Existential counselors emphasize the client's

• A. the client's past experiences
• B. free choice, decision, and will
• C. unconscious drives
• D. external validation

Answer: (B)

Existential counseling centers on the idea that clients are free to choose and responsible for their lives. Therapists help clients recognize their capacity to decide how to respond to life situations, craft personal meaning, and act with intention—even when freedom brings anxiety. This emphasis on agency and will is what makes this approach distinct: meaning is created through deliberate choices rather than being dictated by the past, unconscious forces, or others’ approval. Past experiences may shape options, but the focus is on present choices and authentic living.