Combining Existentialism and Psychological Skills Training? A Reflection on Philosophical Stance in Applied Practice

What happens when we work with a client whose implicit philosophy is different from ours? To what extent can we borrow from alternative paradigms while staying congruent? This case study illustrates how a trainee practitioner grappled with these questions through the process of supporting an elite female athlete in the run-up to a major international event. The athlete in question was returning from a significant injury and attempting to qualify for, and perform at, a major international event while knowing she would retire thereafter. This paper illustrates how the practitioner attempted to find congruence between their preferred approach (existential and client-led) and the client’s preferences (skills training and practitioner-led). The intervention consisted of a combination of psychological skills training (imagery and goal setting) and conversations amounting to “existential encounters,” with more emphasis on the latter as the event approached. Attention is given to the process of combining these approaches, as well as the practitioner’s reflections on effectiveness and transference.