Döden ger lust till att leva:En kvalitativ studie om psykoterapeuters erfarenheter av existentiella frågor i psykoterapi
(2025) PSPR14 20242Department of Psychology
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Denna kvalitativa studie syftar till att undersöka psykoterapeuters erfarenhet av existentiella frågor i behandling. Studien utforskar med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer och tematisk analys hur deltagarna upplever att de existentiella villkoren döden, meningslöshet, ensamhet och frihet påverka patienterna Den undersöker även hur psykologer arbetar med dessa frågor i terapi samt vilken effekt detta arbete har på behandlingen. Deltagarna i studien utgörs av sju psykologer, alla vidareutbildade till psykoterapeuter. Studiens resultat presenteras i fyra huvudteman, De existentiella problemens roll i psykisk ohälsa, Existentiella villkor som möjlighet och börda, Vad som hjälper mot existentiell ångest och Att undvika och missa det... (More)
- Denna kvalitativa studie syftar till att undersöka psykoterapeuters erfarenhet av existentiella frågor i behandling. Studien utforskar med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer och tematisk analys hur deltagarna upplever att de existentiella villkoren döden, meningslöshet, ensamhet och frihet påverka patienterna Den undersöker även hur psykologer arbetar med dessa frågor i terapi samt vilken effekt detta arbete har på behandlingen. Deltagarna i studien utgörs av sju psykologer, alla vidareutbildade till psykoterapeuter. Studiens resultat presenteras i fyra huvudteman, De existentiella problemens roll i psykisk ohälsa, Existentiella villkor som möjlighet och börda, Vad som hjälper mot existentiell ångest och Att undvika och missa det existentiella perspektivet. I dessa teman framkommer att existentiella problem inte alltid adresseras i terapin, men att de ofta kan finns där underliggande. De skiljer sig från traditionella psykiska problem genom att de är mindre tydligt avgränsade, inte har permanenta lösningar och är mer allmänna och abstrakta till sin natur. Existentiella problem kan ibland undvikas i terapin för att de är svårgreppbara och kan väcka ångest hos både patient och terapeut. Många patienter saknar även vana att tänka i dessa termer. Samtidigt menar flera terapeuter att de kommer åt dessa problem indirekt utifrån sina egna teoretiska ramverk och att när de behandlar mer lokala problem så behandlas de existentiella villkoren samtidigt. När existentiella problem väl adresseras direkt i terapin, så upplever terapeuterna att det blir en tröst för patienterna att kunna dela livsvillkoren med psykologen. Terapeuterna beskriver vidare att dessa villkor samtidigt är en börda och en möjlighet för patienterna, Å ena sidan kan de väcka ångest och aktivera olika försvar och undvikanden, men å andra sidan kan de även motivera till självförverkligande och autenticitet. (Less)
- Abstract
- This qualitative study aims to explore psychotherapists' experiences of existential concerns in treatment. Using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, the study examines how participants perceive the existential givens death, meaninglessness, isolation, and freedom to have influenced their clients. The study also investigates how psychologists address these themes in therapy and the effects this work has on the therapeutic process. The participants are seven psychologists, all of whom have advanced training as psychotherapists. The results are presented in four main themes: The Role of Existential Problems in Mental Illness, Existential Conditions as Both Burden and Opportunity, What Helps Against Existential Anxiety, and... (More)
- This qualitative study aims to explore psychotherapists' experiences of existential concerns in treatment. Using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, the study examines how participants perceive the existential givens death, meaninglessness, isolation, and freedom to have influenced their clients. The study also investigates how psychologists address these themes in therapy and the effects this work has on the therapeutic process. The participants are seven psychologists, all of whom have advanced training as psychotherapists. The results are presented in four main themes: The Role of Existential Problems in Mental Illness, Existential Conditions as Both Burden and Opportunity, What Helps Against Existential Anxiety, and Avoiding and Overlooking the Existential Perspective. The findings indicate that existential issues are not always explicitly addressed in therapy but often exist as underlying concerns. These differ from traditional psychological problems in that they are less clearly defined, lack permanent solutions, and are more general and abstract in nature. Existential issues may sometimes be avoided in therapy because they are difficult to grasp and can provoke anxiety in both patients and therapists. Many patients also lack familiarity with thinking in these terms. At the same time, several therapists report addressing these issues indirectly through their theoretical frameworks and that when they treat more localized problems, the existential givens are simultaneously addressed. When these inner conflicts arising from the givens are directly addressed in therapy, therapists find that it provides comfort to patients by allowing them to share these universal human conditions with the psychologist. Therapists also describe these givens as both a burden and an opportunity for patients. On the one hand, they can provoke anxiety and activate various defenses and avoidances, but on the other hand, they
can also motivate self-actualization and authenticity. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9185321
- author
- Hellström, Sofia LU and Jacques, Tim LU
- supervisor
-
- Per Johnsson LU
- organization
- course
- PSPR14 20242
- year
- 2025
- type
- H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
- subject
- keywords
- existential anxiety, existential psychology, existential conditions, authenticity, self-actualization, existentiell ångest, existentiell psykologi, existentiella villkor, autenticitet, självförverkligande
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9185321
- date added to LUP
- 2025-02-25 10:15:12
- date last changed
- 2025-02-25 10:15:12
@misc{9185321,
abstract = {{This qualitative study aims to explore psychotherapists' experiences of existential concerns in treatment. Using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, the study examines how participants perceive the existential givens death, meaninglessness, isolation, and freedom to have influenced their clients. The study also investigates how psychologists address these themes in therapy and the effects this work has on the therapeutic process. The participants are seven psychologists, all of whom have advanced training as psychotherapists. The results are presented in four main themes: The Role of Existential Problems in Mental Illness, Existential Conditions as Both Burden and Opportunity, What Helps Against Existential Anxiety, and Avoiding and Overlooking the Existential Perspective. The findings indicate that existential issues are not always explicitly addressed in therapy but often exist as underlying concerns. These differ from traditional psychological problems in that they are less clearly defined, lack permanent solutions, and are more general and abstract in nature. Existential issues may sometimes be avoided in therapy because they are difficult to grasp and can provoke anxiety in both patients and therapists. Many patients also lack familiarity with thinking in these terms. At the same time, several therapists report addressing these issues indirectly through their theoretical frameworks and that when they treat more localized problems, the existential givens are simultaneously addressed. When these inner conflicts arising from the givens are directly addressed in therapy, therapists find that it provides comfort to patients by allowing them to share these universal human conditions with the psychologist. Therapists also describe these givens as both a burden and an opportunity for patients. On the one hand, they can provoke anxiety and activate various defenses and avoidances, but on the other hand, they
can also motivate self-actualization and authenticity.}},
author = {{Hellström, Sofia and Jacques, Tim}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Döden ger lust till att leva:En kvalitativ studie om psykoterapeuters erfarenheter av existentiella frågor i psykoterapi}},
year = {{2025}},
}