INTRODUCTION TO LOGOTHERAPY Where are we? What is Rock Bottom? The “rock bottom” myth is nothing other than a misleading idea, an urban myth, about denial. In fact, acting like the painful or otherwise damaging experience is valuable is inherently dangerous. People have died over this flawed principle and many more have been unnecessarily cratered emotionally because of it. The “rock bottom” theory should be re-stated as an issue regarding denial. The only "benefit" to suffering a personal tragedy as a result of drug use (including alcohol) is that it may make it impossible to pretend that your continued use or abuse isn't harmless. You're forced to admit to yourself that it's a problem. If you had to hit “rock bottom”, it's likely to be because you were previously in denial, not because the suffering itself was beneficial to your situation. It goes without saying that not everybody will hit "rock bottom". Some will realize that there is a deeper issue before improperly labeling it as a “rock bottom” causes serious, irreparable damage. If you had to hit a low point, this doesn't mean that your case is more severe than cases where somebody got clean without that experience; it just means your denial persisted for a little longer. The first step of the 12 steps is admitting you have a problem, and like all of the other steps, it takes some people longer to reach it than others. This doesn't have any reflection on you other than the fact that we are all individuals and we are all different from one another. With all of this said, there is some use that this theory can have in that a typical "rock bottom" experience and be something of a wake-up call to the user. After losing a job, or becoming homeless, we may take a long hard look in the mirror and realize that something has to change. This is likely the intention of this theory in a "scared straight" kind-of-way but it's also a launching point for our dialogue today. There’s a line from an old song from my younger days that goes, “Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose, and nothin' ain't worth nothin' but it's free,” and there’s a lot of wisdom in those words by Kris Kristofferson. It’s been said that are two things that motivate people to make dramatic changes in their lives: inspiration and desperation. We are here today, most of us, because of the latter, desperation, in that many of us have experienced versions of: homelessness, loss of loved ones, trauma, PTSD, suicidal thoughts and actions, depression, childhood sexual abuse, financial ruin, alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling addiction, sex addiction, prostitution, sexual slavery, incarceration, rage, violence, legal problems, divorce, broken families, and many other versions of extreme dysfunction. There is actually a tremendous power in having experienced these difficulties, and it positions those of us who choose to be aware of it, in a place where we can use these supposedly unfortunate tragedies as a springboard forward towards where we’d rather be. Realizing and embracing the defectiveness of our human condition helps us to appreciate our shortcomings realistically and realize that our great
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opportunity lies in our incompleteness: our opportunity to grow, change, and evolve. We are, after all, the only meaning-seeking animal. Other animals also look for sexual pleasure and power, but as far as we know, no other animals are concerned with meaning. We will find that we are not victims of our own biographies and our future identities will be formed not by what we receive, as we have been brought up to believe, but by what we give. The following are paraphrases of the techniques that we’ll be discussing today: Reframing our situations: The first thing you will need to do if you have hit a point of no further denial, or “rock bottom”, is to reframe the situation. The key is viewing your current situation as an opportunity to take your life to a level far beyond where you are at today. I can honestly say that the failures that have lead to me where I'm at today, and I have plenty of them, have been incredibly powerful lessons and I have realized failures are actually just a part of the path to success. Nothing to Lose: The beauty of hitting rock bottom is that you truly have nothing to lose. When you hear stories of homeless people spending their time in libraries and filling their minds with knowledge to eventually become millionaires, it makes you realize that you have tremendous power to change your life if you can just tap into it. The beauty of having nothing to lose is that it gives you the power to be completely detached from outcomes, one of the biggest things that gets in the way of accomplishing goals. One thing you can say, that many wealthy people of privilege cannot say, is that you own your possessions . . . they don’t own you! This is a liberating opportunity to begin building who you want to be on the ashes of who you have been. There is literally nothing to hold you back! Big Risks/Big Goals: With absolutely nothing to lose, you are in the in perfect position to take big risks and set big goals. When you are not at “rock bottom” you can actually get caught in the trap of your comfort zone. When you are at a low point, you have a huge opportunity to really push the envelope of what's possible. The byproduct is that you can now live a life that is far better than what you had ever originally imagined. If you are at a low point in your life, I encourage you to give some thought as to why this moment could be a defining moment that completely changes the trajectory of your life. If you're asking yourself "why am I in this situation, this sucks", then you are setting yourself up for failure. You're going to need to shift your focus and ask yourself the question "How can I use this opportunity to take my life to the next level?" You may discover what I consider a probability: that your life situation is an inverted blessing and you are in one of the most fortunate circumstances to change your life for the positive that is possible! If you can open your mind to embarking upon this thought path, and can start using some of the principals that we’re about to discuss, you'll find that dramatic positive change is inevitable. To move forward in our discussions, let’s look at what we really need to survive (HINT: not much).
