About existential therapy
Existential Therapy explores questions of meaning, freedom, responsibility and how you relate to your life circumstances. Below you can browse therapists who list Existential Therapy among their approaches and read more about how this work is typically practiced.
If you are curious about addressing big-picture concerns or shifting how you make sense of your life, use the profiles below to learn more about practitioners and their focus areas.
What to compare in entries
| Credentials | A US state licence, or membership of a professional body such as BACP or NCPS. They are different kinds of thing; each profile shows what was supplied. |
|---|---|
| Focus | Whether existential therapy is listed as a main focus or among the wider list of areas. Entries show both. |
| Way of working | The approaches named on the entry. Two people working with the same concern can describe very different sessions. |
| Time in practice | Years in practice, as supplied. A fact to weigh, not a ranking. |
| Language | The languages sessions can be held in, where that matters to you. |
Common questions
How were these entries chosen?
Everyone listed on this page names Existential Therapy among the approaches they told the platform they use. They are not ranked, rated or endorsed by this directory, and the order is not a recommendation.
Do I need a referral to start?
No. You can contact a therapist through their entry directly. A GP referral is not required for independent online therapy.
What if the first therapist is not right?
Changing therapist is normal and expected, and can be done at any point. One session is a small sample of how someone works.
Entries for existential therapy
Roseanne Jackson, LCSW, LCSW-R
Ref 54688
Compassionate, practical help for big life stressors
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English
View listingAmanda Parry, BACP
Ref 142169
Therapist using integrative, exploratory approaches
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingSiyue Zhang, AASW
Ref 243585
Calm, practical therapy focused on real-life change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English, Mandarin
View listingTheresa Huggins, LPC
Ref 219114
Therapist focused on practical emotional tools
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingYumi Lemaster, LCSW
Ref 2633
Skilled, practical therapy for real-life struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingWilliam Signey, BACP
Ref 113870
Practical, person-focused counselling for life challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English
View listingJonetta Wakely, LPC
Ref 124539
Practical, listening-focused counseling for life challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingKianni Johnson, LMHC
Ref 279980
Practical therapy for strong emotions
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Anger Languages: English
View listingJoseph Setchel, LMHC, LCMHC
Ref 58744
Practical, collaborative counseling for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Coping with life changes Languages: English
View listingShannon Mott, LCSW
Ref 108724
Compassionate, practical therapy for life transitions
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingJames Hagins, LPC
Ref 233524
Compassionate, practical therapy for life transitions
Works with: Grief, Self esteem, Career Languages: English
View listingJennifer Blaney-Sutton, BACP
Ref 225637
Collaborative psychotherapist for adult challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Self esteem, Depression Languages: English
View listingKeith Chilton, LMFT
Ref 106189
Experienced marriage and family therapist
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship Languages: English
View listingJennifer Mcpherson (Norman), BACP
Ref 161239
Experienced relationship and trauma counsellor
Works with: Relationship, Family, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingMatt Lightfoot, NCPS
Ref 193161
Person-centred counsellor who values meaning and choice
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Relationship Languages: English
View listingFaith Beaulieu, LCMHC
Ref 23986
Somatic-minded counselor for focused change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Relationship Languages: English
View listingApril Vandiver, LPC
Ref 229121
Compassionate counselor helping people move forward
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Parenting Languages: English
View listingStacey Sugar, MD, LCPC, LPCC
Ref 2629
Relationship-focused therapist who values authentic change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingDr. Heidi Duong, LMHC
Ref 185659
Helping people rebuild meaning and balance
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Eating Languages: English
View listingIjeoma Nweze, BACP, NCPS
Ref 203170
Compassionate counsellor for everyday challenges
Works with: Relationship, Family, Parenting Languages: English, Igbo
View listingDaniel Bevan, BACP, NCPS
Ref 206896
Practical, values-focused counselling for everyday challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship Languages: English, French
View listingDawn Meadow, LPC
Ref 76208
Calm, practical counseling for lifes hard moments
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Parenting Languages: English
View listingJosephine Sultana, AASW
Ref 309775
Compassionate social worker blending therapy and lifestyle care
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Sleeping Languages: English
View listingLouise Wood, BACP
Ref 128568
Support to manage stress, trauma and change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingDorcas Upshall, BACP
Ref 236086
Supportive counsellor for stress and relationship concerns
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Relationship Languages: English
View listingKalpna Kerai, BACP
Ref 165701
