Teaching Existentialism to Russian Psychology Majors: Yalomian Approach as an Integrative Learning Tool

Педагогика и просвещение. 2018. No. 1. P. 68–75.

Kryuchkov K.

In the present report the model developed for teaching existential psychology and psychotherapy to undergraduate students in Russian University is described. The author describes an experience and challenges he faced while teaching existentialism in one of Russian Universities in 20112-2014, and pedagogical approach he used to overcome those challenges, developed on the basis of Irvine Yalom’s Existential Psychotherapy. The author offers the theoretical model that helps to 'match' different concepts of existential philosophy, psychology and psychotherapy with the Yalomian 'ultimate concerns' that are universal for every human being. The author also offers a number of didactic tools that are helpful in teaching existential philosophy, psychology and psychotherapy for psychology majors. Those tools are including but not limited to: discussions, interviews, demonstrations, as well as some more innocative didactic techniques such as 'self-therapy film'. The author invites professionals teaching existential psychology to utilize and use the model described.
 

Keywords: existential philosophy, existentialism, existential psychology, existential psychotherapy, psychotherapy training, Yalomian psychotherapy, psychology teaching, ultimate concerns, cinematherapy