Existential Therapy Paper

A counseling group will be formed using existential/person centered theory for older adults who are depressed due to transitioning into an assisted living residential home. The working stage and termination stage will be discussed which will show how group members become stronger and less fearful of change. The group will be for both men and women between the ages of 64-75 and closed. Additionally, the group will consist of 8-10 members for sixteen weeks. The group room within the facility will be the location of the group where twice a week new members of the residents will participate in a counseling group. In addition members of the group will be assessed and chosen by the resident’s social worker. Older Adults go through changes

However applying this approach to older people who are struggling to find meaning in life and facing the anxiety of their eventual death has proven to be effective (Garrow, & Walker, 2001). Therefore members having problems with retirement, grief work, and transition from one stage of life to another benefit from existential therapy. By This Writer using existential therapy in a group for older adults it can help to provide life meaning; to facilitate social support; and to improve coping with grief loss, chronic illness, and ultimately death. Furthermore this writer will encourage supportive sharing and social interaction which may help replace lost family or work

This writer will use the group process to capitalize on significant happening in the here-and now interaction of the groups to help members reflect on meaning of their experiences (Gladding, 2012). The main therapeutic function of Mayo’s existential approach is to help the client confront normal anxiety, which is an unavoidable part of the human condition (Garrow, & Walker, 2001). The Authors suggest the slights encouragement will bring in an extraordinary amount of material related to concerns about death. Moreover, Person centered approach will provides the opportunity for deeply negative or despairing experience surrounding death to be expressed, fully felt and received empathically as a reality of experience(Humboldt, & Leal, 2012). In the working stage members will be able to address the anxiety that death generates and will have significant implications for the practice of group (Garrow, & Walker,