Rediscovering existential psychotherapy: The contribution of Ludwig Binswanger

Ludwig Binswanger, a founder of the existential school of psychiatry, attem pted to apply philosophical ideas derived from Martin Heidegger, such as He idegger's views an the mind-body problem, to the understanding and treatmen t of psychiatric patients. Binswanger also interpreted Heidegger's concept of the existing individual (Dasein) as Being-in-the-World, in the sense of seeking out the existential structure of individuals' lives. I discuss conc rete clinical cases from Binswanger's work, along with a contemporary examp le of how to use these existential methods in psychiatric Practice.