Rollo May and existentialism in psychology

Rollo May is one of those figures of psychology that represent an interesting nuance of diverse currents. Although he is sometimes associated with humanistic psychology, and even with psychoanalysis, in reality his work was to have proposed existentialist psychology. This is a quite striking approach in which philosophy and psychology are combined.

Rollo May was born in Ohio (United States) in 1909 and died in San Francisco in 1994. His family was middle class and lived in an environment that defined itself as anti-intellectualist. They were opposed to study and science. His parents separated when he was in high school. Her sister had a mental breakdown and May had to interrupt her studies and return home to take care of her mother.his sister and a younger brother.

All this left a deep mark in the psyche of Rollo May, who fell into deep depression several times throughout his life. When he finished his studies he traveled to Greece. There he let himself be imbued with the philosophical spirit and from then on philosophy was part of his great concerns.

Rollo May’s academic training

Upon returning from Greece, and immersed in one of his depressive phases, he entered the Union Theological Seminary in New York. His purpose was not really to be a priest. Simply He saw that this was a favorable place to reflect on issues that worried him. Particularly suicide despair and anxiety. At that time psychology did not pay much attention to these topics.

In that seminary he met the theologian Paul Tillich, with whom he formed a friendship that lasted a lifetime. He had the misfortune of contracting tuberculosis and that is why he interrupted his studies and was transferred to a sanatorium.where he remained for more than three years.

During his convalescence he had the opportunity to make some readings that marked him forever.. In particular, all of Freud’s work and, most especially, the books of Soren Kierkegaard, the father of existentialism. Although he appreciated the contributions of psychoanalysis, he concluded that existentialism best expressed what human beings in crisis experienced.

A new address

From that long convalescence due to tuberculosis, a new Rollo May emerged. When he was cured he left the sanatorium and returned to New York to finish his theology studies in 1938. He then decided to study psychoanalysis and later earned a doctorate in psychology at Columbia University..

Rollo May was also interested in humanistic psychologists. From his readings and reflections he managed to structure what would be existentialist psychology.which basically rested on four pillars:

Man is inhabited by antagonistic forces and this leads to anguish, which is also a driving force in his life. The meaning that each person gives to their life is materialized in decision and commitment.The human being does not have to be one way or another. Each one is, becomes and makes himself.Psychotherapy helps to look beyond the obvious, to interpret the signs that appear in an individual’s life.

Rollo May’s theory

As an existential psychologist, Rollo May had the meaning of existence and freedom as the central theme of his analyzes. It states that human beings constantly face the dilemma of being an object and a subject at the same time. Object, because the actions of others fall upon it. And subject, because he is also an active agent in the face of his reality.

Consider that conflict is the very essence of life. The mere fact of existing already raises a series of conflicts, which are never fully resolved. These are not something external, but are within us. They are not negative either, but a condition of existence itself.

Existential psychotherapy proposed by Rollo May is a process in which the existence of the individual who requests help is investigated. What is sought are the main concerns that afflict him, which are analyzed through dialogue.

The objective of existential psychotherapy is to identify prejudices and detect the ways of proceeding that generate negative effects.. It is worth mentioning that this technique does not necessarily lead to well-being, but rather to a more rational way of facing life.

Freedom and creativity as the center of psychotherapy

According to Rollo May (1988) Freedom is the ability of man to take part in his own development. It is our ability to shape ourselves. Therefore, from our own freedom we build our destiny. In this sense, psychotherapy is based on two fundamental axes:

The freedom of the individual to express themselves and be what they want to be. In which, the psychologist only guides and advises with the most absolute respect and creativity. That is, the implementation of creative and original solutions to achieve vital objectives and behavioral change.

Therefore, the client is the center of the therapy; the one around which the psychologist orbits, advising and encouraging the creativity of the individual to find their own solutions and answers to life’s problems.