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Abraham Maslow in his famous “Hierarchy of Needs” explains that there is an ascending hierarchy of needs that, when satisfied, releases the needs of the next order:
Physiological needs – food, water, oxygen, sleep, sex Safety needs – security from threat and danger Belongingness and love needs Esteem needs – respect, self-respect, prestige Growth and self-actualization needs.
I’m here, in front of you all, today to discuss the evidence-based findings of a man who was able to overcome the lack of all of these needs and yet survive psychologically, due to an attitudinal way of thinking, and approaches life’s experiences, both good and bad. He faced the certainty of his own death, witnessed the death of countless others including his own pregnant wife and his parents, was regularly deprived of food, sleep, shelter, and safety while uncovering and curating his purpose in living so that he might take these principles to those in less need so that they might be able to experience the miracles of their powerful nature. His name was Viktor Frankl and he was born in 1905 into a Jewish family in Vienna, Austria. Even as a child, he never wavered from his dream, pursuing medicine, neurology, and psychiatry. Later in life, he reflected this idea of 'the pursuit' with: "Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives." While in pursuit of his medical degree a friend pointed out to Frankl his extraordinary gift for psychiatry and philosophy which prompted Frankl later to write, "It is difficult to believe what decisive turns in our lives we sometimes owe to even casual remarks made by another person." Drawn from a young age to behavioral psychology, Dr. Frankl studied the teachings of both Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler, all the while staging his own very important, very different theory: logotherapy - most simply defined as healing through meaning or growth through meaning. Although his practice and theory was not well received with some medical professionals of the time, he came to be awarded with 21 distinguished honors and awards, and American Journal of Psychiatry's claim that his work was "the most significant thinking since Freud and Adler." There is absolutely no doubt that his teachings, his therapies, and his influence in a world grasping for some semblance of meaning were heard and continue to be heard today. Logotherapy is not so much a method to cure the sick as it is a method to maintain health through a world view that stresses what is right with us rather than what is wrong. Viktor Frankl was unprepared for the unbelievable horrors he would be subjected to with the advance and occupation of his city, religion, and culture by Adolf Hitler and his Nazis however his studies in how 2942 W. Lake St., Chicago, IL 60612 http://www.anb.today 773.940.2960
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suffering can be overcome attitudinally were deeply embedded in his psyche. We got a glimpse as to how he came to survive the atrocities of the Holocaust, when he famously said, "When we are no longer able to change a situation - just think of an incurable disease such as inoperable cancer - we are challenged to change ourselves." The unspeakable horrors, ones that we still cringe at today, are difficult to imagine. The terror and cruelty, to put it lightly, leave us in despair - leave us shamed to be part of a species that could commit genocide. But, there is also a sense of wonder in understanding how those persecuted and subjected to torture and murder could possibly stay intact - stay human. Viktor Frankl witnessed and experienced incomprehensible suffering at Auschwitz and the 3 other death camps he was imprisoned in; People in the camps, he said, either committed suicide in one form or another or they continued to live despite the meaninglessness of their suffering; he wasn't prepared for the terrible suffering all around him 24/7 and the accompanying numbing pain; he wasn't prepared for the unimaginable grief, trauma and loss of the Holocaust; but he was psychologically prepared to adapt his physical and mental focus to any situation, and to help others do the same. After surviving the Holocaust and losing his family, which he describes in his book Man's Search for Meaning, he returned to civilization with his foundation tested and beliefs proven. Though his road to recovery was long, he found placid structure again achieving his Ph.D. in 1949, receiving 29 honorary doctorates and authored 32 books. Frankl was the first non-American to receive the American Psychiatric Association’s prestigious Oskar Pfister Prize. He lectured at 209 universities all over the world including Harvard and Stanford and led a meaning filled life until his death in 1997 at age 92. Frankl's logotherapy and existential analysis is considered the third Viennese School of Psychotherapy, among the broad category that comprises existentialists. For Irvin Yalom, Frankl, "has devoted his career to a study of an existential approach to therapy, has apparently concluded that the lack of meaning is the paramount existential stress. To him, existential neurosis is synonymous with a crisis of meaninglessness". He coined the term, Sunday Neurosis (which does not always occur on Sunday) referring to a form of anxiety resulting from an awareness of the emptiness in our lives once the working week is over where many of us complain of a void and a vague discontent. This arises from an existential vacuum, or feeling of meaninglessness, which is a common phenomenon and is characterized by the subjective state of boredom, apathy, and emptiness. Much like the DSM-V criterion for Borderline Personality Disorder: "chronic feelings of emptiness" become constant and one can feel cynical, lacks direction, might question the point of most of life's activities and may exhibit the following symptomology:
