Existential Psychotherapy, Stephen Forrest

Questions

Are there any 'side-effects' of using Existential Psychotherapy?

No. Again, the term 'side-effects' is a medical term that indicates the toxic or unpleasant effects of a medical treatment. Psychotherapy is not a medical treatment. However, as with every psychotherapy, some people feel worse before they feel better. Psychotherapy is about discovery; about learning to be open to your experiences whilst being safe, and learning to cope with difficult experiences rather than denying them (denying difficult experiences often creates more problems in the long run). And so experiencing difficult feelings can be part of the process of freeing yourself from unnecessary distress. This is very different from the idea of side-effects. As you change, so your ways of relating to the world and others may change. The important thing to remember is that your therapist is very experienced in such matters and is there as your advocate and to support you through any difficulties that arise in order to find new and more rewarding ways of living.