Emmy van Deurzen (born 13 December 1951 in

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Neth ...

) is an existential therapist. She developed a philosophical therapy based in existential-phenomenology.

Biography

van Deurzen was born and raised in The Hague, in The Netherlands, then went to France to study, where she earned two

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

s, one in philosophy, at the University of Montpellier, where she studied with Michel Henry, and one in clinical psychology, at the University of Bordeaux, during which time she was supervised by Dr. François Tosquelles. She wrote her thesis on phenomenology and psychiatry in relation to solitude and loneliness for her philosophy dissertation and on attempted suicide for her clinical psychology thesis. She worked as psychotherapist in France, then moved to the UK in 1977, where she became involved in antipsychiatry activism and worked for some time with R. D. Laing. She came to her own version of

existential therapy Existential psychotherapy is a form of psychotherapy based on the model of human nature and experience developed by the existential tradition of European philosophy. It focuses on concepts that are universally applicable to human existence incl ...

, and started teaching at

Antioch University Antioch University is a private university with multiple campuses in the United States and online programs. Founded in 1852 as Antioch College, its first president was politician, abolitionist, and education reformer Horace Mann. It changed its ...

, after which she moved to Regent's University London when the program moved there, joining the Regent's faculty when the program was incorporated into the college. She published her first book on her approach in 1987 and the next year founded the Society for Existential Analysis (SEA) and its ''Journal of Existential Analysis''. After she left Regent's, she founded the New School for Psychotherapy and Counselling, and a conflict resolution centre. In 2005 she became an honorary professor at the

University of Sheffield , mottoeng = To discover the causes of things , established = – University of SheffieldPredecessor institutions: – Sheffield Medical School – Firth College – Sheffield Technical School – University College of Sheffield , type = P ...

. She did her PhD on

Heidegger Martin Heidegger (; ; 26 September 188926 May 1976) was a German philosopher who is best known for contributions to phenomenology, hermeneutics, and existentialism. He is among the most important and influential philosophers of the 20th centur ...

's concepts of authenticity and inauthenticity and their relevance to psychotherapy, at City University, London. She has published widely on existential therapy and her work has been translated into twenty plus languages. She contributed numerous ideas to existential therapy, including that of the four worlds model and the emotional compass. In 2014 she and her husband Prof Digby Tantam, created the Existential Academy, a community interest company, in West Hampstead, where they offer five masters programmes and two doctoral programmes in conjunction with

Middlesex University Middlesex University London (legally Middlesex University and abbreviated MDX) is a public research university in Hendon, northwest London, England. The name of the university is taken from its location within the historic county boundaries of ...

, as well as a range of short courses. (www.existentialacademy.com)

Honours

As listed by the

. * 2007–2008 - Visiting Associate, Darwin College,

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

* 2006 – Fellow, United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy * 2005 – Honorary Fellow, Swedish Association for Existential Psychotherapy (SEPT) * 2005 – Honorary Professor, University of Sheffield * 2001 – Fellow,

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) is a professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists practising in the United Kingdom. History Originally founded in 1977 as the British Association for Counselling, aid ...

(BACP) * 1999 – Fellow,

British Psychological Society The British Psychological Society (BPS) is a representative body for psychologists and psychology in the United Kingdom. History It was founded on 24 October 1901 at University College London (UCL) as ''The Psychological Society'', the organ ...

(BPS) * 1999–2002 - Official Delegate to the

Council of Europe The Council of Europe (CoE; french: Conseil de l'Europe, ) is an international organisation founded in the wake of World War II to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe. Founded in 1949, it has 46 member states, with a p ...

, for the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP) * 1998–1999 - Chair of the

, Psychotherapy Section * 1998 – Honorary European Certificate for Psychotherapy * 1997–1999 - Chair of the Universities Psychotherapy Association (UPCA) * 1995–2002 - European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP) Ambassador

Books

* ''Rising from Existential Crisis: Living Beyond Calamity'', (2021) Monmouth: Monmouth: PCCS books. * ''Wiley World Handbook for Existential Therapy'', (2019) Co-edited with Craig, E., Schneider K. Längle, A., Tantam, D. and du Plock, S, London: Wiley * ''Existential Therapy: Distinctive Features'', London: Routledge. (2018) Co-authored with Claire Arnold-Baker, London: Routledge * ''Skills in Existential Counselling and Psychotherapy, 2nd Edition'' (2016). Co-authored with Martin Adams, London: Sage''.'' * ''Paradox and Passion in Psychotherapy'', ''Second Edition'' (2015). Chichester: Wiley * ''Existential Perspectives on Relationship Therapy'' (2013). Edited with Susan Iacovou, London: Palgrave Macmillan. * ''Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling in Practice, Third Edition'' (2012), London: Sage Publications * ''Existential Perspectives on Coaching'' (2012). Co-edited with Monica Hanway, London: Palgrave, Macmillan * ''Skills in Existential Counselling and Psychotherapy'' (2011). Co-authored with Martin Adams, London: Sage Publications * ''Everyday Mysteries: A Handbook of Existential Psychotherapy, Second Edition'' (2010), London: Routledge * ''Existential Perspectives on Supervision'' (2009). Co-edited with Sarah Young, London: Palgrave Macmillan * ''Psychotherapy and the Quest for Happiness'' (2008), London: Sage Publications * ''Dictionary of Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling'' (2005). With Raymond Kenward, London: Sage * ''Existential Perspectives on Existential and Human Issues'' (2005). Edited with Claire Arnold-Baker, Basingstoke: Palgrave, Macmillan * ''Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling in Practice, Second Edition'' (2002), London: Sage * ''Paradox and Passion in Psychotherapy'' (1998), Chichester: Wiley * ''Everyday Mysteries: Existential Dimensions of Psychotherapy'' (1997), London: Routledge * ''Existential Counselling in Practice'' (1988), London: Sage

References

External links

*{{official website {{Authority control Emmy read her essay ‘Becoming an Existential Therapist’ on BBC Radio 3 on 15 November 2013: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03hjw9f Google Scholar profile:https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=zgU167EAAAAJ&hl=en {{DEFAULTSORT:Deurzen, Emmy Van 1951 births Living people Dutch psychologists Psychotherapists Psychodramatists People in health professions from The Hague Existential therapists Dutch women psychologists Philosophical counselors Dutch emigrants to England

Biography

Honours

Books

References

Further reading

External links