Louis Hoffman

Louis Hoffman
Rocky Mountain Humanistic Counseling and Psychological Association · N/A

PhD
Editor of the forthcoming APA Handbook of Humanistic and Existential Psychology.

About

297
Publications
223,673
Reads
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912
Citations
Introduction
I am currently finishing several book projects with APA Books due out in 2025: The APA Handbook of Humanistic and Existential Psychology (2 Vols.), Case Formulation in Existential-Humanistic Psychotherapy, and The Evidence-Based Foundations of Existential-Humanistic Psychotherapy.
Additional affiliations
January 2020 - present
University of Denver
Position
  • Adjunct Faculty
Description
  • I teach the Existential and Humanistic Theory and Therapy Course and provide clinical supervision.
August 2019 - March 2022
Saybrook University
Position
  • Professor (Associate)
Description
  • I teach the course Existential Psychotherapy II: Rollo May and the Existential Tradition and serve on select dissertation committees.
July 2019 - December 2019
Pacifica Graduate Institute
Position
  • Professor (Associate)
Education
August 1995 - September 2001
Fuller Theological Seminary
Field of study
  • Clinical Psychology
August 1995 - September 1999
Fuller Theological Seminary
Field of study
  • Theology
August 1995 - June 1997
Fuller Theological Seminary
Field of study
  • Psychology

Publications

Publications (297)
Article
Full-text available
Existential therapy’s solid evidence-based foundation has not been adequately articulated to date. One challenge to this task is the lack of a singular or unified existential approach. Despite this, there remain shared themes that are common across the approaches to existential therapy. A second challenge is that many existential therapists resist...
Article
Contemporary protests movements, which are distinguished from historic movements by relying on decentralized leadership and utilizing social media and technology, have a central role in addressing social justice issues. Black Lives Matter represents one of the most influential and controversial of the contemporary protests movements. Much of the co...
Article
Full-text available
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected the mental health field. The unique distress caused by the pandemic along with the need for many to transition their therapy practices to TeleHealth/Telepsychology modalities caught many therapists, including existential–humanistic therapists, unprepared to make the necessary adjustments to treat clie...
Book
Full-text available
Existential-humanistic psychology recognizes that an essential part of becoming a good therapist is developing a way of being that is healing. This makes the journey to becoming an existential-humanistic therapist a personal and transforming journey. In Becoming an Existential-Humanistic Therapist, editors Julia Falk and Louis Hoffman have collecte...
Article
Full-text available
Evidence-based practice in psychology (EBPP) is the current zeitgeist in mental health practice. How EBPP is defined, understood, and applied in the field of psychology at large and by insurance companies and regulatory agencies has an influence on the practice of psychotherapy. It can impact how and if humanistic and existential psychotherapy are...
Article
Donna Rockwell was an important scholar, educator, practitioner, and leader in humanistic psychology who died in October 2023. Her contributions will continue to live on many ways, including through her publications, but particularly through the personal impact that she had on people. This article contains reflections the person of Donna Rockwell,...
Conference Paper
Shawn Rubin and Louis Hoffman present a discussion of their 25 years of experiences as contributors (along with many acknowledged colleagues) to Humanistic-Existential Psychology & Psychotherapy, including their roles as Editors of Humanistic journals & APA Handbooks, Past-Presidents and Executive Board members of Division 32, and creating an exist...
Presentation
Existential isolation, alienation, and loneliness are related topics that are frequently not adequately distinguished in the scholarly literature and psychotherapy applications. However, the differences in these constructs have important implications for psychotherapy. I begin this workshop by clarifying terminology, including discussing different...
Book
Full-text available
on Sexuality are part of a sea change in views about sexuality within professional psychology. For decades, mainstream perspectives were implicitly-and sometimes explicitly-pathologizing of non-normative sexual orientations, desires, and behaviors. As these authors demonstrate, existential scholarship is uniquely positioned to shift the undercurren...
