At some point, most of us find ourselves asking the big questions. Why am I here? What does my life actually mean? Is this all there is? These questions can surface gradually, like a low hum in the background of daily life, or they can hit suddenly after a loss, a milestone birthday or an unexpected life change. Either way, these thoughts are not signs that something is wrong with you. They are signs that you are human.
What Are Existential Concerns?
Existential concerns are the fundamental questions that arise from being alive. They touch on meaning, purpose, freedom, isolation and the reality of death. Unlike everyday worries about work deadlines or relationship disagreements, existential concerns sit at a deeper level. They are the questions that can keep you awake at three in the morning, the ones that no amount of scrolling through your phone will answer.
Existential therapy focuses on free will, self-determination and the search for meaning, emphasising a person’s capacity to make rational choices and develop to their full potential. This approach recognises that anxiety around these concerns is not something to be eliminated but rather understood and worked through.
The philosopher and psychiatrist Irvin Yalom identified four core existential concerns that most people grapple with at some stage: the inevitability of death, the challenge of finding meaning, the experience of isolation and the weight of freedom in making choices. These are not problems to be solved in the traditional sense. They are realities to be faced, understood, and ultimately, lived with in a way that allows you to flourish rather than feel paralysed.
Common Signs You May Be Grappling with Existential Issues
Existential concerns do not always announce themselves clearly. Sometimes they show up as a vague sense of dissatisfaction or restlessness that you cannot quite explain. You might be doing well by any external measure and yet feel that something important is missing.
You may find yourself asking questions like: What is the point of all this? Am I living the life I actually want, or the one I fell into? What will I have to show for my time here? These questions can feel uncomfortable, even frightening. But they can also be the beginning of something important.
Other signs include a heightened awareness of time passing, a sense that life is moving quickly and you are not fully present for it, or a feeling of disconnection from the people around you even when you are surrounded by them. Some people describe a kind of emptiness or flatness that persists despite having what should be enough to make them happy. Others feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices available to them, uncertain how to decide what really matters.
Major life transitions often bring existential concerns to the surface. A significant birthday, the death of someone close to you, a career change, becoming a parent, children leaving home, retirement, a serious illness. These moments disrupt the usual patterns and force us to reckon with questions we may have been avoiding.
How Therapy Helps
Therapy for existential concerns is not about finding quick fixes or being given a ready-made philosophy to follow. It is about creating space to explore the questions that matter most to you, with the support of someone who can help you think more clearly and deeply.
A therapist working with existential issues will help you examine your values and beliefs, many of which you may have inherited without ever consciously choosing them. What do you actually think is worth living for? What kind of person do you want to be? These are not abstract academic questions. They shape everyday decisions about how you spend your time, who you spend it with and what you are willing to sacrifice.
The Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy represents over 6,500 accredited therapists across Ireland, many of whom are trained in humanistic and existential approaches that focus specifically on helping people who are searching for meaning and purpose in life.
Therapy can help you confront the fears that may be holding you back. Fear of death, fear of making the wrong choice, fear of being truly alone. Rather than pushing these fears away, existential therapy encourages you to face them directly, which often reduces their power over you. There is something genuinely freeing about acknowledging that life is finite and uncertain, and then choosing how you want to live anyway.
The goal is not to give you answers but to help you find your own. A good therapist acts as a companion in this exploration, offering perspective, challenging assumptions, and helping you notice patterns you might not see on your own. Many people find that engaging with existential concerns, rather than avoiding them, leads to a richer and more authentic way of living.
FAQ
Do I need to be in crisis to seek help for existential concerns?
Not at all. While some people come to therapy during a period of acute distress, many others seek support simply because they are feeling stuck, dissatisfied or curious about how to live more meaningfully. You do not need to be in crisis to benefit from exploring these questions with a therapist. In fact, engaging with existential concerns before they become overwhelming can be a valuable form of preventative care for your mental wellbeing.
Will therapy give me answers about the meaning of life?
Therapy will not hand you a neat set of answers about what life means or what you should do with yours. That is actually the point. The meaning of your life is something only you can determine, and it may well change over the course of your lifetime. What therapy offers is a structured space to think through these questions more carefully, to examine your assumptions, and to develop greater clarity about what genuinely matters to you. The answers you arrive at will be your own.
What therapeutic approaches are used for existential issues?
Several approaches can be helpful. Existential psychotherapy directly addresses questions of meaning, freedom, isolation and mortality. Humanistic and integrative approaches share similar foundations, emphasising personal responsibility and the search for purpose. Some therapists also draw on elements of cognitive behavioural therapy or psychodynamic work, depending on what is most useful for you. The specific approach matters less than finding a therapist you feel comfortable with and who understands what you are trying to work through.
How long does therapy for existential concerns typically last?
There is no set timeframe. Some people find that a relatively short period of therapy, perhaps six to twelve sessions, gives them enough clarity to move forward. Others choose to continue for longer, particularly if existential concerns are intertwined with other issues like anxiety, depression or relationship difficulties. The pace and duration will depend on your individual circumstances and what you hope to achieve. Your therapist will discuss this with you and you can review progress together as you go.
How to Arrange an Appointment
To book an appointment with a therapist who works with existential issues, you can select from the therapists listed below or contact our centres directly. We have locations across Dublin and Galway, and online sessions are also available if that suits you better.
Dublin: 01 677 1021
Galway: 091 720 990
Our reception team can help match you with a therapist whose approach fits what you are looking for. There is no need to have everything figured out before you call. Many people reach out simply knowing that something feels off and wanting help to understand it better.
