An Assessment of the Compatibility of Existential Therapy with Christian Theology and Implications for Christian Faith-Based Therapists

ABSTRACT: This paper discusses existential psychotherapy and its compatibility or lack thereof with the elements of Christian Theology that are central to faith-based therapists. The elements that were analyzed were: the existential problem definition – what was, from its point of view, the source of pain – as well as its means of counseling, the goals in the counseling process, and its approach to the termination. As each of these aspects was presented, they were also analyzed from the perspective of their compatibility with Christian Theology. The paper concluded with a reflection on the usefulness of this theory in practice. KEYWORDS: Existentialism, Frankl, Yalom, meaning, Christian counseling, integration, values