Simon Lea BA, Mphil, Dip. Psyth MSFTR

My interest in existentialism began at university. As part of my philosophy degree I read Sartre, Heidegger and Nietzsche. However the two philosophers that really grabbed my attention were Soren Kierkegaard and Albert Camus. Although their philosophies differed, they were all concerned with living their lives authentically. The core themes running through their work: freedom, anxiety and meaning.

After my first degree, I continued to be fascinated by existentialist ideas and researched the philosophical contribution of Albert Camus for my Masters degree. I am currently the president of the Albert Camus Society and continue my academic research on behalf of the Society, liaising with universities, the media, and individuals in the UK and around the world.

Existentialist philosophy is a philosophy to be lived. Kierkegaard, the father of existentialism, was a brilliant philosophical psychologist. His work, especially his work on anxiety, was and still is a major inspiration for existentially orientated psychotherapists. The more I read Kierkegaard and Camus, the greater my interest in applied philosophy became. Both thinkers were concerned with creating a philosophy of life, in helping us understand what it is to exist, to be alive, to have meaning and ultimately to be happy.

After finishing my Mphil, I became more interested in applying existentialist philosophy and gained my Diploma in Psychotherapy. For my thesis I compared Existential Analysis with Psychoanalysis. My specialist interest in psychotherapy is anxiety and the experience of fear. It is my belief that before we can treat anxiety we need to treat fear and that hypnotherapy is the fastest, most effective, technique in eliminating unnecessary fear. Accordingly, I took a course in hypnotherapy and continue to research the therapeutic application of hypnosis.

Read more about Hypnotherapy

Clients I have treated have ranged from people with phobias (such as a fear of flying or heights) and social anxieties, (such as a fear of public speaking or feelings of inadequacy) to people suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I have also been involved with helping students overcome exam stress as well as foreign language students gaining confidence in speaking advanced English.

Existential therapy and art

Most recently I have been working with people I describe as creatives - artists, writers, musicians - helping them better understand the philosophy, spirituality, and creativity that drives their work. This can also mean working closely on the anxieties that often accompany creative work. This anxiety can appear when work is presented - such as performing on stage, or exhibiting in a gallery, or in even in self-promotion and looking for places to share creative work.

For some creative people, even discussing what they do and describing themselves as an artist, writer or musician can be a source of anxiety. My personal goal when working with creative people is in taking the steps necessary to get their creations out of their heads, studios, studies, etc. and into spaces where the work can be shared with the public. This could mean working on motivational issues, self-doubt or self-confidence (getting the work done and getting it out there) or working through stagnation periods, a loss of creativity or any creative rut they may find themselves in.