This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.
In the quiet moments between sleep and waking, when consciousness emerges from the darkness like a ship approaching shore, we encounter ourselves most directly. It is in these liminal spaces that the fundamental questions of human existence press themselves upon us with particular urgency: Who am I? Why am I here? What does my life mean? These are not merely philosophical curiosities but lived experiences that shape every moment of our being. They form the foundation upon which existential-humanistic therapy stands, recognizing that to be human is to be perpetually engaged in the process of meaning-making.
The existential-humanistic approach to therapy emerges from a profound recognition that human beings are not simply biological machines to be repaired or behavioral patterns to be modified. We are meaning-making creatures who exist in relationship with ourselves, others, and the world around us. Our psychological distress often stems not from chemical imbalances or faulty learning patterns alone, but from our struggles with the fundamental givens of existence: freedom, responsibility, isolation, and mortality.
When Viktor Frankl emerged from the concentration camps of Nazi Germany, he brought with him not bitterness or despair, but a revolutionary understanding of human resilience. His experiences had taught him that even in the most dehumanizing circumstances, individuals retain the fundamental freedom to choose their attitude toward their suffering. This insight became the cornerstone of logotherapy and contributed significantly to the development of existential approaches to healing. Frankl observed that those who survived the camps were not necessarily the physically strongest, but those who maintained a sense of meaning and purpose, even in the face of unimaginable horror.
