About this Event
A phenomenological method for existential seekers.
One of the ten live dialogues between Prof Ernesto Spinelli and International Existential Therapists which clearly illustrate their own personal journey intertwined with the method of the investigation. We are looking to highlight the role of the researcher as an existential seeker.
“Drawing especially from my 2023 book Life-Enhancing Anxiety: Key to a Sane World, I will focus on a phenomenological reflection on my own anxiety, stemming from an early trauma. I distinguish between my initial anxiety following an early trauma that I would call “life-denying” anxiety and the later form of that anxiety–following a childhood psychoanalysis–that I would term “life-enhancing” anxiety. I define life-enhancing anxiety as the capacity to live with and make the best of the depth and mystery of existence. Life-denying anxiety emphasizes paralysis and dread whereas life-enhancing anxiety acknowledges such acute discomforts but also emphasizes the edges of wonder and discovery in the mix; an invigorating brew. In short, life-enhancing anxiety can foster a sense of “awe”–or the humility and wonder, sense of adventure–toward living. I will elaborate the nature and development of these forms of anxiety as they evolved into my graduate school years and young adulthood. In the process, I will illustrate how these evolving anxieties inspired my interest in existential philosophy, psychology, and sociology.” Dr Kirk Schneider
Kirk J. Schneider, Ph.D. is a leading spokesperson for contemporary existential-humanistic and existential-integrative psychology. Dr Schneider was a 2022 Candidate for President of the American Psychological Association (APA), a co-founder and current president of the Existential-Humanistic Institute (an award-winning psychotherapy training center), and a two-term Member of the Council of Representatives of the APA. He is also past president (2015-2016) of the Society for Humanistic Psychology (Division 32) of the APA, recent past editor of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology (2005-2012), a founder and frequent presenter/facilitator of the bridge-building dialogue approach the Experiential Democracy Dialogue and a trained moderator for the conflict mediation group Braver Angels. Dr Schneider is also an adjunct faculty member at Saybrook University and Teachers College, Columbia University and an Honorary Member of the Society for Existential Analysis of the UK and the East European Association for Existential Therapy. He received the Rollo May Award for “outstanding and independent contributions” to the field of humanistic psychology from the Society for Humanistic Psychology, APA and is a Fellow of seven Divisions of the APA (5, 9, 32, 42, 12, 29, and 24). His work on existential-integrative psychotherapy has been featured in a special issue of the Journal of Psychotherapy Integration (March 2016), as well as The Wiley World Handbook of Existential Therapy and the APA’s forthcoming Handbook of Psychotherapy. Dr Schneider has published over 200 articles, interviews and chapters and has authored or edited 14 books including The Paradoxical Self, Horror and the Holy, Rediscovery of Awe, Awakening to Awe, The Spirituality of Awe, The Polarized Mind, The Handbook of Humanistic Psychology, Existential-Humanistic therapy, Existential-Integrative Psychotherapy, The Wiley World Handbook of Existential Therapy, The Depolarizing of America: A Guidebook for Social Healing and his latest volume (February, 2023) Life-Enhancing Anxiety: Key to a Sane World. Dr. Schneider’s work has been featured in Scientific American, the New York Times, USA Today, The Guardian, Vanity Fair, Forbes Health, Psychology Today, BBC World News and many other health and psychology outlets.
Professor Ernesto Spinelli was Chair of the Society for Existential Analysis between 1993 and 1999 and is a Life Member of the Society. His writings, lectures and seminars focus on the application of existential phenomenology to the arenas of therapy, supervision, psychology, and executive coaching. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS) as well as an APECS accredited executive coach and coaching supervisor. In 2000, he was the Recipient of BPS Division of Counselling Psychology Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Profession. And in 2019, Ernesto received the BPS Award for Distinguished Contribution to Practice. His most recent book, Practising Existential Therapy: The Relational World 2nd edition (Sage, 2015) has been widely praised as a major contribution to the advancement of existential theory and practice. Living up to the existential dictum that life is absurd, Ernesto is also the author of an on-going series of Private Eye novels.
Date and Time: Saturday 20 July from 2 pm to 3 pm – UK time)
Individual Dialogue Fee: £40
Venue: Online Zoom
FULL PROGRAMME 2024:
Ten Saturdays 2 pm to 5 pm (UK time)
27 Jan. “Placebo” with Prof Ernesto Spinelli and Barbara Godoy
24 Feb. “Reflexivity” with Prof Carla Willig and Prof Ernesto Spinelli
23 March “Homecoming” with Prof R. Romanyshyn and Prof Ernesto Spinelli
27 April “Ungraspable” with Dr Todd Dubose and Prof Ernesto Spinelli
18 May “Homelessness” with Dr Greg Madison and Prof Ernesto Spinelli
22 Jun. “Psychedelics” with Dr Yaqui Martinez and Prof Ernesto Spinelli
20 Jul. “Anxiety” with Prof Kirk Schneider and Prof Ernesto Spinelli
26 Oct. “Intentionality” with Dr Betty Cannon and Prof Ernesto Spinelli
23 Nov. “Vulnerability” with Prof Simon du Plock and Prof Ernesto Spinelli
12 Dec. “Enacting” with Bárbara Godoy and Prof Ernesto Spinelli
Read the full programme here >
Course Organised by:
Event Venue
Online
GBP 40.00