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Logotherapy techniques

Prepared by: Ms. Aachal Taywade, Nagpur. 2

About logotherapy• Developed by Viennese neurologist &

psychiatrist Viktor Frankl.• “Man’s search for meaning” which covers most

concepts of Logotherapy, was the “best seller” book. It records his experiences in the Nazi concentration camps.

• Logos- Greek word. It means study, God, or meaning.

• It postulates meaning in life.

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About logotherapy• It is 3rd Viennese school of psychotherapy.• Meaning – motivational force in human life.• Three facts are fundamental to human life: freedom of will will to meaning meaning of life.• Life has meaning under all circumstances,

even miserable ones.

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Logotherapy techniques

Therapist – helps to find meaning.Three main techniques:I. DereflectionII. Paradoxical intentionIII. Socratic dialogue.

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Dereflection

• Frankl believed that humans find meaning & satisfaction through engagement in some work.

• In some cases of neurosis & psychosis, an individual becomes so preoccupied with himself & his internal processes that he forgets the basic external orientation.

• Therefore, Attention is redirected or dereflected away from self onto others. That is, ignore symptoms to stop reflecting on himself & orient attention to the world around him.

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Dereflection examples

• An impotent is so focused on his sexual difficulties that he loses sight of the person he is in bed with, & consequently has no chance of becoming sexually aroused. This man might be encouraged to love, & instead keep his attention onto his partner & not his problem.

• An old lady complains of feeling lonely as her husband dies. She may be encouraged to focus her attention onto religious activities, music, social work, cooking, gardening or the other such things of her interest that gives meaning to her life.

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Paradoxical intention

• Wishing for very thing you are afraid of.• In this technique, client is encouraged to stop

fighting against problems & instead, to evoke mind a strong wish & intention to do, or experience just what is most terrifying & embarrassing to him.

• The aim of paradoxical intention is to undermine the client’s vicious circle by trying to replace his fear/ shame/ depression with more positive attitude.

• Humor is inherent in paradoxical intention.

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examples of paradoxical intention

• Insomniac is asked to try as hard as possible to stay awake.

• A person who is obsessed with organizing things, is asked to keep things as messy as possible.

• A person who has fear of sweating, is asked to deliberately show people how much he can sweat.

• Ascher & Pollard & frankl warned that this technique should not be used without proper assessment. It should not be used in suicidal cases.

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Socratic dialogue

• Therapist enters into dialogue & debate with the client & poses questions in such a way that patients become aware of their unconscious decisions, their repressed hopes & unadmitted self knowledge,

• Client’s own words are used as a method of self discovery.• By asking specific questions, meaning in one’s life is raised

into consciousness.• It helps to find and the freedom to fulfill meaning.• It allows client to discover what they already knew.

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example of socratic dialogue

• A middle aged woman spent much of her life caring for her elderly parents & consequently feels depressed that she wasted her life.

What would have happened to your parents if you had

not cared for them??

Umm..!! I guess they would have had to live in

old age home. They would have had free services

which would have killed my father because he was

a very proud man..

Th.Cl.

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So you spared your parents much

suffering by your sacrifices. Have they really been in vain??

I don’t regret what I’ve done. They had only me. They gave

me life. My care just added a few

years to their life. It does count something. Th.Cl.

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Concluding comments.

• Logotherapy helps to discover higher purpose in life.

• Gives ultimate solutions• Best technique to survive n come out of worst

situations in life.• A very positive approach to life.• Criticized for similarities with religion.Based on

faith, not science.• According to Rollo May, logotherapy techniques

are authoritarian.

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References

• Frankl, Viktor (1 June 2006). Man's Search for Meaning. Beacon Press. ISBN 978-0-8070-1427-1.

• "About Logotherapy". Viktor Frankl Institute Vienna. Retrieved 22 May 2012

• Maria Marshall; Edward Marshall (4 August 2012). Logotherapy Revisited: Review of the Tenets of Viktor E. Frankl's Logotherapy. Ottawa Institute of Logotherapy. ISBN 978-1-4781-9377-7.

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…references

• Frankl, Viktor On the Theory and Therapy of Mental Disorders. An Introduction to Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, Brunner-Routledge, London-New York, 2004. ISBN 0-415-95029-5

• Cooper, M. Existential therapies.(May 2004)Sage publications

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