Viktor Frankl's Logotherapy: theory and techniques

Logotherapy was developed by Viktor Frankl, one of the main representatives of existential analysis. In these interventions, which aim to achieve vital meaning, existentialist philosophy had a great influence.

In this article we will describe the basic principles and techniques of logotherapy, as well as the types of neuroses that exist according to Viktor Frankl. Among them, the most important is the noogenic neurosis, which was the focus of this author's interest.

• Related article: "Viktor Frankl: biography of an existential psychologist"

Viktor Frankl's logotherapy

Viktor Emil Frankl (1905-1997) was a neurologist and psychiatrist Austrian who was born into a Jewish family. In 1944 he, his wife, his parents and his brother were sent to concentration camps; when the war ended Frankl was the only one still alive.

Frankl developed his theory and his psychological therapy out of his experiences as a prisoner, although he had already begun to create them earlier. In 1959 he published his key book, "Man's Search for Meaning", where he described his model: logotherapy.

Logotherapy is part of the existential analysis, a type of therapy with a marked philosophical character that focuses on the search for vital meaning in the face of existential emptiness, which causes psychological, emotional and physical symptoms. The influence of Kierkegaard, Heidegger, and Husserl is notable in Frankl's work.

According to Frankl, people we can always give meaning to our lives, regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves; this search for meaning constitutes the main vital motivation. In addition, we always have a certain degree of freedom, since we can at least decide what attitude we adopt in the face of adversity.

• Related article: "Existential crisis: when we do not find meaning in our lives"

Theory of the human being: suffering and meaning

Frankl believed that human experience has three dimensions: the somatic or physical, the mental, and the spiritual. According to this author, the origin of psychological alterations is the lack of strength of the spiritual dimensionas well as meaning in life.

He described three types of values ​​that lead to meaning and therefore to happiness: the values ​​of creation, related to work and contribution to society, those of experience (interaction with people and experiencing sensations) and those of attitude, which have to do with overcoming suffering.

for frankl the cause of mental disorders is the meaning we give to suffering, and not the discomfort itself. This basic approach was opposed to the reductionism of behaviorism of the time and anticipated cognitivist approaches.

Types of neuroses according to Frankl

Frankl described various types of neurosis depending on the causes that cause them. Noogenic neurosis stands out among them, a focus of interest in logotherapy.

1. noogen

Logotherapy is specific for noogenic neurosis, which arises as a consequence of the existential emptiness, of the non-satisfaction of the human spiritual dimension. When a person fails to give meaning to their suffering, they feel hopelessness and a sense of loss of vital meaning; Frankl calls this situation noogenic neurosis.

2. collective

Neuroses of this type affect a large number of people who share the same culture and/or were born at a certain time. He defined four attitudes as collective neuroses: fatalism (believing that everything has external causes), fanaticism (idealizing one's own beliefs and not tolerating the rest), lack of attention to the future and conformity or "thinking collectivist”.

• You may be interested: "Meditation as a remedy against fanaticism"

3. from sunday

Many people try to make sense of their lives through work and the hectic pace of the week. When the weekend, vacation or retirement arrives and you have free time, they appear feelings of apathy, boredom, and existential emptiness; in Frankl's theory this is known as Sunday neurosis and is considered a type of depression.

• Related article: "Emotional emptiness: when we are missing something that we cannot explain"

4. of unemployment

The unemployment neurosis is similar to the Sunday neurosis, but it lasts longer. When a person does not have an occupation or job, he tends to experience a state of apathy and feelings of uselessness due to a lack of vital goals.

5. Psychogenic, reactive, somatogenic and psychosomatic

This classification refers to the factors that cause the alteration. Psychogenic neuroses have psychological causes, such as attitudes, while reactive neuroses are due to an intense response of the organism to the presence of somatic or psychological symptoms.

somatogenic neuroses due to biological dysfunction, such as hyperthyroidism or excessive reactivity of the nervous system. Finally, Frankl called physical symptoms triggered by psychological factors “psychosomatic neuroses”; in this category he included asthma.

logotherapy techniques

The goal of logotherapy is to help the client give meaning to her life. To do this, according to Frankl, the speech therapist must use the following techniques.

1. socratic dialogue

Socratic dialogues consist of challenging the client's interpretations of various events (ie, his/her belief system) through logic-based questions. The Socratic dialogue was adopted by cognitively oriented psychotherapists, What Aaron Beck, and constitutes one of the fundamental pillars of cognitive restructuring.

2. dereflection

Some people lend a Excessive attention to your goals or problems, which generates anxiety and interferes with life; Frankl called the first case "hyperintention" and the second "hyperreflection." The dereflection technique consists of redirecting this attention in an appropriate and functional way.

3. Confrontation

Confrontation is a basic technique of psychotherapy in general. Is about make the client see the inconsistencies and the inadequacy of certain behaviors and attitudes so that he can be aware of them and modify them.

4. paradoxical intention

Frankl called a technique of having the client intensify his symptoms in new contexts "paradoxical intention." promoting that the symptom loses its functionality. In other words, it is intended that the client intentionally provoke what he fears, so that a logical contradiction is generated, often humorous.

Paradoxical intention is currently considered an effective technique for managing different problems, for example insomnia. It works because, when the person begins to want an event that normally causes anxiety or other negative emotions to occur, those associated consequences do not occur.