Structural Existential Analysis

Emmy van Deurzen is a philosopher and psychologist who has practiced as an existential therapist for over 50 years. She is the author of many well-known books and Co-Founder and Director of the Existential Academy, London, UK.Claire Arnold-Baker is a counselling psychologist and existential therapist and Principal of NSPC, London, UK. She specialises in researching and working with mothers and supervising doctoral research in this and other related areas.

This innovative and inspiring new text provides a comprehensive guide to structural existential analysis: a research method that – as a stand-alone approach or in combination with other methods – can help to develop a deep, rich, and vivid understanding of participants’ lived-worlds. Philosophical foundations for the approach are clearly explained, with practical guidance and illustrations throughout to show their application. A valuable resource for qualitative researchers in the counselling and psychotherapy field and beyond.Mick Cooper, Professor of Counselling Psychology, University of Roehampton, UKGrounded in existential literature, theory and practice this timely book wonderfully articulates the qualitative research method of Structural Existential Analysis (SEA) where the key focus is on how people actually experience human existence. The application of SEA is beautifully articulated and how it can offer more depth and richness of meaning through the use of the Existential Research Dialogue (ERD). The authors describe SEA research as a passionate research enterprise, and they certainly articulate that passion as they both challenge and engage the reader to share in the essential quest for knowledge of the human condition. The book offers a significant opportunity to what the authors describe as therapist-researchers in facilitating a different and informed choice of qualitative research method.Alistair McBeath, BPS Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow; he is also a UKCP registered Psychotherapist and Senior Lecturer on the DC Psych programme at the Metanoia Institute, UK, and co-author of Enjoying Research in Counselling and Psychotherapy

• Introduction: Why Structural Existential Analysis? Part 1: Theory 1. Existential Philosophy and its Importance for Research 2. The Phenomenological Attitude in Structural Existential Analysis 3. Designing Structural Existential Analysis Research 4. Designing, Conducting and Recording an In-Depth Existential Research Dialogue Part 2: Application 5. The Filter of TIME 6. The Filter of SPACE 7. The Filter of PARADOX 8. The Filter of PURPOSE 9. The Filter of PASSION 10. Synthesis 11. Returning to Phenomenological Principles