481. How To Live: Exploring Existentialism with Robyn Walser, Jim Lucas, Jenna LeJeune, and Jennifer Gregg

For her last episode without her co-hosts, Debbie wanted to choose a topic that matters to her personally: existentialism and the search for meaning. She invited her “dream team” panel of colleagues with an interest in existentialism from the ACT community: Robyn Walser, Jim Lucas, Jenna LeJeune, and Jennifer Gregg.Existentialism invites us to enhance our lives through exploration of life’s truths: we will die, we are free to make choices, and we must all create our own sense of meaning and purpose. Through grappling with the big questions of life, we can become more engaged, intentional, and present in the lives we have.In this episode, our panelists discuss existential ideas like freedom and responsibility, living with death awareness, transcendence, and why vitality includes the painful parts of life as well as the joyful ones. They discuss the pressure of a culture that pushes us to optimize everything, and they close with an invitation to join in the “grand exploration” of life.Listen and Learn:How existentialism grew out of a response to absurdity, and why it helps us question rules that don’t make sense. The balance between freedom and responsibility, and why owning your choices can be both scary and liberating. How awareness of the finite nature of life gives weight to our values. Why vitality means tasting the whole experience, including “the rotten part of the apple,” and not only the joyful part. Self-transcendence, and the importance of contributing to something greater than yourself.Why suffering can be seen as a teacher, instead of a problem to be solved.How meaning and hope differ, and why a meaningful life doesn’t depend on a better future. How to hold both the “I” and the interconnected “we” in values work. How cultural pressure to be productive can pull us away from what’s truly meaningful. Resources:Robyn Walser’s book Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Deliberate Practice to Develop and Enhance Skills in ACT Jenna LeJeune’s book Values in Therapy: A Clinician’s Guide to Helping Clients Explore Values, Increase Psychological Flexibility, and Live a More Meaningful LifeAbout the Panelists: Robyn D. Walser, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized clinical psychologist, educator, and author. She is the Director of Trauma and Life Consultation and Psychology Services, Assistant Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and Director of Research at Bay Area Trauma Recovery Clinical Services. Dr. Walser has contributed significantly