What is Xistens?
Xistens.no is based at MF vitenskapelig høyskole in Oslo, Norway. We explore and share science, art, and philosophy that inspire us to live a meaningful, conscious, and authentic life.
Who’s behind Xistens?
Tatjana Schnell
Hi, I’m Tatjana, and I have been conducting empirical existential research for over twenty years. I believe that scientific insights must be shared and discussed publicly – which is the aim of Xistens!
I am Professor of Existential Psychology at MF Specialised University in Oslo, Norway, a Fellow at the Humanistic University Berlin in Germany, director of the Existential Psychology Lab / Oslo and co-founder of sinnmacher.eu, an interactive platform that guides people to find meaning in life. After studying Psychology, Theology and Philosophy in Göttingen (GER), London (UK), Heidelberg (GER) and Cambridge (UK), I earned my doctorate at the University of Trier (GER) and my habilitation in Psychology at the University of Innsbruck (AT). Read more…
Writing for Xistens.no:
Ole Magnus Vik
Hello, my name is Ole Magnus Vik and I’m a clinical psychologist. I have my own private practice at Privatpsykologene in the centre of Oslo. I have a degree in clinical psychology from the University of Bergen and a degree in philosophy from NTNU. I have a specialization in psychodynamic psychotherapy from the Institute of psychotherapy in Oslo and am currently finishing a specialization in existential psychotherapy from the Society for existential therapy in Sweden. I am also the vice-chair on the Board of clinical ethics in the Norwegian psychologist association. I write and lecture about existential psychotherapy, clinical ethics and philosophy in psychotherapy.
Bendik Sparre Hovet
My name is Bendik, and ever since I have been able to think and wonder, I have been captivated by what lives within humans. The psychic reality we live in and constantly create. We are creatures of behaviour and drives – but we are more. We strive for meaning. Why? How? What is the religious instinct in man, how can we understand it? And can we create our own meaning? To engage with these questions, I study both clinical psychology (in my fourth year) and philosophy at the University of Oslo. However, as I find these questions sorely lacking from the curriculum, I am now in an internship with Tatjana to explore our larger existential concerns. Read more…