| Viktor Frankl and Logotherapy |  |
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.
1.What
is Logotherapy?
a)
Definition
Literally,
logotherapy means 'therapy through meaning'. It's an active-directive
therapy
aimed at helping people specifically with meaning crises, which
manifest
themselves either ina feeling of aimlessness or indirectly through
addiction,
alcoholism or depression. Logotherapy also employs techniques useful
for
phobias, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders and medical
ministry. Other applications
include working with juvenile
delinquents, career counselling and helping all of us find more meaning
in
life.
b)
Foundations
i) Existentialism
It's
existentialist becauseit emphasises the freedom of the will
and the
consequent responsibility.It also, of course,
asserts the importance of
the meaning of life. Whilst Freud said human's have
a will to
pleasure and Adler the will to power,
Frankl says we have a will
to meaning. If it is frustrated, spiritual (noogenic)
neuroses result.
Frankl argued that the the spiritual (noetic) dimension of man should
be added
to the physical and psychological dimensions. For Frankl, ultimate
meaning does
exist andis unique to each person and each situation. Each moment
offers 'a
sequence of unrepeatable situations each of which offers a specific
meaning to
be recognised and fulfilled'. Meaning cannot be invented but must be
discovered.
ii) Stoicism
It's
Stoic,
because it holds that no matter what the state of the world, our attitude
can
always help us. The Stoic Epictetus held that 'Men are not moved by
events but
by their interpretations'. Even in facing death and suffering, by
showing
courage we can turn a situation into a supremely meaningful
one.
iii) Frankl's own experiences, in concentration camps and as a psychiatrist
"This
was the
lesson I had to learn in three years spent in Auschwitz and Dachau:
other
things being equal, those apt to survive the camps were those oriented
toward
the future - toward a task, or a person, waiting for them in the
future, toward
a meaning to be fulfilled by them in the future" . But Logotherapy was
also the result of Frankl's own ideas and improvisations, not all of
which are
very obviously connected with his experiences in the camps or the
meaning of
life.
2.Techniques of Logotherapy
Paradoxical Intention
The
therapist
encourages the patient to intend or wish for, even if only for a
second,
precisely what they fear.
oUsed for obsessive,
compulsive and phobic
conditions (not for suicidal or schizophrenic
patients).
oUseful in cases of
underlying anticipatory
anxiety, often works very quickly.
oMobilises the human
capacity for
self-detachment, often with a sense of humour
oHans Gerz claims that
paradoxical intention
is successful in 80-90% of cases
The
case of the
sweating doctor
(from Pyschotherapy
and Existentialism, p 139)
A young doctor had severe hydrophobia. One day, meeting his chief on the street, as he extended his hand in greeting, he noticed that he was perspiring more than usual. The next time he was in a similar situation he expected to perspire again, and this anticipatory anxiety precipitated excessive sweating. It was a vicious circle … We advised our patient, in the event that his anticipatory anxiety should recur, to resolve deliberately to show the people whom he confronted at the time just how much he could really sweat.A week later he returned to report that whenever he met anyone who triggered his anxiety, he said to himself, "I only sweated out a litre before, but now I'm going to pour out at least ten litres !" What was the result of this paradoxical resolution ? After suffering from his phobia for four years, he was quickly able, after only one session, to free himself of it for good.
You are the
logotherapist
In the
following
cases, what paradoxical intention, if any, would you recommend ?
i)A
man is fearful
that he will die from a heart attack. Physical check-ups reveal him to
be in
good health.
ii) An
obsessive-compulsive comes to you because she is concerned about the
number
of
times she
washes her hands each day.
iii) A
young man comes
to you for help with stuttering. What do you advice ?
iv) A
schizophrenic is anxious that the people he sees on the tube are out to
get
him.
Dereflection
The
therapist
diverts the patients away from their problems towards something else
meaningful
in the world.
oused specifically for
sexual dysfunction.
