Professional Diploma in Existential Philosophy & Phenomenology for Counselling & Psychotherapy: Complete ICPS College Course Guide

ICPS College professional-learning guide • Course page: https://www.icps.ie/existential

A detailed guide to this area of professional learning

Professional Diploma in Existential Philosophy & Phenomenology for Counselling & Psychotherapy addresses existential philosophy, phenomenology, freedom, responsibility, anxiety, meaning, mortality and therapeutic encounter. This guide is designed to help a prospective learner understand why the subject matters, what careful study can involve, how learning may connect with practice and where the limits of a continuing-professional-development course must remain clear. It should be read alongside the current official course page, cohort dates, learner agreement and any individual guidance issued by the ICPS College Academic Registry Office.

It translates demanding philosophical ideas into reflective clinical questions while resisting formulaic answers to the dilemmas of choice, identity, uncertainty, suffering and meaning. The aim is not to offer a shortcut, a fixed script or a claim of competence based on reading alone. Meaningful professional development combines theory, applied discussion, skills rehearsal, self-reflection, supervision and responsible attention to the context in which each learner already works.

The subject is especially relevant for counsellors, psychotherapists, students and reflective practitioners interested in philosophically informed therapeutic practice. Learners may arrive with different academic backgrounds and professional responsibilities, so the practical meaning of the material will vary. Every participant remains responsible for working within their existing role, competence, insurance, organisational procedures and applicable ethical or statutory duties.

Why this subject deserves careful study

Work involving existential philosophy, phenomenology, freedom, responsibility, anxiety, meaning, mortality and therapeutic encounter rarely presents as one isolated issue. People bring histories, relationships, social circumstances, identities, strengths, vulnerabilities and patterns of meaning. A useful educational approach therefore asks not only “what is happening?” but also “what function might this serve, what context sustains it, what risks require attention, and what response is proportionate to my role?”

Good practice requires both conceptual clarity and humility. Models can organise thinking, but no model captures a whole person. Assessment and formulation should remain collaborative and open to revision. Language matters because labels may support shared understanding while also narrowing perception or increasing stigma when used carelessly. The practitioner’s task is to remain curious, precise and respectful.

The therapeutic or helping relationship is also part of the work. Expectations, dependency, avoidance, idealisation, fear, shame, anger, transference and countertransference may all influence what becomes possible. Reflection and supervision help practitioners notice these processes before acting on them, particularly when a situation evokes urgency, rescue, frustration, helplessness or overconfidence.

Key areas explored

• 1. Foundations and professional language for existential philosophy, phenomenology, freedom, responsibility, anxiety, meaning, mortality and therapeutic encounter

• 2. Assessment, context and integrative formulation

• 3. Ethics, boundaries, risk and referral

• 4. Applied skills, reflection and supervision

How learning can support practice

A strong learning experience moves between theory and application. Concepts are more useful when learners can test them against anonymised scenarios, compare alternative formulations, practise language and consider how culture, power and difference alter the meaning of an interaction. This process develops judgement rather than memorisation.

Skills practice should be approached as rehearsal within a learning environment, not as proof that every intervention can immediately be used in every setting. Learners benefit from noticing pace, timing, consent, collaboration, non-verbal communication and the impact of their own assumptions. Feedback is most useful when it is specific, respectful and connected to observable practice.

Self-directed study extends the live classroom. Reading, Moodle resources, reflective notes, case formulation exercises and assessment preparation allow learners to revisit difficult ideas at a sustainable pace. A reflective journal can help identify questions for class or supervision, changes in understanding and areas where further specialist training may be required.

Questions for reflective discussion

• What assumptions do I bring to existential philosophy, phenomenology, freedom, responsibility, anxiety, meaning, mortality and therapeutic encounter, and where did those assumptions originate?

• How would I distinguish observation, inference, formulation and diagnosis?

• What signs would indicate a need for urgent escalation, safeguarding action, medical review or specialist referral?

• How might identity, culture, inequality, power or previous service experiences influence engagement?

• What reactions might this work evoke in me, and how would I use supervision responsibly?

• What would informed consent and genuine collaboration look like in this context?

