‘One of the most profound encounters of my life’: could existential therapist Emmy van Deurzen change the way you think?
Emmy van Deurzen, a Dutch-born existential therapist, has played a pivotal role in popularizing existential therapy in the UK and globally. Her approach emphasizes philosophical inquiry into the meaning of life and how to live it well, rather than focusing solely on psychological symptoms. Her new book, Beginning to Live, aims to make these ideas accessible to a general audience.
- ▪Emmy van Deurzen moved to the UK in 1977, inspired by anti-psychiatrist R.D. Laing and his ideas about madness.
- ▪She co-founded the first existential therapy centre at the Arbours Association in London.
- ▪Van Deurzen organized the first international congress for existential therapy in 2015, attended by nearly 700 people.
- ▪Her new book, Beginning to Live, is her first written for a general audience and draws on diverse philosophical traditions.
- ▪She believes existential therapy helps people make sense of crises and find meaning in life.
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‘It’s about working with life, rather than just with the psyche’ … Van Deurzen. Photograph: Peter Flude/The GuardianView image in fullscreen‘It’s about working with life, rather than just with the psyche’ … Van Deurzen. Photograph: Peter Flude/The GuardianPhilosophy booksInterview‘One of the most profound encounters of my life’: could existential therapist Emmy van Deurzen change the way you think?Sophie McBainHer philosophical approach to therapy has become a global phenomenon, and inspired a new book.
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