Meaning Therapy : New Challenges And The Future

We are meant to become our truest selves by finding meaning in our lives, which, according to Frankl, can come from three places: work, love, and our attitude in the face of horrific suffering or difficulty. And at the center of this meaning is our responsibility and human right to choose. In Frankl’s theory, we all strive to fulfill a self-chosen goal, from which meaning has the potential to be found. And if no meaning is found, there is meaning yet to be found, or meaning to be drawn from the apparent lack of meaning. Whatever the case, Frankl viewed man’s lack of meaning as the greatest existential crisis, the stress of this meaninglessness giving life and shape to all of our neuroses.

therapy is the least effective compared to others, with humanistic being at the bottom of the

Existential psychotherapy is a dynamic, philosophical approach to therapy that is based on the premise that an individual’s conflict within is due to their concerns with the givens of existence (Yalom, 1980). These givens, or ultimate concerns as noted by Yalom (1980), are inescapable properties that are part of the human existence in the world: meaninglessness, freedom (and its associated responsibility), isolation, and the inevitability of death. Confrontation with these givens can result in existential anxiety (Corey, 2009).

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl is filled to the brim with rhetorical devices from all three sections of the text. Particularly in his section about logotherapy, Frankl’s practice to find an individual’s meaning of life, he explores the three main meanings of life: accomplishment, love, and suffering. This area uses a plethora of comparison, such as parallelism and metaphor. Recurring themes are used to draw back to Frankl’s three life meanings, like word repetition and alliteration. Frankl’s use of rhetorical devices allows his audience to focus on their individual possibilities and incorporate his ideology into society.

'He who has a why to live for can bear any how.' The words of Nietzsche begin to explain Frankl's tone throughout his book. Dr. Frankl uses his experiences in different Nazi concentration camps to explain his discovery of logotherapy. This discovery takes us back to World War II and the extreme suffering that took place in the Nazi concentration camps and outlines a detailed analysis of the prisoners psyche. An experience we gain from the first-hand memoirs of Dr. Frankl.

According to Frankl’s framework of logotherapy, it is the constant yearning and search for meaning that has the power to emancipate. The humanistic approach to finding meaning allows people the liberty to create deeper and more enriched lives through aspects such as work (Pattakos, 2010). This type of significance is displayed through Robin Williams’ life work as an actor. Throughout his life, Williams battled with addictions and depression that ultimately took the toll on him; however, during his life he constantly worked to enrich other’s lives from honesty and raw portrayals, to lighthearted comedy through film and television (Nanos, 2014; Rochlen, 2014). Movie blogger, Britton Richter (2013), stated in an article after Robin’s death that he “… genuinely would not be pursuing and working toward the goals that I currently have if it wasn’t for [Robin Williams]”. The impact that Robin Williams had through his body of work affected countless people, allowing him to create meaning through other’s experiences of his work. This search for meaning is paralleled by Ari Heber, a Reform Jew. Ari’s sense of meaning is formed through the cardinal teachings of Judaism that are centred around acts and deeds, rather than theology. Heber finds meaning through his faith within which he assists others. He stated that “it is just through fulfilment of what you’re doing it becomes part of your life” (Heber, 2015). As a theory, logotherapy approaches psychotherapy with spirituality as the starting point of consciousness. Thus, logotherapy proceeds from the spiritual individual (Tweedie, 1961). When viewing work as an expression of one’s own mind, body and spirit, Ari can create deeper meaning through the personal labyrinth of his work (Pattakos, 2010). Meaning created through the framework of logotherapy and through work can assist in forming an individual’s

     Today many people seek professional therapy or counseling for a limited amount of time in order to deal with different life crises. Others seek professional help for the majority of their lives in order to deal with a psychological disorder. After reading this chapter on Therapy, I learned that this was not always the case, and that the way our society views therapy, and the meaning of therapy, has changed dramatically of the years. This chapter not only explains the evolution of therapy, it explores the different therapeutic approaches.