Alienation – The function of cellphones, texting, emails, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, and the billion or so apps that each phone has these days, all becomes crystal clear as one suddenly realizes their true function: to keep the existentially void of us numb and stupefied toward the meaninglessness of our lives. Even though we may physically exist in the midst of a bustling, crazy civilization, we slip away - go off the grid. The white noise of the news and civilization that once kept us connected we now feel a stranger to. 2942 W. Lake St., Chicago, IL 60612 http://www.anb.today 773.940.2960
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Misanthropy (a dislike of humankind, especially women) - While others are engaged in the drama of human existence the existentially frustrated individual will walk around the street getting angrier and angrier at the very sight of the countless drones whose canceled faces are being sucked into their cellphones. Judgement of others, no matter what they’re doing becomes inescapable and eventually suffocating. Self-Hatred - Occurs only after the frustrated individual realizes it is usually his or herself whose nose is only an inch away from the dull glowing touchscreen (please note, these gadgets only exacerbate (make much worse) the vacuum, they're not the origin (don't be pissed at the gadgets)). Pointless guilt, shame and remorse propel the past into the present in a manner that can create such a powerful feeling of having wasted one’s life, that it becomes unbearable. Uncleanliness - Hygiene is something most of us keep up as courtesy for the other. If one's close relationships are seen as meaningless, then surely impressing the pretty dentist is futile, as the dentist will never go near that filthy mouth, so hygiene is then liable to fall by the wayside. Some of us might become likely to redefine the word “cavity” to a positive: another place to store small shit (e.g. snowcaps, wasabi peas, and nerds). Idleness - The holiday of fools is the direct result of the inability to do anything. It's not like any of us actively wants to do nothing, but most everything becomes labeled as purposeless. It's hard to do things without a purpose or any end in-sight so excessive thumb twiddling is common during idleness, or rearranging things that don't need rearranging, in which case idleness turns into something worse: unproductive productivity.
These were examples of some deeply intrinsic psychological and behavioral symptoms we face when the existential vacuum has effectively blinded us to our life's meaning. But there are other more problematic manifestations, for instance: increased sexual libido, drugs, and abusive drinking, plus there is another grave potential eventuality: suicide. Viktor Frankl, in 'Part Two' of Man's Search for Meaning writes: "Moreover, there are various masks and guises under which the existential vacuum appears. Sometimes the frustrated will to meaning is vicariously compensated for by a will to power, the will to money. In other cases, the place of frustrated will to meaning is taken by the will to pleasure. That is why existential frustration often eventuates in sexual compensation. We can observe in such cases that sexual libido becomes rampant in the existential vacuum." He put it more simply when he wrote: "When a person can’t find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure.” Power, money, sex, and drugs - the primitive will to pleasure - are some common active engagements one is liable to amplify in order to counter the knowingness of the existential vacuum. Sadly, these 2942 W. Lake St., Chicago, IL 60612 http://www.anb.today 773.940.2960
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more shallow activities can offer us only a brief reprieve that comes with a big snapback, like the tail of a whip. They are not strong enough to clog the sucking power of the vacuum (the existential vacuum). Another important Frankl concept goes like this: "It goes without saying that not each and every case of depression is traced back to a feeling of meaninglessness, nor does suicide - in which depression sometimes eventuates - always result from an existential vacuum." What Frankl is saying here, is that this phenomenon is of the mind and is with us no matter what we do, or what pills we take, and it's not ever going to go anywhere on its own . . . until we do something about it. Rephrased: life is meaningless until we give it meaning. Frankl quotes Nietzsche several times throughout "Man's Search for Meaning" with this nugget: "He who has a WHY to live for can bear almost any HOW." FLASH: The vacuum’s bane is an authentic existence based on a genuine and very real, 'why'. However, this ‘why’ isn't just given to us. It takes work. And it is not we who ask what is the meaning to life, but it us who are being asked. So what is our answer? Viktor tells us: "Don't aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one's personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it. I want you to listen to what your conscience commands you to do and go on to carry it out to the best of your knowledge. Then you will live to see that in the long-run-in the long-run, I say! - success will follow you precisely because you had forgotten to think about it" (emphatic silence) So we cannot directly seek our meaning or our purpose or we might unintentionally experience a frustration, an unwanted and perhaps destructive, hypervigilance which can worsen into an anxiety and begin leaking toxic thoughts and emotions into all kinds of areas where they can do damage. It’s a little like looking directly into the sun, it’s not necessary for us to know it’s there. Happiness is the by-product of having found meaning. Life does not owe you happiness; it offers you meaning and while ultimate meaning basically can never fully be found but only approached, just as the horizon can only be approached, the meaning of the moment can be found and fulfilled.
