by Christian Cacibauda
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For many, the difficulty of meaning forms a painful preoccupation. Logotherapy, founded by the late Dr. Viktor Frankl, seeks to answer deep questions of meaning by reaching beyond traditional analytic and psychotherapeutic approaches to psychology.

Logotherapy

Founded by Viennese psychiatrist Viktor Frankl in 1938, logotherapy derives its name from the Greek “logos” (for meaning), and aims to alleviate psychological distress by encouraging patients to find a meaning in their own lives. Logotherapy (and its practical component, existential analysis) operate on three basic tenets:

• Freedom of will—Human beings are not completely subject to conditions, but rather, free to decide their stance and the shape of their lives even within severely limiting internal and external conditions.
• Will to Meaning—The search for meaning is the primary source of human motivation, and the inability to pursue this meaning leads to feelings of futility or emptiness that can severely damage a patient’s psychology.
• Meaning to life—meaning is an objective reality and not an illusion arising within the perceptions of the observer. Logotherapy and existential analysis invite patients to realize the best in themselves and in the world by perceiving and realizing the meaning of whatever situation they encounter.

A Down-to-Earth Psychology

Far from an esoteric approach to psychology, logotherapy developed out of Frankl’s experiences in a realm that all but denied the human search for meaning—the death camps of Nazi Germany. Despite having witnessed all the horrors of Auschwitz, Dachau, and Bergen-Belsen, Frankl transcended his surroundings by finding something to live for, gaining valuable psychological insight in the process.

Training Available from Online Colleges

If you’ve ever considered pursuing an online degree in psychology, online courses in logotherapy and existential analysis can help support classical training in psychoanalysis and individual psychology. Bachelor’s, master’s, and even doctorate degrees are available from many colleges and universities, including online institutions.

About the Author

Christian Cacibauda is a writer and editor based in Northern Nevada.

Source(s)

Viktor Frankl Insitut