NAVIGATING EXISTENCE is a research group at MF Specialized University. Its thematic focus is lived existential experience in empirical research and practice.

With the overall aim of promoting practice-informed research and research-informed practice, NAVIGATING EXISTENCE brings together researchers and practitioners from the existential field in Norway.

What is the “existential field”?

In practice, this refers to existential psychotherapy and counselling, palliative care and other areas of care, but also to an “existentially aware” society, with potential implications for social, political, and climate-related practice.

In the context of research, this involves addressing, theoretically and empirically, issues such as (but not exclusively) dealing with suffering, death and dying; freedom and responsibility; existential health; consequences of different worldviews; the relationships between different life forms; alienation and various forms of belonging, and meaning in life.

Any news and activities will be shared here.

Group Members

LEADER

Tatjana Schnell – Professor of Existential Psychology, MF vitenskapelig høyskole & Professor II, Existential Psychology Lab, Institute of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Austria

GENERAL SECRETARY

Ole Magnus Vik – Psychotherapist, Oslo & Leader of the Norwegian Association for Existential Therapy (Norsk forening for eksistensiell terapi)

MEMBERS

Anne Austad – Professor, VID Specialized University, Oslo

Lars Johan Danbolt – Director, Center for Existential Health, Sanderud & Professor II, MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society, Oslo

Sigrid Helene Kjørven Haug – Associate Professor, Fakultet for helse- og sosialvitenskap, Høgskolen i Innlandet, Elverum

Gustav Jørgen Pedersen – PhD, Head of Research, Munch Museet, Oslo

Sebastian Rehnman – Professor, University of Stavanger & Professor II, VID Specialized University

Christiaan Rhodius – Elderly Care Physician/Consultant in Palliative Medicine

Astrid Rønsen – Associate Professor, Department of Health Sciences, NTNU Gjøvik & Chairman, Hospiceforum Norge

Torgeir Sørensen – Professor, VID Specialized University, Oslo

Gry Stålsett – Associate Professor, MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society, Oslo

Oddgeir Synnes – Professor, VID Specialized University, Oslo