Existential therapy is a form of psychotherapy based on the model of human nature and experience developed by the existential tradition of European philosophy. It focuses on free will, self-determination, and the search for meaning, often centering on the individual rather than on external factors. Existential therapy assumes that peoples problems come from not exercising choice and judgment enough to forge meaning in their lives, and that each individual is responsible for making meaning out of life. The emphasis is not to dwell on the past, but to use the past as a tool to promote freedom and newfound assertiveness.

Existential therapy encourages people to address the emotional issues they face through full engagement and to take responsibility for the decisions that contributed to the development of those issues. People who participate in this form of therapy are guided to accept their fears and given the skills necessary to overcome these fears through action. By gaining control of the direction of their life, the person in therapy is able to work to design the course of their choosing. Through this work, people often come to feel both a sense of liberation and the ability to let go of the despair associated with insignificance and meaninglessness.

Existential therapy has been gaining recognition in recent years, and recent studies have supported its use for patients with advanced cancer, incarcerated individuals, and elderly people residing in nursing homes, among others. However, there has not been a tremendous amount of research on existential therapy.