98: Freedom and Meaning: Existential Coaching Approach

98: Freedom and Meaning: Existential Coaching Approach

From Edgy Ideas by Simon Western

August 19, 2025 · 37 min · Episode 98

About this episode

Simon and Natalie discuss existential coaching and the pursuit of meaning in life.

Show Notes In this episode, Simon is joined by Natalie to open up the existential questions that lie at the heart of coaching: What does it mean to live well? How do we find meaning in a finite life? How do we coach for authenticity, freedom and responsibility? Far from being bleak, existentialism is revealed here as a liberating practice. Death is not avoided but faced - giving urgency and clarity to our choices, reminding us that life is finite and must be lived meaningfully. This conversation shows how reinvention is possible at any stage of life, and how helping others can deepen our own sense of happiness and fulfillment. Together, Simon and Natalie highlight the value of micro meanings - the everyday rituals, relationships and joys that ground us in significance. They reflect on the importance of structure in supporting growth, while also recognising the liberation that comes when we accept life’s pointlessness and take responsibility for creating meaning ourselves. To live authentically, we must face uncomfortable truths, resist “bad faith,” and embrace freedom with courage. Existential coaching, then, is less about problem-solving and more about opening a space where…

People in this episode

Host: Simon

Guest: Natalie

Topics covered

  • existential coaching
  • meaning
  • authenticity
  • freedom
  • responsibility

Keywords

  • existentialism
  • coaching
  • happiness
  • micro meanings
  • personal growth

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Master’s and, Techniques for Coaching and Mentoring

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