Which individuals are commonly associated with existential therapy?

• A. Freud, Jung, Adler
• B. Rogers, Skinner, Beck
• C. Frankl, Yalom, May
• D. Perls, Erikson, Horney

Answer: (C)

Existential therapy centers on human existence, emphasizing meaning, freedom, responsibility, and facing ultimate concerns such as death and isolation. The thinkers most closely linked to this approach are Viktor Frankl, Irvin D. Yalom, and Rollo May. Frankl’s logotherapy centers on meaning as the primary motivation of life, guiding the therapeutic process toward discovering personal significance. Yalom is a leading existential psychiatrist who articulate the core existential givens—death, freedom, existential isolation, and meaninglessness—and uses them to shape therapeutic practice, including in group settings. May is a foundational voice in existential psychology, stressing authenticity, choice, and living with the weight of freedom and responsibility.

Other figures mentioned belong to different traditions: Freud, Jung, and Adler are associated with psychodynamic theories; Rogers, Skinner, and Beck align with humanistic, behaviorist, and cognitive approaches respectively; Perls, Erikson, and Horney contribute to Gestalt, development, and psychoanalytic perspectives. The combination of Frankl, Yalom, and May specifically represents existential therapy.