Inasmuch as logotherapy makes him aware of the hidden logos of his existence, it is an analytical process
– (Frankl, 1984, p. 125).
Core Principles
- Every person possesses a healthy core.
- The main focus is upon enlightening a person to his or her own inner resources, and providing him or her with the tools to use their internal core.
- While life offers purpose and meaning, it does not assure happiness or fulfillment.
Finding Meaning
Finding meaning or the will to meaning is the primary motivation for living….the meaning that an individual finds is unique to each person and can be fulfilled only by that one person….Frankl emphasized that the true meaning of each person’s life is something that must be discovered by activity in the world through interaction with others, not solely through introspection….. Challenging a person with a potential meaning to fulfill evokes the will to meaning.
– (Graber, 2004, p. 65)
Three distinct ways to discover meaning in life:
- Creative value: By creating a work or accomplishing a task.
- Experiential value: Receiving something from the world through appreciation and gratitude. By fully experiencing something or loving someone.
- Attitudinal value: By the adopting a certain attitude toward inevitable suffering.
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The Basic Assumptions
- Body, Mind, and Spirit
- Life Has Meaning Even in The Most Miserable Circumstances
- Humans Possess a Will to Meaning
- Freedom to Find Meaning
- Meaning of the Moment
- Individuals Are Unique
Logotherapy in Practice
Goals
- To awaken the client’s sense of responsibility and meaning.
- To help the client discover their true identity and place in the world.
- To help the client pursue what really matters in life.
- To make life better for self and others.
Techniques
- Dereflection
- Dereflection, which is based on self-transcendence, seeks to redirect one’s attention from oneself or one’s own goals toward others. This technique posits that when one is self-absorbed and is struggling with issues in one’s life, one can significantly improve one’s situation by altering one’s focus and being concerned about those around. For instance, if one is struggling with one’s finances, the logotherapist might ask the patient to focus more on the people he or she is working to provide for, rather than constantly thinking of how the problem is affecting himself or herself.
- paradoxical-intention
- Socratic dialogue
- Socratic dialogue employs a method of self-discovery to demonstrate to the patient that the solution to the patient’s problem is actually within him or her. The logotherapist, herein would use the patient’s words, by listening carefully for patterns, to help the patient discover new meaning in his or her own words.
- In addition to the above three, attitude modification can be implemented.
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