СONFRONTATION WITH DEATH AS A SOURCE OF PERSONAL GROWTH IN THE THERAPEUTIC

Abstract

The article is devoted to the practical aspects of psychological counseling and psychotherapy using phenomenological and existential methods, which make it possible to study the unique ontological characteristics of a person in war conditions. The empirical stage of the research was carried out on the basis of the Ivano-Frankivsk Center for Psychological Support “RAZOM з тобою”. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research was formed by: philosophical directions – existentialism and phenomenology; existential-phenomenological tradition in psychology and psychotherapy. The phenomenological approach adopted in existential psychotherapy and counseling was used as a concrete scientific methodology in the interpretation and explication of empirical materials. The study presents methods of therapeutic influence that contribute to the strengthening of confrontation with death in order to achieve positive personal growth. Consultative cases are described that illustrate the phenomenological experience of experiencing anxiety associated with death. It is substantiated that confrontation with personal death is a borderline situation that can cause significant changes in the style and nature of an individual’s existence in the world. It is found that death acts as a catalyst for the transition from one state of being to another. The essence of existential shock therapy and the conditions for clients to obtain extreme experiences are revealed. The main indication for the use of structured exercises in individual and group work is a person’s readiness to confront death. Signs of the positive impact of the extraordinary experience of immersion in the topic of death on the personality are revealed: increased awareness of the randomness and fragility of one’s existence, development of the ability to appreciate the givens of one’s existence; the emergence of a sense of the temporality of being in all its fullness; reflection on the meaning of life and a deeper understanding of the meaning of one’s life in the present. Key requirements for the personality of a consultant in the process of psychological assistance to clients with existential experiences are highlighted. The presented results have practical value for mental health professionals in working with clients who are experiencing the experience of confrontation with death and trying to use it constructively.