Deflection indicated because (e.g.) the more you think about potency
during
sex, the less likely you are to achieve it,
oNo use just telling
them to stop thinking
about something – need to substitute something positive (
e.g. insomniac -don’t
just tell them to stop trying to sleep, tell them to count sheep).
oMore generally,
logotherapy can be seen as
dereflecting the patient away from their presenting problem towards
searching
for meaning. Patient is dereflected from their disturbance to something
other
than themselves.
Frankl's
advice to
Anna, 19-year old art student who displays severe symptoms of incipient
schizophrenia. She considers herself as being confused and asks for
help.
Patient
…
What is
going on within me ?
Frankl:
Don't
brood over yourself. Don't inquire into the source of your trouble.
Leave this
to us doctors. We will steer and pilot you through the crisis. Well,
isn't
there a goal beckoning you – say, an artistic assignment ?
Patient:
But this
inner turmoil ….
Frankl:
Don't
watch your inner turmoil, but turn your gaze to what is waiting for
you. What
counts is not what lurks in the depths, but what waits in the future,
waits to
be actualised by you….
Patient:
But what
is the origin of my trouble ?
Frankl:
Don't
focus on questions like this. Whatever the pathological process
underlying your
psychological affliction may be, we will cure you. Therefore, don't be
concerned with the strange feelings haunting you. Ignore them util we
make you
get rid of them. Don't watch them. Don't fight them.
Imagine,
there are
about a dozen great things, works which wait to be created by Anna, and
there
isno one who could achieve and accomplish it but Anna. No one could
replace
here in this assignment, They will be your creations, and if you don't
create
them, they will remain uncreated forever…
Patient
: Doctor,
I believe in what you say. It is a message which makes me happy.
Orientation towards Meaning
The
therapist
tries to enlarge the patient's discernment of meaning – in
the past, present
and future, and creatively, experientially and attitudinally.
1.
Meaning through creative values
Frankl
says that
"The logotherapist's role consists in widening and broadening the
visual
field of the patient so that the whole spectrum of meaning and values
becomes
conscious and visible to him". A major source of meaning is through the
value of all that we create, achieve and accomplish. "
2.
Meaning through experiential values
Frankl
(The Doctor
and the Soul) writes "Let us ask a mountain-climber who has beheld the
alpine sunset and is so moved by the splendour of nature that he feels
cold
shudders running down his spine - let us ask him whether after such an
experience his life can ever again seem wholly meaningless".
3.
Meaning throughattitudinal values
Frankl
argued that we always have the freedom to find meaning through
meaningful
attitudes even in apparently meaningless situations. For example, an
elderly,
depressed patientwho could not overcome the loss of his wife was helped
by the
following conversation with Frankl.
Frankl
asked
"What would have happened if you had died first, and your wife would
have
had to survive you".
"Oh,"
replied the patient, "for her this would have been terrible; how she
would
have suffered !
Frankl
continued "You see such a suffering has been spared her; and it is you
who
have spared her this suffering; but now, you have to pay for it by
surviving
her and mourning her."The mansaid no word, but shook Frankl's hand and
calmly left his office." (Man's Search for Meaning)
Case study of
Harold
(Chris Wurm)
Harold
was a
middle-aged Australian whose life was rapidly spiralling out of control
As well
as a drinking problem he had financial problems- not helped by the
amount he
spent on drink - and was under considerable stress at work. His wife's
sympathy
was running out - no wonder he was also having trouble sleeping at
night. He
went to seeChris Wurm,a GP as well as a logotherapist. Wurm combined a
medical
approach - for example giving information about the damage drink was
doing -
with logotherapy. Invery fewsessions Harold's life was turned round,
partly by
the clarification the role of alcohol in his life and the alternatives.
Wurm
says"It was possible to discuss the notion that he could make choices
and
live his life in a variety of ways " ( there we see
logotherapy's
emphasis on responsibility) " some of which would be more
meaningful
than others. He was then able to reflect on the choices he had been
making (this
is the orientation towards meaning and values) , and the
possibilities
available in the future". "It was dramatic to see how determinedand
effective he became, once he saw how his old strategies were
backfiring".
