Dr. Emmy van Deurzen is a world authority on existential psychotherapy. She is a philosopher and existential therapist who founded, directed and developed both Regent's College and the New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling in London. In 2005, she became an Honorary Professor with the University of Sheffield and is currently a Visiting Professor with Middlesex University.

She founded the Society for ExistentialAnalysis (SEA), its Journal Existential Analysis and co-founded the World Confederation of Existential Therapy (WCET) and the Federation for  Existential Therapy in Europe (FETE). She was the first chair of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy. She hasauthored over 20 books and amongst her books is the bestseller Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling in Practice (3d edition Sage, 2012), and mypersonal favorite Everyday Mysteries: A handbook of existential psychotherapy.

In todays discussion, Emmy begins by providing her definition of existential psychology. We then discuss some common misconceptions, like whether existentialism is only appropriate for some populations, and whether its anti science – news flash its not. We then jumpinto the philosophies of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and Heidegger, as Emmy skillfully applies their lessons to everyday life and practice. We talk aboutthe application of time and space in practice, how an existentialist might view the unconscious and dive into her personal approach, the existential-phenomenological approach. Finally we discuss meaning, paradoxes,modern day issues and end with a round of rapid fire questions.