Viktor Frankl - Chapter 6

By the mid-century, two views dominated psychology

• WHAT

• WHAT

By the mid-century, two views dominated psychology

• Psychoanalysis

• Behaviourism

Psychoanalysis

People driven by unconscious conflict (Freud’s will-to-please)

Behaviourism

People shaped and controlled by conditioning

Humanistic and existential psychologist offered a third view

People are meaning-seeking, growth-oriented and capable of choice

Vienna gave psychotherapy three schools in succession:

1. WHAT

2. WHAT

3. WHAT

Vienna gave psychotherapy three schools in succession:

1. Freud’s psychoanalysis

2. Alder’s individual psychology

3. Frankl’s logotherapy

Freud psychoanalysis

Will-to-pleasure - satisfy the id’s desires (pleasure principle)

Alder’s individual psychology

Will-to-power - overcome inferiority, attain superiority

Frankl logotherapy

Will-to-meaning - the primary source of motivation in life

What did all three of these try to do

Understand people from the inside and study health and growth not only pathology

Frankl absorbed WHAT, WHAT and WHAT

Frankl absorbed RATIONALITY, SOCIAL JUSTICE and DEEP EMOTIONALITY

Frankl was nicknamed “WHAT” as a child - endless questions

Frankl was nicknamed “THE THINKER” as a child - endless questions

At 16 Frankle delivered a public lecture “WHAT”

At 16 Frankle delivered a public lecture “On the MEANING of LIFE”

Frankl entered the camps having already drafted the WHAT and the WHAT - his ideas about choosing one’s WHAT toward WHAT were then tested beyond any research protocol

Frankl entered the camps having already drafted the DOCTOR and the SOUL - his ideas about choosing one’s ATTITUDES toward SUFFERING were then tested beyond any research protocol

Existential frustration can produce WHAT

Existential frustration can produce NOOGENIC NEUROSIS

Noogenic neurosis

A neurosis of the specifically human dimensions, the mind, rather than of psychological drives

Frankl’s claim: when distress arises form WHAT, the person needs WHAT

Frankl’s claim: when distress arises form MEANINGLESSNESS, the person needs LOGOTHERAPY

logotherapy

Help finding a reason to be

Frankl’s reversal: Stop asking what to WHAT from life - recognize that life expects something from WHAT

Frankl’s reversal: Stop asking what to EXPECT from life - recognize that life expects something from YOU

Logotherapy: The therapy of WHAT

Logothereapy: The therapy of MEANING

Logotherapy: The therapy of meaning

• Logos = Greek for WHAT

• Therapy focused in the WHAT of human WHAT and our WHAT for it

Logotherapy: The therapy of meaning

• Logos = Greek for MEANING

• Therapy focused in the MEANING of human EXISTENCE and our SEARCH for it

Meaning and values are not “WHAT” of instinctual drives or defence mechanisms

Meaning and values are not “SECONDARY RATIONALIZATIONS” of instinctual drives or defence mechanisms

People are able to live and even to die for the sake of their WHAT and WHAT

People are able to live and even to die for the sake of their IDEALS and VALUES

Body, Mind and Spirit

• Human beings are made up of the WHAT (WHAT), WHAT (WHAT) and WHAT (WHAT)

• Frankl held that while we have a body and a mind, the WHAT is who we are, our WHAT and WHAT

Body, Mind and Spirit

• Human beings are made up of the BODY (SOMA), MIND (PSYCHE) and SPIRIT (NOOS)

• Frankl held that while we have a body and a mind, the SPIRIT is who we are, our IDENTITY and ESSENCE

Man’s search fro meaning grew from Frankl’s observation in the WHAT - of WHAT and WHAT

Man’s search fro meaning grew from Frankl’s observation in the CAMPS - of OTHER and HIMSELF

Frankl believed that meaning can be found in three ways:

• Creating WHAT or doing a WHAT - what we give to the world

• WHAT something or WHAT someone - especially WHAT

• Choosing one’s WHAT toward unavoidable WHAT - the stand we take when we cannot change out WHAT

Frankl believed that meaning can be found in three ways:

• Creating WORK or doing a DEED - what we give to the world

• EXPERIENCING something or ENCOUNTERING someone - especially LOVE

• Choosing one’s ATTITUDES toward unavoidable SUFFERING - the stand we take when we cannot change out FATE

Meaning is available in ever life circumstance including the WHAT

Meaning is available in ever life circumstance including the WORST

Logotherapy as a technique - Will ask

• Have you found WHAT in your life

• Are there WHAT you have that you believe might add WHAT to your life

Logotherapy as a technique - Will ask

• Have you found MEANING in your life

• Are there GOALS you have that you believe might add MEANING to your life

The neurotic trap

• Approaching a feared situation → anticipatory WHAT → anxiety produces the WHAT → the symptom confirms the WHAT → stronger anticipatory WHAT

The neurotic trap

• Approaching a feared situation → anticipatory ANXIETY → anxiety produces the SYMPTOM → the symptom confirms the FEAR → stronger anticipatory ANXIETY

Frankl’s counter-move = have the person focus intently on the WHAT and even try to produce it more WHAT than ever (WHAT)

Frankl’s counter-move = have the person focus intently on the SYMPTOM and even try to produce it more SEVERELY than ever (PARADOXICAL INTENTION)

This then separates the person from the WHAT; deprived of the struggle against it, the symptom loses its WHAT

This then separates the person from the NEUROSIS; deprived of the struggle against it, the symptom loses its POTENCY

Similar logic to exposure therapy - approach what you WHAT and WHAT follows

Similar logic to exposure therapy - approach what you FEAR and DESENSITIZATION follows

Habit 1 - WHAT

Habit 1 - Be PROACTIVE

Habit 1, Be proactive

• The gap between what happens to you and how you answer it is WHAT. Covey insisted that nobody builds that capacity in a crisis. It gets built in traffic jams, with irate customers, with a disobedient child, the WHAT events where the extraordinary capacity is quietly WHAT and WHAT

Habit 1, Be proactive

• The gap between what happens to you and how you answer it is YOURS. Covey insisted that nobody builds that capacity in a crisis. It gets built in traffic jams, with irate customers, with a disobedient child, the ORDINARY events where the extraordinary capacity is quietly REHEARSED and DEVELOPED

Habit 2 - WHAT

Habit 2 - Begin with the end in mind (Covey's route back to the meaning a life already holds )