Professional boundaries and learner responsibility

Education about existential philosophy, phenomenology, freedom, responsibility, anxiety, meaning, mortality and therapeutic encounter does not remove the need for professional scope, referral networks or multidisciplinary collaboration. Learners should never interpret a CPD award as authority to diagnose, prescribe, conduct statutory assessments or deliver specialist procedures for which separate recognised training, supervised practice or registration is required.

Anonymity and confidentiality remain essential in class discussion. Practice material should be sufficiently disguised, and learners should avoid sharing details that could identify a client, service user, colleague or organisation. Immediate risk or safeguarding concerns must be managed through the appropriate real-world policy and reporting pathway rather than brought only to a classroom discussion.

Professional learning can also evoke personal experiences. Participants should plan appropriate supports and make thoughtful use of personal therapy, supervision, medical care or employee supports where relevant. Stepping back, seeking help or choosing not to participate in a particular exercise can be an ethically responsible decision.

Frequently asked questions

Is this course delivered live online?

The current course page should be checked for the exact cohort format, dates and hours. ICPS College programmes commonly combine lecturer-led live-online classes with structured self-directed learning through Moodle. Live attendance supports discussion, skills development and contact with the lecturer; Moodle supports reading, revision and assessment preparation.

Does completing the course make someone a specialist practitioner?

No single CPD course automatically replaces a learner’s primary professional qualification, registration, supervised experience or employer requirements. The award records completion of the stated programme. How the learning may be used depends on the learner’s existing role, competence, ethical framework and any additional specialist requirements.

Will there be assessment?

Assessment arrangements differ by programme and cohort. Where written, oral, attendance or skills components apply, the official course information and learner documentation are authoritative. Learners should allow time for independent reading, preparation, feedback and any mandatory live component.

How should a learner choose between related courses?

Begin with the professional question you want to answer. Compare the curriculum, depth, entry expectations, assessment, CPD hours and relevance to your current role. For existential philosophy, phenomenology, freedom, responsibility, anxiety, meaning, mortality and therapeutic encounter, consider whether you need a foundation, a focused workshop or a broader advanced programme. Registry can clarify factual course information but cannot make a professional-scope decision on behalf of a learner or employer.

Where can current dates and fees be confirmed?

Use the official course page at https://www.icps.ie/existential and the College booking information. Because cohorts, availability and administrative arrangements can change, confirm any detail that is central to your decision before paying or making professional commitments.

Current programme information from the course page

The following section brings together the detailed programme information currently available for this subject. It should be checked against the live course page before enrolment because dates, availability and cohort-specific arrangements may be updated.

Course Title — Accredited Professional Diploma

Professional Diploma in Existential Philosophy & Phenomenology

for Counselling & Psychotherapy

60 CPD Credits | 10 Modules | Live Online via Zoom | Fully Accredited

Enrolment

Important Information on Enrolment & Securing Your Place

Course Status: Fully Accredited

Course Cost: €645

Deposit Due Now: 50%

Payment Now to Secure Your Place: €322.50

Schedule: 1 Class per Week (2 Hours)

At a Glance

Course Details

Delivery: Live-Online (Lecturer-Led)

Credits: 60 CPD Credits

Format: Live-Online Lecturer-Led Modules via Zoom

Duration: 1 Class per Week (2 Hours)

Online Live Attendance: 20 Hours

Self-Directed Learning: 40 Hours

Course Open To: Practitioners, Students & All Members of the Public with an Interest & Speciality Area of Practice

Assessment: Written Assignment and/or Viva Voce Assessment

Award: Accredited Professional Diploma

Course Description

This Professional Diploma in Existential Philosophy & Phenomenology for Counselling & Psychotherapy is a rigorous, reflective training programme that invites participants to engage deeply with the philosophical foundations of therapeutic practice. Drawing from the works of key existential and phenomenological thinkers, this live online course provides a rare opportunity to explore the human condition not through pathology or symptoms but through lived experience, freedom, meaning, embodiment, and relationship.

The programme is designed for counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists and mental health professionals who seek to expand their clinical depth and philosophical literacy. By integrating existential-phenomenological thought with contemporary therapeutic process, learners are encouraged to critically examine how philosophical inquiry can inform presence, attunement and ethical responsibility in the therapeutic space.

The course traces the evolution of existential thought from Kierkegaard and Nietzsche through to Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Sartre, Buber, and contemporary voices such as Irvin Yalom and Emmy van Deurzen. Emphasis is placed on the lived experience of clients and therapists alike, enabling practitioners to work not only with what clients suffer from, but what they suffer with: anxiety, freedom, isolation, loss, mortality and the quest for meaning.

