The intersection of Buddhist philosophy, existential thought, Jungian depth psychotherapy, and narrative therapy offers a multidimensional framework for understanding and addressing the complexity of human suffering, resilience, and meaning-making. While these traditions emerge from distinct lineages and methodologies, they converge around a central truth: that transformation arises not from avoiding pain, but from engaging with it consciously, relationally, and compassionately.

As a psychotherapist with training in depth psychology, existential philosophy, narrative theory, and Buddhist practice, I have found that integrating these perspectives provides a flexible and deeply humane foundation for clinical work. Clients often arrive in therapy not only seeking relief from symptoms, but longing to understand themselves, repair internal fractures, and live with a sense of purpose and authenticity. These traditions, when held together in dialogue, support that process by inviting the individual to meet their suffering with awareness, responsibility, and symbolic depth.

Buddhist Philosophy: Attending to Suffering through Mindfulness and Impermanence.

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Buddhist philosophy, particularly as articulated in the Four Noble Truths, locates the root of suffering (dukkha*) in taṇhā—craving or clinging to that which is impermanent. Whether the craving is related to relationships, identities, emotional states, or cognitive narratives, the result is unsatisfying. Through mindfulness practice, compassionate observation, and the cultivation of the three I’s—Impermanance, Imperfection, Impersonal—individuals are encouraged to relate to internal experiences with equanimity, i.e., mental calmness, rather than reactivity.

In clinical practice, this may take the form of guiding clients to track thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations with curiosity, not judgment. A client navigating trauma symptoms or relational triggers, for instance, may learn to observe emotional waves as impermanent phenomena rather than as personal failings or overwhelming truths. This shift can restore a sense of spaciousness and internal safety—prerequisites for deeper psychological work.

(See Bernhard, 2011, for a discussion of the three types of dukkha in Buddhist philosophy.)

Existentialism: Meaning, Freedom, & the Responsibility of Being.

Existential thought, as advanced by Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Simone de Beauvoir, and Irvin D. Yalom, centers on the individual’s confrontation with freedom and responsibility, wholeness and connectedness, meaning and purpose, grief and death. These thinkers challenge the assumption that meaning is fixed or externally imposed. Instead, they assert that meaning must be constructed through engagement with one’s values, limitations, and relationships.

Kierkegaard emphasized the anxiety of choice and the spiritual necessity of the “leap of faith.” Nietzsche called for a revaluation of inherited beliefs and the courage to affirm life in its fullness. De Beauvoir examined the moral implications of freedom, particularly within relational and sociopolitical contexts. Yalom, bridging philosophy and psychotherapy, identified four “ultimate concerns”—death anxiety, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness—that often underlie psychological distress.

In psychotherapy, existential themes emerge organically during times of upheaval, transition, revelation, or grief. Clients may wonder: Who am I/Who are we?" "How do I/we make meaning out of suffering and loss?" "What is my/our place in the universe?" and "How do I/we respond to physical, spiritual, and relational responsibilities?" These questions are not pathological—they are profoundly human. Existential psychotherapy creates a space in which clients can examine their values, take ownership of their choices, and move toward a more intentional and aligned way of being.

Jungian Depth Psychotherapy: Integration, Archetypes, & the Shadow.

Evening Current by Ernst Barlach. Original public domain image from Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

C.G. Jung’s depth psychology offers a symbolic and archetypal language for the unconscious. His model of the psyche emphasizes the integration of disowned or repressed parts of the self—the Shadow—as well as the ongoing process of individuation, or becoming a whole person. Dreams, myths, synchronicities, and imaginal work become central tools in this inner journey.

