Tokyo Lecture Tour

November 2012

Seigakuin-University, Tokyo

Dr. Kubotera

Meaning and the Tsunami

Affirmation of meaning in life is a bedrock foundation for survival and well-being.

18th Conference of Clinical

Thanatologists

Joshi-Seigakuin in Komagome, Tokyo

18TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF JAPANESEASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL THANATOLOGY

Logotherapy, Meaning Therapy,

& Spirituality©Paul T. P. Wong

Overview

• The role of meaning in spiritual care for cancer patients

• Dr. Frankl’s Logotherapy & his concept of spirituality

• Wong’s Meaning Therapy in tapping into the human capacity for meaning making

The Good Death

• A comfortable & pain-free death• A harmonious death• A meaningful death• A hopeful death• A peaceful death

Breitbart’s Meaning-Centered Group Therapy for Cancer Patients

• Session 1 – Concepts of meaning and sources of meaning

• Session 2 – Cancer and meaning• Session 3 – Meaning and historical context of life• Session 4 – Storytelling, life project• Session 5 – Limitations and finiteness of life• Session 6 – Responsibility, creativity, deeds• Session 7 – Experience, nature, art, humor• Session 8 – Termination, goodbyes, hopes for the

future

© Paul T. P. Wong

The Meaning Hypothesis• The capacity for meaning seeking and meaning

making (both existential & cognitive meaning)

• The primary motivation for meaning (both global meaning & situational meaning)

• Meaning offers us the best protection against existential anxieties and the best hope of living a worthy & vital life

• A meaning mindset is more adaptive than the success mindset.

The meaning mindset vs. the success mindset

SuccessFailure

Meaning Fulfillment

Emptiness

Ideal Life

Wasted Life

Shallow Life

Sacrificial Life

Gifts from our Japanese Hosts

Dr. Nagata

Katsutaro Nagata • WHO professor,

psychosomatic medicine and psychopharmacology

• Logotherapy approach to pain & illness

• Logotherapy as effective treatment for chronic pain