Chapter
Full-text available
Issues of sexual attraction-whether the client's attraction to the therapist, the therapist's attraction to the client, or a mutual attraction-are among the most feared clinical situations for many therapists. An abundance of clinical and ethical perspectives address how to handle these attractions; however, there are few resources from an existent...
Book
Full-text available
on Sexuality are part of a sea change in views about sexuality within professional psychology. For decades, mainstream perspectives were implicitly-and sometimes explicitly-pathologizing of non-normative sexual orientations, desires, and behaviors. As these authors demonstrate, existential scholarship is uniquely positioned to shift the undercurren...
Article
Tom Greening was an existential-humanistic psychologist who practiced for over 50-years in the same psychotherapy office where began working with James F. T. Bugental. He served for 34-years as editor of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology. Tom was also a prolific poet with 10 books of poetry, including his final book, Into the Void: An Existentia...
Conference Paper
While language and concepts are necessary for understanding, they can be concurrently limiting when there are disparate understandings of their meaning. In this presentation, we use phenomenological and critical psychology strategies to examine the described experience of racism. Drawing on Frantz Fanon, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Lewis Gordon, Gregory...
Conference Paper
This workshop seeks to explore relational dynamics that often emerge in intimate relationships, including psychotherapy. Love and sexual attraction between therapist and client are topics that therapists often avoid, frequently out of fear. In this workshop, we clarify common misunderstandings about love as they emerge in the therapy process. As a...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Contemporary trends in higher education in the United States includes many shifts toward dehumanizing students, staff, and faculty. This includes increasing influences of capitalistic models, the corporatization of education, viewing students as consumers, the packaging and unification of curriculum, decreasing faculty governance, bullying of facul...
Article
While Frantz Fanon’s writings are well-known in postcolonial studies and with social justice scholars and activists, his contributions to psychology and phenomenology too often have been neglected. Fanon, Phenomenology, and Psychology seeks to begin rectifying this. The contributors to this volume advance Fanonian studies through deep engagement wi...
Article
“White privilege is a given in contemporary society with destructive social and personal implications, including its relevance for access to meaning and freedom from meaning frustration. These implications are relevant to social justice work that therapists engage in outside of the therapy room as well as dynamics that emerge within the psychothera...
Presentation
This presentation examines lessons on becoming an existential-humanistic therapist derived from the experiences of influential existential-humanistic therapists. We begin by providing an overview of the process of becoming an existential-humanistic therapist, including the development of essential therapist qualities and consideration of how to uti...
Chapter
This chapter is the introduction to the book, "Rising Voices: Poetry Toward a Social Justice Revolution," by Louis Hoffman, Nathaniel Granger, Jr., and Veronica Lac. The introduction provides a framework for understanding the role and potential of poetry in social justice contexts. It includes consideration of poetry and activism, narratives that c...
Book
Full-text available
Poetry and art can—and should—change the world. Rising Voices: Poetry Toward a Social Justice Revolution forcefully demonstrates this truth. With 77 poems from 45 poets, Rising Voices addresses critical social justice issues of our time, including racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, homelessness, and more. Each topic is approached with sensiti...
Chapter
The introduction to Becoming an Existential-Humanistic Therapist provides an introduction and overview of the book as well as brief narratives on the author's (Louis Hoffman and Julia Falk) journey to existential-humanistic psychology.
Chapter
This chapter provides a summary of themes shared by the contributors relevant to their personal journeys to becoming an existential-humanistic therapist.
Chapter
This appendix provides a guide for students considering becoming an existential-humanistic therapist. Drawing from lessons from the book, students are invited to reflect upon the themes and questions to help determine if this theoretical orientation is a good fit for them.
Chapter
This appendix provides guides for existential-humanistic therapists to reflect upon their own journey to becoming an existential-humanistic therapist, drawing from the lessons of the book.
