lack of intelligence – senseless to try to get it; no respect for you!

PEA 2 – inner positioning:= integration & finding the own

“What do you make of it?”

a) Understanding combining the new with the old

b) Emotional/sensed Evaluation moral conscience

c) Cognitive Evaluation taking a stand d) Finding One’s Will active decision – basis

for activity

Attitude of Psychotherapist: confronting

Understanding

• Self-Understanding– Why does it hurt/shatter/irritate?– Do you recognize the values which were hurt?

• Understanding the Other– Necessary for dialogical existence– Necessary to restore trust in the world and in the Mitwelt– Gives orientation for being together

• Clarify What is Not Understood

Emotional Evaluation

• The personally sensed evaluation invokes moral conscience – personal moral conscience, not extension of religious or societal conscience

• Do you have the feeling that it was OK, right, correct?

• Did it do justice to you?

• Have you been seen?

• Did you do justice to the other?

Cognitive Evaluation

• Cognitive, conscious position

• Integration of knowledge and sensations in order to inform cognitive judgments

• What do I think about (my mother)?

• How do I judge the other person’s behavior?

Finding One’s Will

• What is moving?

• What is the direction of the movement?

• Does something need to be done?

Impediment of writing:

a) understanding teacher was bad looking, unsightly

b) moral conscience was not correct; I am fairly good

c) taking a stand she had a problem with me because I was so pretty

d) finding one’s will start writing

PEA 3 - expression:= filters & active answer

“What will you do?”

a) What? shameb) To whom? be reasonablec) When? occasiond) How? means & modalities

Attitude of Psychotherapist: supportive

Impediment of writing:

a) What? plan of paperb)To whom? for herselfc) When? nowd)How? in rebellion against

teacher…

Indication:

Finding oneself:

a) emotionallyb)cognitivelyc) in one’s action/behaviour

5.) Synopsis

Deep evaluation

understanding taking positionof persons

will

understanding accomodate of content to reality

Psychodynamics action

moral conscience generally

understanding ? taking position the other concretely

oneself will

what

message to whom impulse when

primary emotion how

DESCRIPTION(PEA 0)

FeelingWhat do I feel?

ImpulseWhat am I moved to do ?

Phenomenal content What does this tell me?

The received

PEA 1PEA 1

Understanding

Primary emotion

ConscienceDeepest sense of accordance;

Integrated Emotion; “Bottom of my heart” sense

AdaptationAccording with the expected reactionSelf-acceptance

1. FMCan I be?

2. FMDo I like to live?

3. FMCan I respect myself?

4. FMWhere does it lead to?

PEA 2PEA 2

PEA 3PEA 3

Personal (Specific) Positioning

Receptivity/Impression

Expression

Understanding/Inner Positioning

General Cognitive Positioning

INFORMATION

U 1

U 2 Do I understand the other?

U 3

Do I understand myself? What moves me?

What don‘t I understand?

What do you think such a behavior and person?

What do I personally say to that?, or what do I personally think about this person?

Will Content of expressionWhat would I really like to do?

F 1

F 2

F 3

F 4

Means / modalityHow and by what means is the best way?

Filter

Modesty: What can I do here and now?How much do I want to reveal?

ReasonTo whom? Does it fit with these people?

TimeWhen? – At which opportunity?

PEA Summary

AbstractConnects

with knowledge

and experience

PEA Summary

PEA-3

What happened, really?

Primary Emotion: What do I feel?

Impulse: What am I moved to do?

Phenomenological Content: What does this tell me?

Self-Understanding: Why does this move me?

Other-Understanding: What can I understand about the other?

What do I not understand?

Emotional Evaluation/Personal Moral Conscience/:

In the bottom of my heart, was this right? …to me? …to the other? Have I , has

s/he, been seen? Has it been just?

General Cognitive Positioning: What do I think about a person who…?

AbstractConnects with knowledge and

experience

Personal Positioning: What do I personally say about this situation, about this person/s behaviour?

Personal

Discerning My Will: What would I really like to do? What needs to be done?

What: What do I decide to do?

To Whom: Is there somebody I need to address?

When: When is it possible/ appropriate?

How: How will I do this? What preparation is needed?DESCRIPTION

PEA 0RECEPTIVITY RESPONSIVENESS

UNDERSTANDING

POSITION

IMPRESSION EXPRESSION

PEA-1

PEA-2

 

SELF-DISTANCE SELF-TRANSCENDENCE

SELF-ACCEPTANCE

FM! 1: I am here. Can I be?

FM! 2: I am alive. Do I like to be?

FM! 3: I am me. Can I be me?

FM! 4: What am I here for?