The human spirit, attitude, and freedom of choice are the foundations of logotherapy, a psychotherapeutic framework developed to help you cope with extreme distress by finding purpose in life.
Logotherapy loosely translates as “healing through meaning” in Greek. Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl developed this psychotherapy approach.
Born in 1905 in Vienna,
For the 2.5 years he spent in confinement, Frankl found himself searching for meaning within the physical and psychological tortures that he and those around him experienced daily. His observations about the power of finding purpose, even in extreme chaos, ultimately led to the development of logotherapy.
According to Frankl’s theoretical framework, finding meaning in life is essential to a person’s ability to cope, adapt, and overcome adversity, but it isn’t something found only in negative events.
It’s found in every moment, in the attitude you choose while navigating life’s difficulties, and in how you give back to the world.
Logotherapy, considered a type of existential therapy, is founded on the principle that searching for meaning in life is a core human trait and finding that meaning is the key to mental well-being and flourishing. It’s also known as meaning-centered therapy.
Frankl believed traumatic or difficult experiences could be viewed as part of a larger life roadmap, and as unavoidable events that must be endured to reach a greater, desirable purpose or outcome.
The core concepts in logotherapy
The “human spirit” is highlighted at the core of logotherapy. This is a nonreligious concept, but rather a spiritual dimension of self that allows:
- learning from mistakes
- adapting to new circumstances
- developing a conscience, a sense of right and wrong
- loving and offering a service to others
- living with passion for a cause greater than yourself
This “noetic” dimension, as Frankl described it, is what separates humans from other mammals and creates the opportunity to experience freedom of choice and personal responsibility. Noetic refers to the intellectual aspect.
The recognition of the human spirit is what guides logotherapy’s 3 basic concepts:
- Freedom of will: People choose how they respond to life and are accountable for their choices.
- Will to meaning: People are driven to find meaning in life, and when they can’t, it results in an “existential vacuum.” This refers to feelings of emptiness, apathy, and pointlessness.
- Meaning of life: Meaning and purpose come from what you can contribute to the world rather than what the world can provide for you. It requires actively seeking meaning moment-by-moment in every new experience and situation.
Simply put, Frankl theorized that nurturing the human spirit supports the quest to find meaning in life, and finding meaning in life can help people overcome even the direst of circumstances.
The quest to find meaning in life
In logotherapy, finding meaning in life isn’t limited to times of adversity. Under this psychological theory, purpose can be found through:
- Experiences: What you gain from the world, like truth, beauty, or love.
- Creations: What you give back to the world, like deeds or works.
- Attitude: How you view the world, even in times of hardship.
Frankl believed that attitude was the cornerstone of finding meaning in life. Maintaining a positive outlook was essential to effectively cope with what he called the “tragic triad.” The triad consists of three challenges almost all humans encounter in some way:
- guilt
- suffering
- death
According to logotherapy theory, even in circumstances of extreme distress or adversity, the attitude you choose can help you through or hold you back.
In psychotherapy practice, logotherapy is a type of “talk” therapy. You work closely with a trained mental health professional who guides you through existential exploration using:
- Socratic dialogue: A therapist asks thought-provoking questions in order to explore your values, feelings, and beliefs about a topic.
- Paradoxical intention: Facing your worst fears willingly, often in an exaggerated scenario, to promote a sense of control and build empowerment.
- Dereflection: Learning how to redirect your focus from your personal fears or suffering to transcendent values and ideals larger than self, like love, service to others, or spirituality.
These techniques help you develop the skills necessary to achieve Frankl’s moment-by-moment discovery of meaning in life, promoting a sense of purpose and ability to cope with hardship.
Logotherapy can help anyone experiencing the existential vacuum, described by Frankl as a pervasive sense of meaninglessness, despair, and apathy. He felt the vacuum contributed to psychological challenges such as:
Anyone can experience the existential vacuum for a variety of reasons, including:
- job loss or dissatisfaction
- death of a loved one
- loneliness or isolation
- changing religious beliefs
- relocating or moving to a new cultural environment
- experiencing trauma
- achieving a long-term goal, or a sudden loss of purpose
- retirement
- empty nest syndrome
- chronic medical conditions, like
cancer
Logotherapy may help those living with mental health conditions, but it’s also designed to help anyone going through an existential vacuum.
Limited research does support logotherapy’s effectiveness.
One
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In 2020,
A 2016 systematic review demonstrated logotherapy held promise as an effective approach to:
- improving marital satisfaction
- reducing depression among children
- addressing low meaning in life associated with mental health disorders
- reducing job burnout and empty nest syndrome
- building resiliency
Logotherapy, as a framework based on personal opinions and feelings, is difficult to investigate scientifically. Because of this, it lacks the multiple large-scale clinical trials and studies seen in other psychotherapies, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Logotherapy isn’t as popular in the United States as it is in other parts of the world, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find a logotherapist.
If you don’t currently work with a mental health professional, a primary care doctor may be a good place to start. They may be able to refer you to a local logotherapist or to another licensed therapist who can talk with you about logotherapy and its concepts.
The Viktor Frankl Institute’s search directory also provides contact information for accredited logotherapists in the country.
Logotherapy is a type of psychotherapy based on the belief that finding meaning in life promotes mental well-being and flourishing. It poses that suffering is unavoidable, but the attitude you adopt toward your experiences can help you find meaning even in times of extreme distress.
Under Viktor Frankl’s framework, logotherapy helps build resilience and encourages you to find meaningful ways to contribute to the world that help you transcend individual hardships.