Life purpose—a sense of meaning or purpose in one's life—or the lack thereof, might often arise as an issue in therapy, even when treatment was originally sought for a different reason. When the lack of a life purpose is affecting life negatively, it is often possible to rediscover or realize motivations and goals in therapy.

Why Is Purpose Important?

[fat_widget_right]Because a clear purpose and direction in life can help restructure even difficult crises into opportunities for growth and renewed motivation, a life purpose may be an essential aspect of mental well-being. When this purpose is lacking or unclear, a general indifference toward life may be experienced.

Difficult times may be far less terrifying or devastating when a lasting meaning to one’s life is already present or can be developed through the work of therapy. Without such meaning or purpose, even small challenges can grow and feel overwhelming, confusing, and painful. Therapy can help in regaining touch with lasting values, beliefs, needs and goals and in treatment, a sense of meaning and purpose can be built around these. Techniques such as meditation, dreamwork, and other powerful tools for getting in touch with inner guidance can also be explored in treatment, and with these techniques, a sense of purpose and meaning that may lend a renewed structure to life can often be regained.

Difficulties Faced without a Sense of Purpose

If we do not have a meaningful purpose that guides us every day and over the course of our lives, making important decisions, resolving internal and external conflicts, planning for the future, choosing friends and partners, and making sense of suffering become very difficult. Without a chosen, “higher” purpose, life gives us a sort of default purpose: avoid suffering as much as possible. If this is all life means, we are sure to suffer more, not less, because the human mind and spirit need creativity, accomplishment, fulfillment and meaning that the avoidance of suffering alone cannot provide. Further, the experience of some suffering is necessary for us to learn and grow; if we try to avoid it at all costs (which is impossible anyway), we never mature.

Therapy can help us get in touch with lasting values, beliefs, needs and goals, and built a sense of meaning and purpose around these. It can also teach us techniques – such as meditation, dreamwork, and other powerful tools – for getting in touch with our own inner guidance, which can help us discover a sense of purpose and meaning to guide us through life.

Case Examples