ABSTRACT
This chapter explores some of the aspects of social work practice which existentialism can illuminate. The links between existentialism as a philosophy and the theoretical bases of social work are, in one sense, relatively simple to draw insofar as they both operate at a conceptual level. Existentialism is neither a simple form of optimism nor of pessimism, but rather a realism. The behaviourist approach is more consistent with existentialism than the Freudian or common sense view. Existentialism proposes a view of existence in which life is seen as inherently meaningful insofar as all experience has to be interpreted. Existentialism is a philosophy of freedom which values personal responsibility and creativity. Existentialism can be used as a philosophy to illuminate the group processes and political factors which operate within each social work setting and agency. Both theory and practice need to be understood in terms of the milieu in which social work takes place.
