About history – Existential Therapy

HISTORY

EEAET was founded in 2000 as an international non-profit organization uniting psychologists, psychotherapists and other persons form East European countries interested in existential-phenomenological psychology, counselling and psychotherapy. The Association is registered in Birstonas, Lithuania, following the laws of the Republic of Lithuania. In July 2003, EEAET became an organizational member of the European Associations of Psychotherapy (EAP).

The Honourable Membership in the Association has been awarded to Aleksandras Alekseičikas (Lithuania), Alice Holzhey, PhD (Switzerland), Viktor Kagan, MD (Germany), prof. Simon du Plock (UK), Kirk Schneider, PhD (USA), prof. Ernesto Spinelli (UK).

The Association is headed by the President and the Board that are elected for three years by actual members of the Association, and also the Administration (the Secretary General, the Chief Financial Officer and the Secretary) appointed by the Board.

At present (2021 – 2024) the acting Presindent of the EEAET is Irina Glukhova (Belarus).

The members of the Board of the EEAET: Dace Purena (Latvia), Vladislav Andryushin (Russia), prof. Sergey Babin (Russia), Rolands Botascenoks (Latvia), Diana Butiene (Lithuania), Olga Vasilyeva (Estonia), Irina Glukhova (Belarus), Elita Kreislere (Latvia), Robertas Petronis (Lithuania), Olesia Zinenko (Estonia), Agne Jurgaityte-Aviziniene (Lithuania).

The Ethical Committee of the EEAET: Marija Vashtake, PhD (Lithuania) – chairman; members: Marija Vashtake, PhD (Lithuania), Juris Zuitinš (Latvia), Tatjana Ivanova (Russia), Baiba Purvlice (Latvia), Oksana Peetsalu (Estonia), Vladimir Strelcov (Russia).

The Administration of the EEAET: Secretary General Birute Jakubkaite, PhD (Lithuania), Chief Financial Officer Leonas Judelevičius (Lithuania).

Main goals of the EEAET are:

  1. To organize theoretical and practical conferences, seminars, symposia devoted to the analysis of existential issues of human being.
  2. To promote scientific research in the field of existential-phenomenological psychology.
  3. To provide for developing of professional competence of members of the Association in the field of existential therapy.
  4. To organize and encourage cooperation of East European specialists in existential psychology and therapy by exchange of information and joint projects in research, training, etc..
  5. To promote publishing of literature in existential psychology and therapy.

In 2003–2007, EEAET was represented by the international journal „Existential Tradition: philosophy, psychology, psychotherapy“. Since 2008, the Association publishes a new journal „Existentia: psychology and psychotherapy“ (Editor-in-Chief Dace Purena).

Since 2012, members in the Association may be actual, associated and organizational. Persons eligible as actual members should be qualified as existential psychotherapists or professional psychotherapists adhering to the principles of existential therapy. Associated membership is available to psychology and psychotherapy professionals or those in training for these professions, also persons from other fields interested in existential-phenomenological psychology and psychotherapy.

Entrance fee is 15 Eur, annual membership fee is 35 Eur (associated membership) or 50 Eur (actual membership).

For more details please write to Secretary General Birute Jakubkaite, PhD ( secretary-general@existentialtherapy.eu ) or Secretary Marija Bagdonienė ( info@existentialtherapy.eu ).