Presentation
Full-text available
Critical Race Theory emerged in the 1980s out of legal theory. Since this time, it has evolved and been applied in other disciplines, including the social sciences. In actuality, there is little in Critical Race Theory that is considered in psychology through multicultural and social justice lenses. However, Critical Race Theory places a strong emp...
Presentation
Full-text available
Frantz Fanon was an influential psychologist in the late 1950s who died of cancer in 1961 at age 30. In addition to being a psychiatrist, Fanon was involved in the Algerian liberation movement. His writings were influential on psychiatry and decolonization. One of Fanon's most controversial ideas was on the role of violence in decolonization. Fanon...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Freedom is a complex concept that frequently gets oversimplified, particularly in many Western contexts that focus on a narrow understanding and application of freedom. COVID-19 prompted reconsiderations of freedom with considerations of existential perspectives on the limitations of freedom, responsibility, and compassion for others. A more nuance...
Book
Brilliant Sanity: Buddhist Approaches to Psychotherapy and Counseling (Volume 1: Revised and Expanded Edition) brings together influential scholars and practitioners who have studied and practiced at the intersection of Buddhism, psychotherapy, and counseling, including Karen Wegela, Mark Epstein, Han F. de Wit, Ed Podvoll, Jeff Fortuna, Robert Wal...
Presentation
Existential and humanistic therapy approaches often are believed to be inconsistent with evidence-based practice in psychology. This assumption is inaccurate and frequently rooted in misconceptions of evidence-based practice as well as misunderstandings of existential and humanistic therapies. This workshop provides an overview of how existential-h...
Presentation
Early humanistic and existential conceptions of the self diverged from mainstream perspectives through viewing the self as fluid. However, the self was still understood in an individualistic framework. In an increasingly diverse and global society, this conception of the self is not relevant to all clients, particularly clients from more collectivi...
Chapter
This is the Introduction to "Lullabies & Confessions: Poetic Explorations of Parenting Across the Lifespan." It includes reflection on parent and poetry as well as a discussion of an existential approach to parenting
Book
Full-text available
Lullabies & Confessions is an exquisite book of poetry about parenting and being parented. This volume includes over 100 poems by 45 different poets. The contributors include award winning-poets, therapists and counselors, and parents. Lullabies & Confessions is entertaining and growth-facilitating. The 11th book in the Poetry, Healing, and Growth...
Conference Paper
Lacking or limited empathy contributes to the development of racism, setting the stage for microaggressions and racial gaslighting dynamics. Facilitating the development of empathy and more in-depth understanding in privileged individuals can play an important role in anti-racism work designed to combat various forms of racism.
Conference Paper
Privilege, including White privilege, is a pervasive reality in contemporary culture that has implications for therapists and clients as well as the social systems in which they live and function. Discussions of privilege often quickly become polarized. For example, teachers mentioning White privilege in their courses creates the likelihood of rece...
Conference Paper
Nature poetry is a type of poetry that engages nature and the natural environment. In contemporary culture, many people are less engaged with nature. However, there is evidence that spending time in nature and connecting with the natural environment can be psychological beneficial and healing. Similarly, research has demonstrated that poetry and ot...
Chapter
Full-text available
This chapter is the introduction to a Tom Greening's book, "Into the Void: An Existential Psychologist Faces Death Through Poetry." https://universityprofessorspress.com/product/into-the-void/
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Empathy has been foundational to humanistic and existential approaches to psychotherapy since their early inception in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. While empathy remains foundational, it is necessary to reconsider empathy in light of emergent multicultural sensitivities and the contemporary political context (Hoffman, 2019). Two primar...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Sexual attraction is a normal human experience; however, it does not always emerge in contexts that are deemed appropriate within contemporary society. Sexual attraction, for some individuals, is more common in the context of emotionally intimate relationships, such as what occurs within the therapy context. Given this, it should be expected that a...
Chapter
Chapter Abstract: Whether considered an intervention within a therapeutic modality, an independent practice or modality, an approach integrated with a therapeutic modality (i.e., mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, MBCT), or a spiritual practice used as an adjunct to therapy, mindfulness has become one of the most popular directions in contemporar...