This application paper will discuss my personal theory of counseling or psychotherapy in a number of different areas. Specifically, I will discuss the seven areas of interest. First, I will discuss and describe

Core components of (ACT) are acceptance and mindfulness. Techniques which come from a Buddhism philosophy, suggesting the way to emerge from suffering, is to firstly accept and identify its origin, and then detach from its source (Hart, 1987). One of ACT’s assumptions is that suffering is normal and unavoidable; and part of human experiences; but it’s the attempt to control or avoid painful experiences that lead to suffering. (ACT) paves the way to help let go of the struggles of pain; and be mindful of these negative thoughts. The goal of (ACT) is to increase psychological flexibility through its core processes, as a positive skill and not avoidance.

Very interesting question. Meaning therapy and Strength-based therapy overlaps with each other that they both place emphasis on the positive aspects of clients’ lives (Jones-Smith, 2014; Wong, 2010, 2012). Focusing on their positive attributes leads to empowering clients (Jones-Smith, 2014). I believe that ability to engage in the meaning-making process is strength.

In September of 1942, Viktor Frankl was arrested in Vienna and taken to one of the many Nazi death camps. Frankl was working on a manuscript which was confiscated from him in a move to Auschwitz. In this manuscript entitled, The Doctor and the Soul, Frankl had began his work on a theory he would later call logotherapy. The term logotherapy is derived from the Greek word logos, which means meaning. According to logotherapy, the striving to find a meaning in one’s life is the primary motivational force in man (Frankl 121). Frankl’s theory and therapy generated and grew through his experiences in the concentration camps.

The main goal of this book is to provide perspective and techniques for a person to use to find meaning in their life. It is written in an autobiographical style by psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl. Frankl discusses many specific examples from his imprisonment in a Nazi concentration camp, along with his professional knowledge to offer a method for discovering personal fulfillment and a sense of meaning in life. While discussing experiences in the concentration camp, it seems like there is a great deal of attention is given to this first psychological phase characterized by shock.

In Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl describes his revolutionary type of psychotherapy. He calls this therapy, logotherapy, from the Greek word "logos", which denotes meaning. This is centered on man's primary motivation of his search for meaning. To Frankl, finding meaning in life is a stronger force than any subconscious drive. He draws from his own experiences in a Nazi concentration camp to create and support this philosophy of man's existence.

Man as little more than a machine subject to his environment is a popular picture painted by many psychologists of today. Viktor E Frankl sets out to contend against that idea in his book Man’s Search for Meaning. He contends that life is not a quest for pleasure or power, but for meaning. Frankl was a prisoner in the Auschwitz and Dachau concentration camps during the holocaust. During this time, many of his family members, including his parents and his wife, suffered death in similar camps. Frankl himself suffered extreme conditions of cold, starvation, malnutrition, and slavery. He was also a psychoanalyst of sorts, and through all of his suffering, he makes incredible observations about the world that became his. In Man’s Search for Meaning, Frankl chooses primarily two areas to focus on—His experience and observations in the Nazi concentration camps, and his own philosophy of psychology, which he calls Logotherapy. He also delves into what he calls “tragic optimism”, or to put meaning into suffering, as opposed to seeking hope for deliverance from suffering.

Experiences encompassed in times of struggle can lead to a new transformative perspective of one’s relationship with self and the world. William Shakespeare’s last play “The Tempest” (1610), canvasses loss catalysing rediscovering the importance of life resulting in a greater understanding of how our flaws compromise our humanity. Prospero, the usurped Duke of Milan, shows this to be true, moving from a mindset focused on vengeance to a profound discovery of self. Similarly, in “Man’s Search for Meaning” (1946), fulfillment with discovering how we choose to cope and find meaning/purpose in life through unrelenting struggle is illustrated. The three-part non-fiction told by psychiatrist Viktor E. Frankl, depicts his ordeal inside of concentration camps during the Second World War, elaborating on finding true meaning in life even under the most horrific circumstances. Frankl shares his process of discovery demonstrating his ability to overcome the most overwhelming experience leading to doorway of meaning, purpose and happiness.