We invited David Srakar, a logotherapist, to discuss the characteristics and specifics of this psychotherapy approach.
What is Logotherapy and What Are Its Main Characteristics?
Logotherapy and existential analysis (also referred to as "bivijska analiza" in Slovenia) are existential and humanistic psychotherapeutic approaches to human suffering. They are considered the third Viennese school of psychotherapy (following Freud's psychoanalysis and Adler's individual psychology), founded by psychiatrist and philosopher Dr. Viktor E. Frankl in the 1930s, and further developed by many of his colleagues and students (such as Elisabeth S. Lukas, Joseph B. Fabry, and James C. Crumbaugh).Logotherapy literally means "healing through discovering meaning" (from Greek: logos – meaning, therapeuein – to heal). The main characteristic of this psychotherapeutic approach is its focus on meaning, emphasizing human freedom, responsibility, and the will to find meaning. Through meaning-oriented psychotherapeutic work, the client learns to recognize and strengthen their ability to make free and responsible decisions, develop sensitivity to finding meaning in every moment of life, adopt a defiant attitude of the human spirit in facing life’s suffering, and cultivate courage to transform suffering into a fulfilling moment of existence.
Logotherapy and existential analysis are based on a clearly defined view of humans as unique and irreplaceable beings with three interrelated dimensions: 1) the physical or bio-physical, 2) the psychological or mental, and 3) the spiritual or noetic. The primary motivational force of human existence is defined as the will to meaning, which guides individuals toward discovering meaning in every specific situation of their existence. Through a well-defined theory of meaning and values, it illuminates a dynamic map of possibilities for fulfilling meaning through three structures of reality: creative values, experiential values, and attitudinal values.
What Personally Attracted You to This Modality?
I decided to study logotherapy in my early twenties, a period marked by intense and searching questioning about the meaning of life, the purpose of my existence, my role in life, the ethical nature of my chosen way of living, and my involvement in relationships, among other things. As I transitioned from adolescence to early adulthood, I sought a definitive understanding of life's meaning that would provide a sufficient sense of security, vitality, and peace. During my study of logotherapy, I discovered that meaning does not enter human experience as something externally given, final, and unchangeable, providing an ongoing sense of certainty, security, and peace. Rather, meaning approaches the person as something continually changing, dialogically connected to every decision, choice, and behavior.This and many other insights profoundly transformed my attitude towards my own life from passive waiting for meaning to active participation and co-creative discovery of meaning in every breath, relationship, circumstance, and so forth. To summarize, I was most drawn to studying logotherapy and existential analysis due to its focus on human need and will for meaning, as well as Frankl’s first-person, experiential validation of the fundamental assumptions of logotherapy in the context of his survival of multiple concentration camps during World War II.
How Do You Work with Your Clients? What Does a Session Look Like?
In my work, I rely primarily on specific logotherapy methods such as:- Intentional Unawareness (Dereflexion),
- Paradoxical Intention,
- Detachment from oneself,
- Discussion on Meaning Discovery,
- Change of Attitude,
- Suggestive Will Training, and
- Socratic Dialogue.
These methods are complemented by other existential-phenomenological psychotherapeutic sources and techniques from Indian indigenous psychologies, particularly early Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta.
The psychotherapeutic process follows a fairly standard professional procedure. We schedule an introductory session via phone or email, where the client presents their issues, difficulties, or reasons for seeking help. I then outline the working method and provide basic information about the psychotherapy process. We agree on the goals the client wants to achieve, set the frequency of sessions (usually once a week, or twice if needed), and formalize a written therapeutic agreement.
After the introductory session, we begin the therapeutic work. The duration of therapy depends on the set therapeutic goals and the development of the client-therapist relationship (typically lasting six months or more).
Which Clients and Issues Are Most Suited to This Approach?
