A meeting with the possibility that there is no objective meaning — no higher purpose, no guaranteed significance of life. Yalom, drawing on Camus, shows the paradox: when a person accepts that there is no meaning objectively, they become a creator of meaning — responsible for creating their own significance. This is not nihilism but existential maturity.
Step-by-step guide
- Meet the client's nihilism without disputing: "You're right — there is no objective meaning"
- Hold the pause and the anxiety together with the client, not rushing to a solution
- Introduce the paradox: "This is your freedom — you yourself decide what matters"
- Explore: "What matters to you yourself? Even weakly, even inconsistently?"
- Move from philosophy to concrete choices of today
When to use
- Existential depression and nihilism
- A crisis of faith — religious or meaning-related
- Loss of a familiar role or identity
- Young people on the passage between worlds (school–adulthood, homeland–emigration)
- Long-term therapy stuck in meaninglessness
Key phrases
You're right. The cosmos does not care. But do you yourself not care?
Follow-up questions
This is your possibility. If meaning is not given — you are its creator.
What matters to you, even if it is "illogical" or "inconsistent"?
If you had to choose — for what are you ready to get up in the morning?
Alternative phrasings
"Nihilism is honesty. But how to live with this honesty?"
Warnings
- ⚠️ Do not use in active suicidal risk — nihilism can heighten the danger
- ⚠️ The client's nihilism must first be accepted, not disputed
- ⚠️ Do not turn it into a philosophical seminar — work with the pain beneath the nihilism
Source: Yalom, 1980 — Existential Psychotherapy; Camus, 1942 — The Myth of Sisyphus
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.