Existential groups

Existential groups are therapy groups organized around the fundamental challenges of being human: finding meaning, facing mortality, navigating freedom, and tolerating isolation. Drawing on Yalom and Frankl's logotherapy, they make space to wrestle honestly with the questions most people avoid.

Who it's for, and who it's not

A fit if you're facing something that can't be fixed and want to live meaningfully alongside it.

Not for skill-building, crisis stabilization, or if you're not ready to face mortality and meaning.

Not a sole treatment for active psychosis or suicidal crisis. In crisis? Call or text 988.

What it's used for

Palliative care, oncology, and hospice, for people facing advanced illness.

Bereavement, and existential crises after diagnosis, loss, or major transition.

Cancer survivors, for whom remission raises its own questions of identity and purpose.

What to expect

1Sessions usually run 60 to 90 minutes, structured around themes or as open process.

2Emotionally intense. Silence, tears, and profound honesty are common.

3Often described by participants as among the most meaningful experiences of their lives.

The strongest evidence belongs to Meaning-Centered Group Psychotherapy (MCGP), a structured 8-session program for advanced cancer.

A 2010 pilot trial found MCGP improved spiritual well-being, meaning, and anxiety versus supportive group therapy.¹

A 2015 randomized trial confirmed MCGP improved psychological and spiritual well-being and quality of life.²

Making the most of it

Bring the real questions. Naming the fear openly is the point.

Stay with discomfort. The hard topics are the work.

Give it several sessions. Depth builds over time.

Questions to ask before you join

1What is the leader's training in existential or end-of-life work?

2Is this a structured program (like MCGP) or an open process group?

3Is it a closed cohort, or drop-in?

4What does it cost? Is there a free or sliding scale option?

Ready to find a group?

Browse 2,000+ therapy and support groups in all 50 states.

Free to browse · No account needed · thegroupguide.com

In crisis? Call or text 988 (US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 24/7).

The Group Guide is a directory, not a clinic. This handout is general education, not medical or mental health advice. Listings are written by group leaders and are not endorsements. Confirm details, cost, and fit with any group you contact. Sources on page 2.

The Group Guide

Connecting people to community

Client and Family Education

Sources

Existential groups · references keyed to the numbers on page 1.

1Breitbart, W., et al. Meaning-centered group psychotherapy for patients with advanced cancer: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Psycho-Oncology (2010).

2Breitbart, W., et al. Meaning-centered group psychotherapy: an effective intervention for improving psychological well-being in patients with advanced cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology (2015).