Chapter
Full-text available
The premise of this book, that humanistic and existential humanistic psychology must reflect on itself with a multicultural lens if it is going to stay relevant to a fast-changing global world, is very necessary and timely.
Book
A Walk with Nature is a powerful collection of individual experiences that stand witness to the openness and wisdom of nature speaking through poetic reflections. There is pain, isolation, healing, connection, uncertainty, and hope. As intertwined as the voices are, so is our relationship with nature. This anthology encompasses many varied experien...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Ed Mendelowitz (personal communication) noted that what existential and humanistic psychology need today is discovering ways to honor our history and legacy while seeking to apply aspects if this legacy in new ways. In this presentation, the ways in which knowing the history of humanistic psychology can honor and even help advance clinical practice...
Chapter
Humanistic psychology has a complex history with multiculturalism and diversity. Despite sharing many values with the civil rights and multicultural movements, humanistic psychology struggled to embrace multiculturalism and diversity. In more recent years, this has begun to change and a strong multicultural movement within humanistic psychology has...
Book
Full-text available
Providing an overview of essential topics in multicultural psychology, Humanistic Approaches to Multiculturalism and Diversity focuses on the intersection of humanistic psychology and multiculturalism, including history, theory, research, and practice. The authors examine the unique contributions of humanistic psychology to multicultural psycholog...
Chapter
Humanistic psychology recognizes empathy as a relational process or way of being that is healing in and of itself, not a mere technique or something used primarily to develop a therapeutic alliance. However, empathy is more complicated with people from different cultural backgrounds. Hoffman argues that to engage clients with effective empathy, the...
Chapter
Cultural myths, rituals, and festivals reflect important aspects of cultural identity and meaning. Analysis of these cultural expressions can help individuals outside and within the culture better understand the cultural groups from which these emerge. Historically, rituals and festivals frequently served explicit functions; however, over time, the...
Conference Paper
Existential psychological perspectives have long recognized that individuals must be understood in one’s context in the world, including their social and cultural context. For existential psychology to reach its full potential in making a positive impact upon the world, it is necessary to take seriously issues of multiculturalism and social justice...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Existential-Humanistic therapists historically have been resistant to engaging in case conceptualization and treatment planning. This resistance is rooted in a philosophical and practical critique of the purpose and implications of engaging in these processes. While there are good reasons to avoid case conceptualization and treatment planning, ther...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Diversity in various forms is important in helping advance approaches to psychotherapy, including existential-humanistic therapy. This presentation considers different forms of diversity, including multicultural and diversity emergent from interdisciplinary dialogues and integrative practices. Multicultural and international dialogues with existent...
Chapter
The foundation for this chapter is a mixture of experiential and scholarly engagement with international psychology. When we began doing international psychology over 10 years ago, most of the scholarly literature on international psychology focused on describing cultural variations in different nations or regions around the world. Although this is...
Book
Full-text available
Existential-Psychology East-West (Volume 2) emerged from continued dialogues on existential psychology, particularly existential-humanistic psychology, in Southeast Asia. This volume includes authors from Southeast Asia, India, Africa, Europe, and the United States, including Xuefu Wang, Louise Sundararajan, Mark Yang, Louis Hoffman, Al Dueck, Albe...
Chapter
Full-text available
Existential‐Humanistic psychology, and what can be termed “Existential‐Integrative psychology,” originated in the United States blending ideas from European existential philosophy and psychology with an American perspective, particularly humanistic psychology. Following a period of decreased influence and declining interest, the foundations for a r...
Chapter
In attempting to identify the key texts in existential‐humanistic therapy, in this chapter, the authors first aim to identify the texts that are frequently cited in the existential literature. Drawing upon the landmark contributions of their mentors, Rollo May and Jim Bugental, these authors extend the purview of existential‐humanistic psychology i...