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How do we find meaning in the moment? We follow the voice of our consciences – weak and as prone to error as they may be – and all we can ever expect to do is our honest best, what I call giving it our “best effort”. We may find that the responses that other people found meaningful over thousands of years are useful, but we have the freedom to disregard these and respond in our own unique ways. And unlike some existential philosophers who simply speak of enduring the meaninglessness of life, Viktor Frankl's Logotherapy teaches us personal actions, behaviors, and techniques toward countering the meaninglessness by welcoming it, and living authentically in spite of it. Life only becomes meaningless when we repress or deny our relationship with its ultimate meaning. Viktor Frankl's ABC's to Discover Meaning: A) Creating a work, or doing a deed. We can either commit suicide in the face of the absurdity of our existential vacuum, or we can create our own work of art that is our life. B) Experiencing something or encountering someone (especially all forms of LOVE). Vague I know, but the people in our lives obviously impact us a great deal. We need them and they need us, we experience each other. C) By the attitudes we take toward unavoidable suffering. Viktor Frankl's Categorical Imperative of Logotherapy: "Live as if you were living already for the 2nd time and as if you had acted the first time as wrongly as you are about to act now." His advice was to go out there and reengage reality; feel the void minus its illusion of danger – there’s no reason to fear it; live your life as it is likely the only one you'll get; and don't worry because even though nobody cares about you, you will be OK. These are some of the subjects that we’ll be talking about today, because most of us know them . . . with great familiarity. I am convinced that if this guy could discover meaning in Auschwitz, then the rest of us can do it in big cities where there is an abundant supply of free Panera and not-bad coffee! Viktor Frankl also had a sense of humor. He once famously recommended that the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast of the United States be complemented by a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast: “Freedom, however, is not the last word. Freedom is only part of the story and half of the truth. Freedom is but the negative aspect of the whole phenomenon whose positive aspect is responsibleness. In fact, freedom is in danger of degenerating into mere arbitrariness unless it is lived in terms of responsibleness. That is why I recommend that the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast be supplemented by a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast.” So freedom must be balanced out by responsibility, otherwise it is a toxic right that can turn on us before we know what has happened. Yes, we have the freedom to do as we wish but do we also have 2942 W. Lake St., Chicago, IL 60612 http://www.anb.today 773.940.2960
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the responsibility to manage it? THAT is the question! The Philosophy of Meaning of Life starts with the basic conviction that life has unconditional meaning, which cannot vanish under any circumstances. In other words, that life holds a meaning in any situation, even the most miserable. This belief asserts that the whole of the world has meaning and purpose to it, and therefore, every particle, every life, and every life experience potentially hide meaning in themselves. Meaning may not be always available to our human perception, and to our comprehension because we are finite human beings. However, this finiteness presents a challenge to us which can only be overcome only with an unconditional expectation of meaning in life. A uniquely human capacity that we all have, and which is similar to a pre-knowledge, or awareness of meaning in our lives, is called intuition. Our intuition is a foreknowledge, that our existence is basically wanted in the world. Reflecting on the mere fact of our existence, the miracle of life, the complexity, and beauty of nature, and the vastness of the universe, can make us aware that we have been protected, and that we are awaited in the world: …The intuitions and sensing of all peoples and generations, concealed in a thousand symbols and rites, [implies] that the whole must have some kind of ultimate meaning behind it which goes beyond chaos and chance... Even though, in every-day life, suffering, in the form of pain, guilt, and death, fate, and accidents, or simply being human, and aspiring for an understanding of life, and our place in it, presents us with a dilemma: “…The question is: Is existence nothing but a mass of nonsense, or