Theoretical Foundations of Existential-Humanistic Therapy

Description

This course is a live, interactive webinar held on February 5, 2027, from 12-4:30pm Eastern Standard Time.

This reduced price webinar does not offer CE Credits. The same live event is available for purchase and offers 4 CE hours for behavioral health clinicians.  See "related products" below.

Registration closes at midnight (EST) the day before the event

When clients’ struggles extend beyond symptoms and diagnoses, how can clinicians understand the deeper human experiences shaping their distress? Existential-humanistic therapy offers a perspective that recognizes suffering while exploring the roles of meaning, freedom, responsibility, and connection in psychological well-being.

Grounded in philosophy and psychotherapy, this approach invites clinicians to look beyond pathology without overlooking clinical concerns. This 4-hour live webinar introduces the theoretical foundations of existential-humanistic therapy and demonstrates how these principles can inform case conceptualization, therapeutic relationships, and clinical decision-making. No prior training in existential-humanistic therapy is required.

Led by Louis Hoffman, PhD, a licensed psychologist and recognized authority in existential-humanistic psychotherapy, this training draws on extensive clinical, research, and teaching experience. Dr. Hoffman is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and nine of its divisions, a recipient of the Rollo May Award, and an author or editor of 28 books, including Case Formulation in Existential-Humanistic Therapy and The Evidence-Based Foundations of Existential-Humanistic Therapy. His work connects philosophical inquiry with the realities of clinical practice.

Dr. Hoffman approaches existential-humanistic theory through its direct relevance to understanding clients and facilitating therapeutic change. Participants will examine how philosophical concepts shape a clinician's perspective, influence the therapeutic relationship, and guide responses to clients' concerns. Particular attention is given to phenomenological understanding and the role of authentic encounter in therapy.

The workshop explores the primary existential givens, including mortality, freedom and responsibility, isolation and connection, and meaning. Participants will distinguish phenomenological approaches from interpretative approaches to understanding clients and examine the clinical value of non-pathologizing case conceptualization. Additional topics include the daimonic, myth, existential shattering, relational depth, and the therapeutic encounter. Throughout the training, these concepts are considered within clients' cultural, relational, and social contexts, highlighting how existential-humanistic theory informs therapeutic stances, interventions, and understandings of change.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand the existential dimensions of distress: Recognize how fundamental human concerns such as mortality, freedom, isolation, and meaning can shape clients' experiences and influence therapeutic work.
• Develop a more nuanced approach to case conceptualization: Differentiate phenomenological understanding from interpretation and explore non-pathologizing perspectives that acknowledge clients' suffering alongside their capacities and possibilities.
• Recognize the therapeutic power of encounter: Understand how genuine presence, relational depth, and the therapeutic relationship contribute to change within an existential-humanistic framework.

Why This Course?

• Expand your clinical perspective: Develop a theoretical foundation for understanding clients beyond diagnostic categories while remaining attentive to symptoms, suffering, and clinical needs.
• Learn from a leading existential-humanistic scholar and clinician: Benefit from Dr. Hoffman's decades of experience integrating existential-humanistic philosophy, psychotherapy, research, and clinical supervision.
• Connect philosophical theory with clinical practice: Explore the principles behind existential-humanistic therapeutic approaches so you can better understand when and why these perspectives may be useful in your work with clients.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the primary existential givens.
• Distinguish between phenomenological and interpretative approaches to understanding and conceptualizing clients.
• Identify the clinical value of using non-pathologizing approaches to problem identification.
• Discuss and clarify the role of encounter in the therapy process.

Existential-humanistic therapy offers more than an alternative way to conceptualize psychological distress. It provides a foundation for understanding the human experiences beneath clients' concerns and approaching therapeutic work with greater intentionality. Through this training, clinicians can deepen their understanding of therapeutic change and develop a more coherent perspective on supporting clients as they navigate suffering, meaning, choice, and connection.

Format and Access

This course is a live, interactive webinar.

Course Details

Schedule: (listed in Eastern Standard Time)

• 12:00 pm - 12:50 pm Lecture
• 12:50 pm - 1:00 pm Q&A
• 1:00 pm - 1:10 pm Break
• 1:10 pm - 2:00 pm Lecture
• 2:00 pm - 2:10 pm Break
• 2:10 pm - 2:20 pm Q&A
• 2:20 pm - 3:10 pm Lecture
• 3:10 pm - 3:20 pm Break
• 3:20 pm - 3:30 pm Q&A
• 3:30 pm - 4:20 pm Lecture
• 4:20 pm - 4:30 pm Q&A

How to Attend: 

Course access and completion instructions.

Who Should Attend: 

This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching Methods: 

This is a live, interactive webinar.

Instructors and Disclosures

Instructor

About Louis Hoffman, Ph.D.

Jeff Riggenbach, PhD, is a best-selling and award-winning author/speaker/clinician who has trained audiences in all 50 United States, Canada, Mexico, The UK, Ireland, Malta, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. He has devoted the past 25 years to developing advanced expertise in cognition and personality. He personally trained at The Beck Institute of Cognitive Therapy and Research to develop his hospital's Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment Program, which has not treated over 500 patients with BPD across multiple levels of care. He has since developed and directed cognitive-behavioral based programs for Depression, Anxiety Disorders, and Addictive Behavior Disorders. Jeff's approach of taking evidence-based treatments and presenting them in ways that can be used by everyday clinicians "in the trenches" has earned him the nickname "The Practical Toolbox Guy," and his trainings often receive the highest marks from conference participants.

Disclosure Statement: 

The instructor(s) for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.

CE Hours

This reduced price webinar does not offer CE credits, just great content.

The same live event is available for purchase and offers 4 CE hours for behavioral health clinicians.  See "related products" below.

Participants may request a printed version of their certificate of attendance to be delivered by mail. A shipping/handling fee of $6.95 will be charged per request. Shipping internationally may require an additional charge.

Agreement

By registering for this event you are agreeing to the following:

• 24 hour notice is required if you are not able to make it to a live event. Recordings are not provided to webinar registrants.
• To update and test using Zoom.us/test before the event to ensure you are ready for the event.
• Since this is a live interactive event it means that your interaction during the event is expected.  Your name and image will be visible to other participants during the live event. You will NOT be included in any recording made.
• An evaluation must be completed within one week of the event. Continuing Education credit(s) cannot be issued unless you attend the event and the evaluation is submitted.  (Evaluation is not mandatory for APA hours)
• Partial CE credits are not possible; therefore you are required to be present throughout the event in order to receive CE credits.
• Respect all other participants during the event as though you would if you were sitting with the other attendees at a conference table:
  • Dress appropriately
  • Be in a private location void of distractions
  • Do not multitask
  • Do not drive during an event
  • Remain on mute unless you are sharing with the group

Accommodations and Policies

Close Captioning is available for live webinars and recorded video presentations.

You can click on the following links to view our policies:

• Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
• Cancellation Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Support Options
• Disclosure Statement