This inspiring, insightful new text provides a practical guide to helping clients live a meaningful and satisfying life despite the challenges they may be facing. Divided into three parts, it starts by drawing on empirical research to demonstrate the effectiveness of meaning-oriented practice and reviews a large body of literature on meaning in a wide-range of psychological and philosophical approaches, translating this into specific recommendations for practitioners. It continues by exploring the basic skill set required for working effectively in this area – from how to assess clients’ needs and address issues of meaning, to specific existential, phenomenological and mindfulness skills. Finally, it provides a step guide to applying the skills to clinical practice with the support of examples and case studies from a range of professions. In what is still an emerging area of practice, this text stands alone as a comprehensive source of reference for both students and practitioners across the full range of people professions.

"This ground-breaking text draws together a range of historical, philosophical, and therapeutic sources to provide a uniquely detailed and comprehensive guide to meaning-centred practice. I am sure it will become the ‘go-to’ guide for counsellors, psychotherapists, and researchers in this field for many years to come. A remarkable achievement." - Mick Cooper, Author of ‘Existential Therapies’ and ‘Existential Counselling and Psychotherapy’

"This handbook on Meaning in Life is unique in the crowded field of existentially oriented therapies. Dr. Vos is able to integrate traditional existential phenomenological approach with the more recent evidence-based psycho-education approach of meaning therapy. He has made an important contribution to defining existential competency as essential for practitioners." - Dr. Paul T. P. Wong, President of the International Network on Personal Meaning and originator of Meaning Therapy