Practical application is central throughout the course. Learners will engage with case material, reflective exercises, and applied discussion to support the integration of existential-phenomenological thinking into everyday clinical presence, dialogue, and case formulation, regardless of primary modality. The programme also addresses the therapist's own existence, mortality, and meaning-making, as well as the ethical limits of therapeutic knowing.

By the end, learners should be able to understand core existential and phenomenological concepts, apply an existential lens to therapeutic presence and formulation, and integrate existential insight into their own clinical or personal frame of reference. The programme supports reflective, informed and philosophically grounded practice while emphasising that this diploma offers a philosophical and reflective foundation rather than a substitute for full clinical training in any single therapeutic modality.

This programme is open to practitioners, students and members of the public who wish to deepen their understanding of existential philosophy and phenomenology as they relate to therapeutic practice. Practitioners already working in counselling, psychotherapy, psychology or allied mental health settings will find the course strengthens their existing clinical depth and philosophical literacy. Students who are building toward a career in counselling or psychotherapy will benefit from a solid theoretical and reflective foundation that complements their ongoing studies. Members of the public with a personal interest in philosophy, depth psychology or the existential-phenomenological tradition are equally welcome to enrol, as this diploma offers a rare opportunity to step beyond symptom reduction and into the realm of existential understanding.

Why Choose This Course

Course Highlights

• Comprehensive professional training in existential philosophy and phenomenology as applied to therapeutic practice

• Detailed exploration of key existential and phenomenological thinkers, from Kierkegaard and Nietzsche to Heidegger, Sartre and Merleau-Ponty

• In-depth coverage of being, anxiety and authenticity within the therapeutic encounter

• Structured examination of the intersubjective field, including Buber's I-Thou relation and Sartre's concept of the "look"

• Applied exploration of embodiment, language and phenomenological listening

• Contemporary existential practice, including Yalom's four ultimate concerns and van Deurzen's four worlds model

• Dedicated focus on meaning, mortality and the therapist's own existence

• Exploration of freedom, responsibility and choice within existential therapeutic thought

• Attention to absurdity, suffering and meaning-making in the face of existential crisis

• Applied existential approaches to assessment and formulation, contrasted with diagnostic models

• Strong emphasis on reflective learning, philosophical dialogue and applied clinical discussion

• Final integration of learning to support philosophically grounded, ethically reflective practice

• Suitable for practitioners seeking to deepen philosophical literacy within a structured academic framework

• Accessible to students building toward a career in counselling, psychotherapy, or allied helping professions

• Open to members of the public with a personal interest in philosophy, depth psychology and human meaning

• Supportive learning environment designed to accommodate learners at different stages of their personal and professional development

• Clear progression pathway for members of the public seeking further training in counselling and psychotherapy

• Opportunities for practitioners to expand their professional toolkit with structured, philosophically enriched clinical thinking

• Flexible, live-online evening delivery designed to suit practitioners, students and members of the public balancing work, study and personal commitments

• Welcoming and inclusive approach that values lived experience alongside academic and philosophical learning

What You Will Achieve

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this programme, learners will be able to:

1. Understand the core tenets of existential and phenomenological philosophy as they relate to psychological suffering and personal transformation.

2. Exploree key philosophical themes such as authenticity, freedom, temporality, embodiment, responsibility,y and the search for meaning

3. Apply existential-phenomenological frameworks to therapeutic presence, dial,ogue and attunement.

4. Critically examine diagnostic models through an existential lens, with a focus on being-with rather than fixing.

5. Develop reflective capacity around therapist identity, ethics, and the relational field

6. Integrate existential insights into clinical practice, regardless of primary modality, including humanistic, integrative, icpsychodynamic, and trauma-informed approaches.