Chapter
Full-text available
This chapter reflects the farther reaches and leading edges of contemporary existential‐humanistic and existential‐integrative psychotherapy. It includes multicultural, Asian, and transpersonal‐spiritual trends. Although historically existential‐humanistic therapy has struggled with multiculturalism, many recent developments have begun addressing t...
Presentation
Full-text available
A presentation of data collected from a survey of therapists that use humanistic approaches in therapy.
Book
Full-text available
Existential Psychology East-West is a collection of chapters exploring existential psychology in a cross-cultural context. The original version was published in preparation for the First International Conference on Existential Psychology held in Nanjing, China in 2010. This revised and expanded edition includes several updated chapters as well as f...
Chapter
Introduction to the first edition of Existential Psychology East-West.
Chapter
This chapter provides an overview of existential-humanistic psychology, including a brief history, an overview of the theoretical foundations, and an overview of clinical applications. Consideration of cross-cultural applications, evidence-based practice in psychology, and integration with other approaches is included.
Chapter
This chapter is a case illustration of existential-humanistic therapy. The chapter highlights connects to the overview of theory and practice discussed in chapter 1.
Chapter
This chapter provides history on the early development of existential-humanistic therapy in China, including a discussion of challenges and opportunities.
Chapter
This chapter is a collaborative effort to provide a synopsis of 10 years of dialogue on existential psychology, particularly existential-humanistic psychology, between the East and the West. This chapter builds off chapter 3, which discusses the early development of the dialogues prior to the First International Conference on Existential Psychology...
Chapter
This selected annotated bibliography of works related to existential-humanistic psychotherapy contains entries pertaining to scholarly books, journal articles, and popular novels. Although the primary focus is on existential-humanistic therapy, we included a select number of contributions from other schools of existential psychology, particularly t...
Chapter
Full-text available
The decade since the publication of Existential-Psychology East-West has been a fruitful period for the cross-cultural dialogue on existential-humanistic psychology. This includes seven international conferences focusing on existential-humanistic psychology in Southeast Asia, a special section of The Humanistic Psychologist based on presentations a...
Chapter
The chapter provides an overview of existential-humanistic perspectives on myth, and serves as an introduction to the third section of the book, which focuses on existential-humanistic interpretations and applications of myth. The song "If I Could Read Your Mind" by Gordon Lightfoot is used as an illustration.
Chapter
This chapter provides a case illustration of existential-humanistic therapy. The chapter makes connections with important aspects of theory and practice discussed in chapter 1.
Chapter
Full-text available
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Trauma informed care is one of the most influential forces in contemporary mental health. The Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) study conducted between 1995 and 1997 played an important role in clarifying the pervasiveness and impact of trauma. The increased number of veterans returning form combat since the September 11 terrorist attacks on the W...
Chapter
Neurophenomenology is a relatively new topic representing the intersection of psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience. The term originally appeared in 1990 in the book Brain, Symbol and Experience by Charles Laughlin, Eugene d'Aquila, and John McManus; however, it was Francisco Varela's 1996 article, "Neuropheno-menology: A methodological remedy f...
Article
Suffering is not something merely to be coped with; it holds important transformative power. Yet, it is important that suffering is not idealized or viewed as something that is, in itself, good. While suffering is not something to be sought, through embracing suffering that cannot be avoided, the suffering often can be transformed. Meaning is one o...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Humanistic psychology has been a force in psychology since the 1960s; however, the label of humanistic psychology has become increasingly complex and diffuse. Humanistic psychology is often used as an umbrella label including various psychological and therapeutic orientations such as client-centered, Gestalt, existential, transpersonal, focusing-or...
Conference Paper
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Conference Paper
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Transpersonal psychology is a highly theoretically diverse branch of psychology with many different subdivisions within the broader field of transpersonal psychology. The purpose of this research project was to clarify the primary influences upon the development of transpersonal psychology. The survey was distributed widely through transpersonal ps...

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