Table Of ContentExistential Group Counselling
and Psychotherapy
Existential Group Counselling and Psychotherapy provides a theoretical and
practical foundation for practice, including a solid grounding in the ‘why’ and
‘how’ of therapeutic groupwork from an existential perspective.
The first part of the book, ‘Modern western origins’, offers a review of modern
western sources: a survey of early developments, what formats have endured,
and to what extent these antecedents have informed, but are distinct from,
current paradigms. The second part, ‘Being and doing’, provides a description
of the existential phenomenological paradigm for group therapeutic groupwork,
reviewing possible therapeutic effects, as well as risks and disappointments that
may affect both members, and facilitators. Part three, ‘Doing and being’, covers
practice, procedure, and possible problems.
Written in a practical, accessible style, and incorporating clinical vignettes and
anecdotal material, the book will be relevant for counsellors and psychotherapists
in training and practice, as well as for special interest organisations that sponsor
groups.
Karen Weixel-Dixon is a psychotherapist, supervisor, and accredited mediator
in private practice, and a visiting lecturer at Regent’s University London. Her
paradigm is existential phenomenological, and she is particularly interested in
how people experience, and engage with, time.
Existential Group Counselling
and Psychotherapy
Authored by Karen Weixel-Dixon
First published 2020
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2020 Karen Weixel-Dixon
The right of Karen Weixel-Dixon to be identified as authors of this
work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78
of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN: 978-0-367-02556-4 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-02988-3 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-429-02011-7 (ebk)
Typeset in Times New Roman
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
To my wonderful husband Neil, whose support never fails.
Contents
Introduction 1
PART I
Modern western origins 3
1 Historical overview 5
2 Kurt Lewin (1890–1947) 7
3 Wilfred Bion (1897–1979) 12
4 S.H. Foulkes (1898–1976) 16
5 Carl Rogers (1902–1987) 20
6 Irvin D. Yalom (1931–) 24
7 Conclusion and summary, Part I 29
PART II
Being and doing 33
8 Towards an existential phenomenological model for
group psychotherapy and counselling 35
9 Why group 39
10 The existential givens of human existence 43
11 Time and temporality 45
12 Relatedness 49
13 Uncertainty, angst, and anxiety 53
viii Contents
14 Freedom, choice, and change 56
15 Death 61
16 Meaning, meaninglessness, nothingness 66
17 Embodiment and spatiality 71
18 Emotions 77
19 Language 81
20 The world-view 84
21 The contributions of existential phenomenology 89
22 The contributions of hermeneutics 95
23 The nature of problems and the process of change 99
24 Relational issues 104
25 Conclusion and summary, Part II 112
PART III
Doing and being 115
26 Forming, maintaining, and ending the group 117
27 Risks, disappointments, benefits, and therapeutic effects 128
28 Focal points: responsibilities of the facilitator, the
members, the group 135
29 The ways of dialogue 140
30 An existential phenomenological model for dreamwork
in group 147
31 Difficult and challenging behaviours 153
32 The ambiguity of ethics (with apologies to Simone
De Beauvoir) 163
33 Conclusion and summary, Part III 170
Index 172
Introduction
This book seeks to provide a foundation in the principles that underpin existential
group counselling and psychotherapy.
Many of the tenets reviewed here will be supported by anecdotal accounts that
serve to illuminate the points made: these scenarios should be taken not as factual
reports but rather as representations of common occurrences.
The distinction between counselling and psychotherapy is, for this practitioner,
indiscernible; however, many in the field describe the former project as one likely
to be goal focused and time-limited, while the latter is more likely to address long-
term difficulties and ‘deep-rooted’ issues. All of these elements will be considered
and discussed in a manner that will, hopefully, be useful for both perspectives.
Additionally, there is a rationale for time-limited work in Part III that is
grounded in existential principles, and can be pertinent for any model of the help-
ing professions.
The first part of the book, ‘Modern western origins’, is a brief review of mod-
ern western sources: a survey of early developments, what formats have endured,
and to what extent these antecedents have informed, but are distinct from, current
paradigms.
Part II, ‘Being and doing’, provides a description of the existential phenomeno-
logical paradigm for group therapeutic groupwork. The distinguishing character-
istics of this model are elucidated and the possible implications for the process
introduced. The emphasis here is on how to understand inter-subjective processes,
how the world-views of members are structured and inter-related, and how the
contributions of phenomenology and its associated methodology inform the proj-
ect of therapy.
Once this perspective is described, the suitability of this model for groupwork
is clarified.
Additionally, this section reviews possible therapeutic effects, as well as risks
and disappointments that may affect both members and facilitators.
Finally, this discussion concludes with a description of the responsibilities of
the facilitator, the members, and the group.
Part III, titled ‘Doing and Being’, covers practice, procedure, and possible
problems.