7. Apply existential understandings of freedom, choice, and responsibility to therapeutic dialogue

8. Support clients in meaning-making in the face of absurdity, crisis,s and loss.

9. Apply an existential lens to case formulation, distinguishing being-with from diagnostic fixing.

10. Demonstrate ethical and reflective awareness regarding the limits of therapeutic knowing.

11. Integrate existential-phenomenological thinking into their existing professional practice.

12. Build a solid theoretical and reflective foundation for further study in counselling and psychotherapy.

13. Develop a clearer understanding of existential philosophy and its relevance to human experience.

14. Reflect on their own existence, values, and assumptions in a safe, structured, and supported learning environment.

Good to Know

Additional Information

This programme provides a broad philosophical and reflective foundation in existential and phenomenological thought as applied to therapeutic practice. It is not a full specialist training in any single therapeutic modality, nor does it replace core clinical training in counselling or psychotherapy. Learners should apply the material within their existing professional role, competence, training background and ethical responsibilities.

The course is particularly relevant for practitioners seeking philosophical depth, therapeutic presence and ethical clarity in an increasingly complex world. Learners are encouraged to seek appropriate supervision and, where relevant, further specialist clinical training for safeguarding, risk, or presentations requiring specialist clinical input, as this diploma is philosophical and reflective in nature rather than crisis-intervention or diagnostic training.

Learners should understand that existential exploration can raise deep and sometimes challenging questions about mortality, meaning and freedom, and that each learner's own pace, values and lived experience should remain central throughout. Reflective, philosophically engaged learning can enrich clinical presence when paired with clear professional boundaries and an appropriate scope of practice.

Teaching is delivered live online and includes lecturer-led input, philosophical dialogue, case discussion, reflective exercises and applied integration. Learners are expected to actively engage with the live sessions, Moodle LMS materials, self-directed reading, reflective tasks and assessment preparation. The programme supports students in developing not only academic knowledge but also professional judgement, ethical reasoning, self-awareness and the capacity to bring philosophical depth into their own clinical or personal frame of reference.

The course may support continuing professional development for counsellors, psychotherapists, trainees, psychologists, mental health professionals, educators, supervisors and allied professionals. Students should consult the lecturer, course leader, or academic registry office if they require clarification regarding accreditation, assessment, attendance, professional pathway requirements, suitability, scope of practice, or progression.

This programme welcomes practitioners, students and members of the public alike. Practitioners already working within counselling, psychotherapy, psychology or allied mental health settings are encouraged to use the course to consolidate and extend their existing philosophical literacy and clinical depth. Students working toward a qualification in counselling or psychotherapy will find the course a valuable foundation that complements their broader studies. Members of the public, including those with a personal interest in philosophy, depth psychology or the existential-phenomenological tradition, are warmly encouraged to enrol.

The College recognises that learners come to this subject from diverse personal and professional backgrounds, and the course is designed to be accessible and meaningful regardless of prior experience. Reflective exercises, philosophical dialogue, and case discussions are structured to support learners at all levels while maintaining the academic rigour expected of a Level 8/9 CPD programme. Learners are encouraged to engage honestly and thoughtfully with the material, and to seek appropriate support, supervision or further training where relevant to their personal circumstances or professional development goals.

Programme Structure

Course Curriculum — Ten Modules

1 | Introduction to Existential Philosophy in Therapy

• The roots of existentialism and phenomenology in psychotherapy

• From ontology to encounter: shifting the clinical gaze

• Introduction to Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and the emergence of the modern self

• Skills practice in reflective dialogue on the roots of existential thinking

2 | Being, Anxiety & Authenticity

• Heidegger's Being and Time: Dasein, temporality and the call to authenticity

• Existential anxiety versus clinical anxiety

• Working with choice, ambiguity and existential guilt

• Skills practice in distinguishing existential anxiety from clinical anxiety within case material

3 | The Intersubjective Field

• Sartre and the "look" of the Other

• Buber's I-Thou and relational presence

• Phenomenological dialogue in the therapeutic encounter

• Skills practice in applying I-Thou presence within a roleplay dialogue

4 | Embodiment, Language & the Lived World

• Merleau-Ponty and embodied subjectivity

• Phenomenological listening and the pre-reflective self

• Speech, silence and narrative as existential expression

• Skills practice in phenomenological listening exercises

5 | Contemporary Existential Practice

• Irvin Yalom's four ultimate concerns

• Emmy van Deurzen and the four worlds model

• Integrating existential approaches into modern clinical settings

• Skills practice in applying the four worlds model to a case example

6 | Meaning, Mortality & the Therapist's Own Existence

• Death awareness and therapeutic presence

• Meaning-making in times of crisis and loss

• Ethical embodiment and the limits of therapeutic knowing

• Skills practice in reflective exploration of one's own relationship with mortality and meaning

