What We Do
The Existential Academy was founded in 1996 as a community interest (non-profit) company to bring philosophy to the community. All of our courses have a foundation in philosophy and psychology, hence our motto 'bringing philosophy to the community'. They cover a wide range of topics and take place at times that are convenient for the average person or family. It consists of two hubs:
Delivering workshops and support services suitable for all.
Delivering existential training for those starting out in psychotherapy, and continuing professional development for those already in a helping profession.
The company was founded by Profs Emmy van Deurzen and Digby Tantam, who have a long-term interest in philosophy, particularly in existential and phenomenological philosophy, and its contribution to an understanding how to make the best of life and living. They founded the New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling in 1996 to apply these philosophical ideas to the training of counselling psychologists and psychotherapists, and more recently to coaches, pastoral carers, and professionals working with diverse and sometimes persecuted minority groups. Dilemma Consultancy (founded in 1999) is another sister company and provides a psychotherapy service out of the same building, including a low cost clinic. The Existential Academy draws on staff from NSPC and from Dilemma, as well as from a wide range of professionals with an affiliation to the existential approach, to provide short courses for professionals and for our local community in London.