This article reviews the life and work of Rollo May and his influence on the author’s development of applying existential therapy to treating traumatic stress. An examination of May’s worldview, theory, and therapeutic philosophy is presented. Considerable importance is placed on May’s theoretical foundations as they apply to treating combat veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The data presented in this article reveal the significance of utilizing existential therapeutic principles within a group format to help facilitate combat veterans’ recovery from the internal damage inflicted by PTSD.
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