In clinical work, Jungian concepts are particularly valuable when working with clients whose early childhood trauma has shaped internal working models that lead to recurrent relational disruptions, deep-seated internal conflict, or a pervasive sense of existential disconnection. For instance, a client who experiences chronic self-sabotage or struggles to trust in relationships may be invited to explore the unconscious beliefs, protective archetypes, or fragmented aspects of the self that were formed in response to early experiences of neglect, abandonment, or emotional inconsistency. By engaging with symbolic material—such as dreams, images, or somatic expressions—clients can begin to uncover the adaptive meanings these patterns once held and move toward greater integration and self-compassion.

Jung’s approach does not aim to eliminate symptoms as quickly as possible but to understand their meaning and function—seeing them not only as wounds but as gateways to healing and transformation.

Narrative Therapy: Re-Authoring the Self.

Working from a narrative therapy framework complements these approaches by drawing attention to the stories individuals carry about themselves—often stories shaped in early caregiver attachments, traumatic experiences, and cultural contexts. These narratives can be limiting, internalized as truths about who the person is or what they deserve.

Clients impacted by early trauma frequently hold beliefs such as “I am unworthy,” “I am broken,” or “I am unsafe in the world.” Re-authoring involves externalizing these beliefs (e.g., “Where did this idea come from?”), identifying exceptions (“Were there moments when you felt capable, even in small ways?”), and co-constructing a more coherent and values-aligned story of the self.

This process is not about revisionist optimism or bypassing suffering—it is about reclaiming authorship. While the past cannot be rewritten, the interpretation of those experiences—and the identity that grows from them—can evolve. The therapist serves as a collaborator in helping the client recognize the agency, strength, and wisdom embedded in their lived experience.

An Integrative Case Approach: Trauma, Anxiety, & Reclamation.

Consider the case of a client presenting with chronic depression and anxiety rooted in early childhood trauma, including emotional neglect and inconsistent caregiving. A Buddhist-informed approach might support the client in developing mindfulness and self-compassion, providing the tools to observe intrusive thoughts and emotional dysregulation with less identification and more curiosity.

An existential lens would invite the client to explore how their early experiences have shaped their relationship to Yalom’s four ultimate concerns—death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness—and to consider what kind of life they wish to build now by making meaning of their past, embracing the freedom to choose, confronting existential isolation, and living with responsibility and intention in their present relationships and choices.

Narrative therapy would work alongside this by helping the client examine and revise internalized messages of deficiency, while Jungian depth work may access unconscious material—perhaps through dreamwork or imaginal dialogue—that reveals the inner archetypal landscape shaped by early trauma.

This integrative process does not promise erasure of pain, but it offers a pathway toward coherence, healing, and self-ownership. Through compassionate witnessing, symbolic integration, and narrative reorientation, the client begins to (re)inhabit their own story—not as a victim of circumstance, but as an agent of transformation.

Toward a More Complete Understanding of the Human Psyche.

This integrative approach does not seek to reduce human experience to isolated symptoms or quick solutions. Rather, it honors the layered nature of suffering and the innate drive toward wholeness. The convergence of Buddhist, existential, Jungian, and narrative perspectives creates a therapeutic environment where clients are met as full human beings—capable of insight, creativity, choice, and change.

As clinicians and seekers alike continue to navigate uncertainty, complexity, and pain, these traditions provide both compass and container. They allow us to meet the questions that matter most—not with easy answers, but with depth, presence, and reverence.

References.

Yalom, I. D. (1980). Existential Psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books.
De Beauvoir, S. (1949). The Second Sex. New York: Vintage Books.
Nietzsche, F. (1886). Thus Spoke Zarathustra.
Kierkegaard, S. (1844). The Concept of Anxiety.
White, M., & Epston, D. (1990). Narrative Means to Therapeutic Ends. New York: Norton.
Thich Nhat Hanh. (1998). The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation. New York: Broadway Books.

*NB: The Pali term, dukkha, is commonly translated “suffering.” Like many words steeped in cultural, spiritual traditions, it is hard to find one English word that represents the Buddha’s concept. Other English words such as “stressful,” “unsatisfying,” or “imperfect” have been interchanged.