it is a mass of ultimate meaning? This question cannot be answered by the natural sciences alone. It cannot be answered at all, it is completely unsolvable problem - rather, it must be decided. All being is ambiguous: both interpretations - both the interpretations “nonsense” and the interpretation “ultimate meaning” are possible. Both are thinkable: that being is a total nonsense, and that it is a total ultimate meaning; but these are indeed two “thinkables”, two thought possibilities, and not thought necessities. With respect to the decision we are called upon to make there is no logical coercion; in no way are we logically forced, logically obliged to decide for one or the other. Both interpretations are logically of equal status. Logically there is as much which speaks for the one interpretation as for the other. The equal status of the two answers: the answer “absolute nonsense” and the answer “absolute ultimate meaning” results in the responsibility of the respondent. He is not only faced with a question - no: he is faced with a decision, and in fact, an existential decision, but not an intellectual decision. What
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he must perform is not the “intelligere”, not a factual realization - but rather personal commitment. Reasons and objections are balanced like a scale; but the decision maker throws the weight of his own being onto one side of the scales. It is not knowledge which makes this decision, but rather faith; but faith is not thinking minus the reality of that which is thought, but rather thinking, enriched by the existentiality of the thinker.” In Logotherapy, to be a human being means to be free to consciously decide what stand to take towards the events in our lives. The challenge he presented us is to uncover the meaning in our own lives, to choose our moment and live it, to choose our purpose in all life's challenging and rewarding situations, to believe and allow others the same freedom, and to shape our lives around the right decisions even in the face of unspeakable suffering. Now, changing channels for a moment, I’d like to quote IODAPCA’s definition of what a “Healthy Personality” is – this is what we are striving to achieve through all of our efforts at Above and Beyond:
Absence of anxiety Realistic evaluation of oneself and one’s environment Realistic values Good interpersonal relationships Ability to love and have empathy for others Flexibility – ability to accept and adapt to change Emotional independence – no need for emotional support from others Respect for one’s self and others Ability to accept frustration and disappointment Sense of individuality – capable of conforming to the norms of society and, at the same time, capable of deciding when it would be undesirable to conform A sense of independence – ability to work toward own goals without being constantly concerned about what others may think or say A sense of responsibility – taking into account the consequences of won actions and being sensitive and responsive to the needs of others Realistic goals Personal values and philosophy of life Problem-solving attitude.
We can achieve versions of these goals by quieting our minds, memorizing principals, being ever vigilant as to our behaviors and the thoughts that drive those behaviors. In other words, we can bully them into play with guidelines and the expense of constant energy . . . or we can achieve them by uncovering our own purpose, or meaning, in life which can draw us to them. 2942 W. Lake St., Chicago, IL 60612 http://www.anb.today 773.940.2960
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Viktor Frankl Quotes
I propose that we do both; we continue with our groups, our counseling, our support mechanisms, and all the good work we have going right now, but that we also include a new perspective . . . one of figuring out what the hell we’re doing on this earth, and what we can do to make our lives more meaningful. The life and works of Viktor Frankl allow us a well-worn, proven path for how to do this, one which we will embark upon post haste.
"Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated. Thus, everyone's task is unique as is his specific opportunity to implement it." "A man's concern, even his despair, over the worthwhileness of life is an existential distress but by no means a mental disease." "In the past, nothing is irretrievably lost, but rather, on the contrary, everything is irrevocably stored and treasured. To be sure, people tend to see only the stubble fields of transitoriness but overlook and forget the full granaries of the past into which they have brought the harvest of their lives: the deeds done, the loves loved, and last but not least, the sufferings they have gone through with courage and dignity."