Psychotherapy, Counselling & Life Coaching from the author of this page, Tim LeBon is available now in Central London
Express your interest in a consultation now
a) Strengths
ØInspiration of Viktor Frankl's life
ØRelatively simple to understand, potentially life-changing and enhancing
ØAddresses dimension of life not addressed by other therapies
ØOptimistic and constructive
b) Limitations
ØToo authoritarian ?
ØToo religious and not sufficiently scientific or rigorous?
ØToo dependent on Frankl and his intuitions ?
ØToo narrow
?
4.Developments
in Logotherapy
i) Attempts to focus on values and meanings more systematically.
James Crumbaugh, co-inventor of the Purpose in Life test, has devised a number of exercises he gives to clients to help orientate them towards meaning and values. (see separate handout). The idea is also to work out the underlying values and how you might fulfil them, in order to lead a more meaningful life.
Crumbaugh has also devised 6 lists that are used throughout analysis.
1. Life-long aims, ambitions, goals and interests going back as far as the client can remember, including those s/he no longer considers important.
2. The strong points of personality, physical and environmental circumstances, "good luck".
3. The weak points of personality, failures, "bad luck".
4. Specific problems that cause the client's conflicts.
5. Future hopes (this list may overlap with the first list above but emphasises the future whilst list 1 includes past ambitions).
6. Future plans, immediate and long-range.
In my own work, I have incorporated these into a broader framework (called RSVP) which not only tries to find things that might be meaningful and valuable put also tries to establish whether they really are …
ii)Attempts to put logotherapy on a more scientific footing
Wong
& Fry'sThe Human Quest for Meaning (1998)
represents an attempt
by a number of psychologists to create a more testable, rigorous and
up-to-date
meaning-centred therapy.One advance is work on the Life Regards Index
to
improve on the old Purpose in Life Test, in order to determine which
patients
are good candidates for logotherapy and to measure their improvement.
5.Further
Reading
and Links
Recommended books
specifically on Logotherapy include:
Frankl,
V. (1959) Man's
Search for Meaning Hodder & Stoughton
Frankl,
V. (1965) The
Doctor and the SoulAlfred A. Knopf
Frankl,
V. (1967) Psychotherapy
and Existentialism Washington Square Press
Frankl,
V. (1969) The
Will to Meaning World Publishing
Frankl,
V. (1978) The
Unheard Cry for Meaning Simon & Schuster
Bulka,
R (1979) The
Quest for Ultimate Meaning Philosophical Library, New York
Fabry,
J, Bulka, R
& Sahakian, W (ed) (1995) Finding Meaning in Life:
Logotherapy Aronson
Fabry,
J(1968) The
Pursuit of Meaning Mercier
Crumbaugh,
J.
(1973) Everything to Gain Institute of Logotherapy
Press
Wong,
P and Fry, P
(1998) The Human Quest for Meaning LEA
Books
including
sections
on Frankl & Logotherapy
Deurzen,
E. van.
(1997) Everyday Mysteries - Existential dimensions of
psychotherapy
Routledge
du
Plock, S. (ed)
(1997) Case Studies in Existential Psychotherapy &
Counselling
Wiley
Yalom,
I. (1980) Existential
Psychotherapy Basic Books
Philosophical
books on
the meaning of life
Klemke,
E.D. (ed)
(1981) The Meaning of Life OUP
Nagel,
T.(1987) What
does it all Mean? OUP
My
book, Wise
Therapy:
Philosophy for
Counsellors is published by Continuum on June 28th
2001 and
includes my analysis and development of logotherapeutic ideas.
Recommended
Web Sites
Viktor
Frankl
Onlinehttp://www.geocities.com/~webwinds/frankl/frankl.htm
Interview
with Frankl aged 90
http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9504/scully.html
5
lectures on
logotherapy: http://www.jca.apc.org/~iyuzo/Logotherapy1.htm
My own site is at http://www.timlebon.com/ Contact e-mail is frankl@timlebon.com
Keywords: Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning, Logotherapy, London therapy, existential counselling, Purpose, Meaninglessness, Meaning of Life, Meaning in Life, Viktor Frankl
Psychotherapy, Counselling & Life Coaching from the author of this page, Tim LeBon is available now in Central London
Express your interest in a consultation now