Logotherapy and existential analysis are suitable for working with a wide range of age groups (adolescents, adults, the elderly) and a broad spectrum of neurotic and personality disorders. They are effective in individual, couples, family, and group psychotherapeutic settings.Is Logotherapy a Suitable Approach for Anxiety Disorders?
Logotherapy can be an appropriate approach for increased anxiety, fearful anticipation, excessive fear, and other symptoms associated with anxiety disorders. When working with anxiety symptoms, logotherapy primarily relies on the method of paradoxical intention (also known as paradoxical intention), while also recognizing that success in resolving the disorder requires not just technique but also a safe, trusting, and stable therapeutic relationship between the client and the logotherapist.For What Other Issues Is Logotherapy Effective or Suitable?
In addition to anxiety disorders, logotherapy can help individuals with other forms of psychological suffering, such as:- Irritability (discontent, anger, rage),
- Deep sadness (depression),
- Despair, lack of will,
- Feelings of meaninglessness and existential emptiness,
- Emotional indifference,
- Insomnia,
- Eating disorders,
- Difficulties in interpersonal relationships (family, partner, etc.),
- Sexual dysfunctions,
- Consequences of exposure to various life-threatening circumstances (accidents, violence, abuse, loss of loved ones (breakup, divorce, death), loss of material possessions, etc.),
- Issues with addictions (alcohol, drugs, gambling, internet use, pornography, etc.), and many others.
How Does Logotherapy Address the Current Situation and the Need for Self-Isolation?
The circumstances created by COVID-19 bring many changes into our lives, such as self-isolation, economic uncertainty, reduced household income, remote schooling, increased cohabitation with close family members, heightened solitude, and many others. As we have seen in recent weeks, the Slovenian and broader global population has responded to these changes with significant solidarity from various civil, professional, and cultural sectors. Despite this collective response, individuals often find themselves alone in their daily lives, facing their own ability to make free decisions within the given societal constraints and to act responsibly toward themselves and others. This situation can bring both stress and opportunities.
Logotherapy describes the primary motivational force of human existence as the will to meaning, guiding individuals to discover meaning in every specific situation of their existence. In every existential situation, people are called by life to make free choices and respond to the questions life poses in the form of new, often challenging circumstances, thus opening opportunities to discover the meaning of their existence in relation to others and their broader environment.
Individuals can use a dynamic map of possibilities for fulfilling meaning through three structures of reality:
- Creative Values (What good and beautiful things can I create and offer to the external world?),
- Experiential Values (What good and beautiful experiences can I have in the external world? Which relationships can I kindly engage in (partner relationships, parent-child relationships, intergenerational relationships) and how?),
- Attitudinal Values (What attitudes can I change internally in response to suffering that cannot be altered through external interventions, while still living a meaningful and fulfilled life (e.g., in the case of incurable illnesses, the death of a loved one, etc.)).
During self-isolation, individuals can support themselves by asking a series of questions to help them identify their opportunities for responsible and spiritually meaningful living:
1. What is my specific distress during self-isolation? (Describe the distress as precisely and concretely as possible.)
2. Where in the given limitations of self-isolation do I recognize my free space where I can still choose and act responsibly? (Identify factors that cannot be changed and those that are changeable and influenceable.)
3. What specific options do I have within the free space during self-isolation? (Creatively list as many possibilities as you can visualize for fulfilling during self-isolation.)
4. Which of these options are most meaningful? (Prioritize options based on urgency and content importance, considering their positive societal impact.)
5. Which option can only I fulfill in the given situation and is most meaningful to me? I want to pursue this option! (Choose the most meaningful option and begin to implement and fulfill it.)
In the case of severe and uncontrollable psychological distress or worsening existing existential conditions, individuals should also maintain responsibility for their mental health and, despite feelings of helplessness and vulnerability during self-isolation, contact a support network for help, securing free professional assistance through crisis helplines, video calls with therapists, or emergency psychiatric support.
Written by David Srakar, a logotherapist.