Calm, practical counselling for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingMaria "Patti" Lorenzo, LCPC
Ref 26902
A practical, compassionate approach to emotional change
Works with: Trauma and abuse, Self esteem, Coping with life changes Languages: English
View listingDouglas Strange, LPC
Ref 126902
Practical counseling grounded in life experience
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English
View listingEdward Mcguinness, BACP
Ref 263954
Practical, respectful support for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingJay Cook, NCPS
Ref 200361
Compassionate counsellor focused on practical change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Relationship Languages: English
View listingDebby Sawyer, LIMHP
Ref 236392
Experienced, practical help for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingCatherine Kearns, BACP
Ref 183397
Practical, person-focused therapy for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship Languages: English
View listingKathryn Dowds, BACP
Ref 210914
Compassionate counsellor who honours your story
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Grief Languages: English
View listingWai Kan, BACP
Ref 164673
Practical, values-led support for life changes
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Relationship Languages: English
View listingCarolyn Faucette, LISW
Ref 143321
Compassionate, practical therapy for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Grief Languages: English
View listingSharan Thiara, BACP
Ref 139408
Compassionate practical support for life’s hard moments
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship Languages: English
View listingTatyana Sibthorpe, BACP
Ref 151265
Compassionate, practical therapy for life changes
Works with: Addictions, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English, Russian
View listingFred Sacklow, LCSW
Ref 49443
Calm, practical help for life’s hard moments
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingWilliam Evans, BACP
Ref 164997
Understanding, practical counselling for life challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingPeter McDermott , BACP
Ref 170237
Helping people build practical change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Self esteem, Career Languages: English
View listingSarah Johnson, NCPS
Ref 153098
Practical, person-centred support for life challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingMichael Dwyer, BACP
Ref 169538
Practical support for life’s hardest moments
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Grief, Depression Languages: English
View listingChabreah Alston, LMHC
Ref 82144
Compassionate therapy for complex life challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Relationship Languages: English
View listingAlexsandro Amaral, BACP
Ref 257395
Practical support for stress, trauma and relationships
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, LGBT Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese
View listingIoana Mitrache, BACP
Ref 144658
Practical, relational counselling for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Trauma and abuse Languages: English, Romanian
View listingYun-Ting Chou, BACP
Ref 282215
Compassionate relational counselling for life changes
Works with: Relationship, Family, Trauma and abuse Languages: English, Mandarin
View listingJanet Ferrell, LPC
Ref 57166
Experienced counselor for mood and addiction concerns
Works with: Addictions, Family, Grief Languages: English
View listingTracy Mark, LMHC
Ref 239058
Compassionate practical support for everyday challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Parenting Languages: English
View listingMore about existential therapy
What Existential Therapy Is and the Principles Behind It
Existential Therapy is a philosophical and psychotherapeutic approach that centers on human experience and the choices you face. It draws on questions that have been explored in philosophy for centuries - ideas about freedom, mortality, meaning, isolation and responsibility - and brings them into the therapeutic conversation. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all technique, this approach encourages deep reflection on how you understand your life and what values and commitments guide your decisions. Therapists who list Existential Therapy among their approaches typically focus on helping you clarify what matters to you, notice patterns in how you relate to others and yourself, and confront fears or assumptions that limit your sense of possibility.
The work is often exploratory and conversational. It does not promise a quick fix. Instead, it creates space for you to examine how larger life conditions - loss, transitions, ethical dilemmas and the awareness of finitude - shape everyday choices. Many practitioners who use existential ideas emphasize authenticity, the acceptance of uncertainty, and the cultivation of personal agency. The therapeutic relationship becomes a place to test new ways of being, to name difficult feelings, and to practice making decisions that align with your emerging sense of purpose.
Issues Commonly Addressed in Existential Therapy
Existential Therapy is frequently sought when people face questions about meaning and direction rather than discrete symptom targets. You might turn to this approach during major life transitions such as career change, retirement, the end of a relationship, or the experience of aging. It can also be helpful when grief, chronic illness, or a sense of emptiness prompts you to re-evaluate priorities. Anxiety and depression may appear in existential work as reactions to the perceived lack of meaning or overwhelming responsibility, and those experiences are explored as understandable responses to human conditions rather than merely clinical problems to be reduced.
