Carrying Existence Forward

What People are Saying

Carrying Existence Forward is a milestone in the array of books aimed at practical, research-based, and depth-oriented existential-humanistic practice.  Drawing on person-centered, experiential, and existential humanistic literature, along with very convincing data regarding the necessity of therapists’ comfort level with the deeper questions about life, Vanhooren has gifted us with a volume that is of great value to clinicians, researchers, and trainees.  In sum, by lucidly exploring the primal anxieties of living, Vanhooren methodically illustrates how an existential-experiential approach to therapy is necessary for many clients not merely to cope, but to attain an awe-informed experience of life. This is life-changing therapy at its best, and it is high time that it be prioritized–not only for the welfare of individuals but for the society upon which all of us inter-depend.

 Kirk J. Schneider, Ph.D., President, Existential-Humanistic Institute, USA.

This is a lovely book, wise, heartfelt, and moving, refreshingly down to earth and free of obscure philosophy and jargon. Vanhooren makes a convincing case for an experiential-existential psychotherapy within the family of person-centered-experiential psychotherapies, providing clear connections to person-centered, focusing-oriented and emotion-focused therapies, all of which I believe to be completely compatible with the author’s approach. This approach illustrated with a series of well-chosen, unusual and fascinating case studies, including clients in prison, grappling with mortality and meaninglessness, and in spiritual crisis. I was particularly taken by the emphasis on the spiritual aspects of the author’s existential approach as well as his familiarity with wider issues such as attachment theory, evidence-based practice, emotion regulation, endings in therapy, and the role of inspiration in humanistic-experiential psychotherapies. I found Carrying Existence Forward to be an inspiring and useful read!

Prof. Dr. Robert Elliott, University of Strathclyde, Scotland, UK.

Siebrecht Vanhooren is one of the most innovative, creative, and exciting new voices in the field of psychotherapy. In Carrying Existence Forward, he shows how existential insights and practices can be integrated into a deeply relational and healing therapeutic encounter. Illustrated throughout with vivid and engaging case examples, this book will be invaluable reading for person-centered and experiential psychotherapists and counsellors seeking to expand and deepen their practice, as well as for integrative and pluralistic therapists who wish to support clients wrestling with fundamental questions of being.

Prof. Dr. Mick Cooper, Professor of Counseling Psychology, University of Roehampton, London, UK

I love this clear, thorough, well-written explanation of existential theory and psychotherapy. It is an important addition to the literature and will stimulate hours of contemplation about living, death, and meaning. I most highly recommend it for people at every level who want to immerse themselves in deep introspection to help them live more authentically. – Prof. Em.

Prof. Dr. Clara Hill, Professor of Counseling Psychology and Psychotherapy Research, University of Maryland, USA

Carrying Existence Forward is a beautifully written, deeply human book and the first Introductory text describing the experiential-existential approach to psychotherapy. With warmth, clarity, and depth, Vanhooren offers not theory at a distance but wisdom forged in the consulting room —where meaning, suffering, and growth are encountered bodily, moment by moment. Rich in clinical detail and experiential insight, this quietly powerful book does not simply describe an approach; it embodies one. An essential guide for therapists and students who value working at the level where ‘evidence’ is based upon life as it is actually being lived.

Dr. Greg Madison, Psychologist and Focusing-Oriented and Experiential-Existential Psychotherapy Trainer, London Focusing Institute, UK

For those who wish to meet their clients on a deep existential level and to remain grounded in what emerges within that encounter, this book is a must-have read and a rich source of knowledge. It will resonate both with experienced practitioners and with those who are new to humanistic and existential approaches. In these turbulent times, when many therapeutic modalities increasingly engage with the existential dimensions of life, the material thoughtfully presented by the author invites the reader to immerse themselves in both the theory and the lived practice of experiential-existential therapy.

Yana Gololob, Psychologist and Person-Centered Psychotherapy Trainer at the Ukrainian Psychotherapy University, Kiev, Ukraine, and Board Member of PCE World Association for Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapy

I was utterly mesmerized by Dr. Vanhooren’s work. It is a rare gift to find a writer who can translate ‘difficult and abstract’ existential concepts into such a humane and accessible narrative. Reading this work felt like a true re-awakening—as if I were discovering these profound truths for the first time. The professional community will be significantly enriched by this contribution, and I fully intend to make it a foundational text for my students. A vital, masterful, and deeply moving work.

Dr. Katerina Zymnis, Existential Psychotherapy Trainer at Gignesthai, the Hellenic Association for Existential Psychology and at the American College of Greece, Athens, Greece.