What is a primary goal of existential therapy?

• A. To analyze dream content to uncover hidden conflicts
• B. To resolve conflicts through transference
• C. To help clients see that they are unrestricted and responsible for events in their lives
• D. To modify behavior through reinforcement

Answer: (C)

Existential therapy focuses on how people create meaning through the choices they make and how they face life's givens. A primary goal is to help clients recognize their freedom to shape their lives and to take responsibility for the consequences of their choices. This view encourages authentic living, rather than seeing behavior as driven solely by unconscious conflicts or by external rewards. Dream analysis and transference belong to other approaches: dream analysis seeks symbolic content to uncover hidden conflicts, while transference involves clients projecting feelings onto the therapist. Behavior change through reinforcement is a hallmark of behavior therapy. In existential work, the shift comes from embracing personal responsibility and meaning, even in the face of anxiety and uncertainty.