7 | Freedom, Responsibility & Choice

• Sartre's radical freedom and "condemned to be free"

• Bad faith, self-deception and inauthentic living

• The weight of responsibility in existential thought

• Working therapeutically with clients, avoiding choice or responsibility

• Skills practice in identifying bad faith patterns within case material

8 | Absurdity, Suffering & the Search for Meaning

• Camus and the philosophy of the absurd

• Suffering as an existential rather than purely clinical category

• Meaning-making as a therapeutic and philosophical task

• Resilience, acceptance and the capacity to hold absurdity

• Skills practice in supporting a client's search for meaning amid apparent meaninglessness

9 | Existential Approaches to Assessment & Formulation

• Existential alternatives to diagnostic categorisation

• Formulating from a being-with rather than a fixing stance

• Working with the four worlds (physical, social, personal, spiritual) in formulation

• Integrating existential formulation with the practitioner's primary modality

• Skills practice in developing an existential formulation for a case example

10 | Integration, Ethics & Reflective Practice

• Integrating existential-phenomenological thinking across modalities

• Ethical considerations in philosophically informed practice

• The therapist as a fellow traveller rather than an expert fixer

• Course synthesis and future pathways for continued philosophical study

• Formal Skills Assessment: applied practice and reflective integration, assessed to confirm each learner's readiness to apply course content ethically and professionally

Mandatory Component

Skills Assessment

The skills assessment is a mandatory component of the programme and must be completed to qualify. The assessment is conducted live online in a fishbowl-style format and is evaluated by two examiners for quality assurance, moderation and academic standards. Students will be paired for the assessment, and each student will be required to demonstrate their applied counselling, psychotherapy, relational and course-specific clinical skills for approximately 25 minutes. The skills assessment is designed to assess the student's ability to integrate the full content of the course into ethical, reflective and professionally appropriate practice.

The fishbowl skills assessment will be recorded for quality assurance and moderation purposes. Students must sign and agree to the recording of the fishbowl skills assessment before taking part. The recording is used only for legitimate academic, quality assurance and moderation purposes in line with College requirements and relevant policies. Successful completion of the skills assessment is mandatory for qualification from the programme and, where applicable, for entry or progression toward registration or accredited membership pathways with the ICPHAA.

Where a student is required to repeat a failed skills assessment examination, a repeat assessment fee of €285 applies. This repeat fee reflects the high professional fees paid to lecturers and examiners for the delivery, examination, review and moderation of formal skills assessment examinations. Students who keep up with the learning material, attend classes, engage with the Moodle LMS resources and practise the required skills throughout the course should be well prepared for the official skills assessment examination.

Live Delivery

Zoom Delivery

All live online classes are delivered via ICPS College's secure enterprise Zoom platform, providing a stable, professional and confidential environment for lecturer-led teaching, discussion and skills practice. Students are expected to engage fully with live sessions, including breakout room discussions and applied skills practice, to gain the maximum benefit from the programme.

Given the personal and reflective nature of some of the material covered in this course, students are encouraged to attend live sessions from a private, confidential space and to take breaks or seek support where needed. Students experiencing technical difficulties should contact the College promptly so that alternative arrangements can be made where possible.

Learning Platform

Moodle LMS

Students are provided with access to the College's Moodle Learning Management System, where lecture notes, reading materials, module resources and assessment guidance are made available throughout the course. The Moodle LMS supports independent study and allows students to revisit key concepts, review recorded material where applicable, and prepare thoroughly for assessment.

Students are expected to engage regularly with the Moodle LMS as part of their self-directed learning hours. The platform is updated throughout the course to reflect the content covered in live sessions and to support consistent, structured academic progression.

Bringing the learning together

Study of existential philosophy, phenomenology, freedom, responsibility, anxiety, meaning, mortality and therapeutic encounter is most valuable when it improves the quality of questions a practitioner asks, the care with which they formulate, and the clarity with which they recognise both possibility and limitation. The goal is thoughtful, ethical application—not certainty, overreach or technique without relationship.

Before enrolling, read the current information at https://www.icps.ie/existential, consider how the curriculum relates to your role and development plan, and contact the ICPS College Academic Registry Office if a factual course detail requires clarification. This draft guide is intentionally comprehensive so that it can support comparison, reflection and informed discussion.