Other concerns that often arise in existential sessions include moral or ethical dilemmas, creative blocks, a sense of existential guilt about choices not taken, and struggles with identity. If you find yourself repeatedly asking big questions - who am I, what matters, how do I want to live - existential approaches create a framework for making those questions the central focus. Therapists who list this approach may integrate it with other ways of working to address both the immediate distress you feel and the broader life questions underlying it.
What a Typical Existential Therapy Session Looks Like
A typical session tends to be dialogical and reflective rather than prescriptive. You and a therapist will spend time exploring your current concerns, examining the meanings you attach to events, and noticing the ways you might be limiting your own choices. Sessions often involve careful listening, open-ended questions, and gentle challenges that invite you to consider different perspectives. The pace can be contemplative, allowing space for silence or for you to articulate complex feelings without pressure to move quickly to solutions.
Sessions usually begin with what is most pressing for you in the moment and then broaden to consider how present difficulties connect to larger themes in your life. A therapist who lists Existential Therapy among their approaches may encourage you to reflect on values, fear of loss or failure, and what you would do if practical constraints were different. Rather than focusing exclusively on symptom reduction, the emphasis is on supporting you as you craft a life that feels meaningful and coherent. Practical exercises are sometimes offered, such as values clarification or imagined future scenarios, but the core of the work is conversational exploration sustained over time.
How Existential Therapy Differs from Other Approaches
Existential Therapy differs from more technique-driven modalities in that it prioritizes philosophical inquiry and personal meaning over standardized interventions. Cognitive and behavioral approaches emphasize identifying and changing thought patterns and behaviors using specific methods. Psychodynamic work explores unconscious processes and developmental histories. Existential work overlaps with these schools in many ways, but it is distinctive in keeping existential themes - mortality, freedom, meaning, isolation and responsibility - at the center of inquiry. The aim is not only to reduce symptoms but to help you live in a way that aligns with your values and capacities.
Another difference is the stance toward uncertainty. While some therapies may emphasize measurable symptom change and concrete goals, existential work openly acknowledges that uncertainty and anxiety are inherent parts of the human condition. Rather than trying to eliminate all anxiety, you will often be supported to tolerate uncertainty and to make choices despite it. Therapists who list existential approaches may draw on narrative techniques, emotion-focused exploration, or experiential methods, but their defining feature is attention to the larger questions that shape your inner life.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Existential Therapy
Existential Therapy is well suited to people who want to address big-picture concerns and are willing to engage in self-reflection. If you are wrestling with questions of meaning, purpose, identity, or responsibility, this approach can provide a thoughtful framework for exploration. It may be particularly appealing if you prefer a therapy that treats distress as meaningful and informative rather than as something to be quickly corrected. Because the work often involves facing uncomfortable truths, it helps if you are prepared for introspection and for making changes that may follow from new insights.
That said, existential ideas can also be useful alongside other forms of support when symptoms like anxiety or depression are present. Therapists who list Existential Therapy among their approaches often integrate it with practical strategies to help you manage intense emotions while attending to life direction. You do not need to have a philosophical background to benefit; what matters is a readiness to reflect on your life and to consider how different choices might change your experience. If you value an honest, collaborative exploration of what matters to you, this work may be a good fit.
Finding a Therapist Who Uses Existential Therapy
When you are looking for a therapist who lists Existential Therapy among their approaches, think about the qualities that will matter most to you. Some therapists emphasize discussion of values and meaning, while others combine existential thinking with practical tools and symptom management. Reading practitioner profiles can help you understand their focus areas, professional background, language abilities, and the populations they work with. Consider whether you want someone who leans more toward reflective, philosophical conversations or someone who blends existential questions with behaviorally oriented strategies.
It can also be useful to look for descriptions of clinical interests and experience, such as work with grief, life transitions, identity questions, or moral dilemmas, because these indicate how a therapist applies existential ideas in practice. You may prefer practitioners who mention relational style, session structure, or examples of what a typical conversation looks like. If you are unsure, reaching out through an initial message or intake form can give you a sense of how a therapist communicates and whether their approach resonates with you. Use the profiles below to compare focus areas, approaches, languages and experience so you can choose a therapist whose way of working matches your needs and preferences.