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MEANING-CENTERED EXERCISES Exploring Meaning and Purpose How do we stay alive in a meaning-centered world? Everything we do, touch, conceptualize, wish for, want, and have a will for is contained within our personal sense of Meaning. To understand human beings is to be able to sit inside our unique Meanings (seeing things from each of our perspectives). The suffering that we experience is beyond only a physical pain, because suffering is an existential angst, and surfaces when Meaning has been lost or our understanding of the world has been ruptured. We help each other by fostering or illuminating each other's unique Meaning of the Moment. By engaging our spirits, we experience a meaningful life in which our unique essence and presence can thrive once more. What a gift it is to be a part of someone's journey toward Meaning Discovery and meaningful existence, and ultimately, selftranscendence. These exercises explore concepts related to meaning and purpose in life. An in-depth exploration of Logotherapy's concepts of Meaning, the Meaning Triangle (Creativity, Experiences, Attitude), and opportunities to discover Meaning in Life, provides a framework for being able to find meaning in life at any given moment, regardless of the difficult situations or events we may be experiencing. Logotherapy's main premise is that Meaning is always available to be discovered, even amidst life's tragic elements and events. They also examine our personal identity, and how we can move from merely addressing the "doing" components of our identity toward including the "being" components of living. This shift in perspective will allow us to begin living more mindfully and experiencing connection and self-transcendence through meaningful engagement. When we discover our unique meanings of the moment, we often find that life retains a significance and purpose, regardless of the many limitations, difficulties and tragedies we have faced and dealt with in the past or will encounter in the present and future. DURING THIS PERIOD THE THERAPIST/ FACILITATOR WILL: Break this Conceptual Pictograph into 3 sections: Meaning of the Moment and Ultimate Meaning: Meaning of the Moment: Can be found and fulfilled; opportunities to act with purposeful living, and to be aware of the meaning possibilities of each moment. Give examples; have patients give examples. Ultimate Meaning: Can basically never be attained; like the horizon, we walk toward it,
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always seeing it in the near distance but never reaching it, until facing our last moments of life. In fact, Viktor Frankl stated that we may not even experience Ultimate Meaning until after death; however, we make decisions in the moment based on our personal conscience that hopefully are consistent with the transcendent values found in Ultimate Meaning. Give examples; have patients give examples. The Meaning Triangle and Finding Meaning in Life through Creativity, Experiences, and Attitudes, with Questions on what one experiences through Creativity, Experiences, and Attitudes: Creativity: What I give to life through my creativity. What creative gifts have I offered to others through my innate gifts and talents in my work, deeds done, or goals achieved that held meaning for me? Experiences: What I receive from life through experiences. What experiences have I received from encountering others in relationships of all kinds, from nature, culture or religion that were deeply meaningful? Attitudes: The stance I take toward life through my attitude in the face of unavoidable suffering, guilt or death. What attitudinal values have I realized by taking a stance that was courageous or selftranscending in response to a situation or circumstance beyond my control? Guideposts to Sources of Meaning- Opportunities and areas to discover meaning in life: SELF DISCOVERY- Discovering the "Authentic Self" behind any masks or behaviors. Who Am I: Examining myself today, accepting myself along with my past. What Do I Want To Become: Exploring possibilities for the future. CHOICE- Becoming aware of possibilities for change, even in limiting situations and conditions. Change Situation: Seeing opportunities to choose different options in this situation. Change Attitude: Exploring new attitudes that are possible in this situation. UNIQUENESS- Recognizing our personal uniqueness in what we offer to the world through 2942 W. Lake St., Chicago, IL 60612 http://www.anb.today 773.940.2960
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our creativity and in our relationships. Creativity: Adding my personal creativity to experiences. Personal Relationships: Experiencing and sharing my uniqueness with others. RESPONSIBILITY- By responding to situations with the choices we make. Freedom: The ability to make choices or change our attitude. Fate: The choice to change our attitude in the face of unalterable or unavoidable situations or events. SELF-TRANSCENDENCE- Going beyond ourselves in service and commitments toward people we love and causes we believe in. Toward a Person: Giving of ourselves in relationships with others. Toward a Cause: Giving of ourselves in the causes that are greater than us (e.g., feeding the homeless, non-profit organizations, volunteer work). Use each section as a psycho-educational piece or in homework assignments to facilitate orientation toward Meaning. Ask patients to identify areas in each of the three sections where they have been able to find meaning, as well as where they have struggled; journaling and/or discussing these areas in therapy can be very therapeutic. In the areas where the patients have struggled, assist them to review the meaning discovered in the struggle, as well as work on finding additional meaning to derive growth and understanding in the present. Specifically in Guideposts to Sources of Meaning, ask patients to identify where they have found meaning in the past, where they find meaning today, and where they can find or would hope to find meaning and growth in the future; (extensive work can be done in each of the 5 areas). Have patients draw their own Meaning Triangle, and make a list under each angle-Attitudes, Creativity, and Experiences. Facilitate a discussion about those areas that have been meaningful in the past, and assist in identifying new ways meaning can be discovered in each of these areas. Ask patients to draw an interactive Meaning Triangle; patients can do this project on any size poster-board, construction paper, or regular size paper, draw a visible Triangle in the center with the labels of Attitudes, Creativity, and Experiences on each angle. Ask patients to insert pictures, 2942 W. Lake St., Chicago, IL 60612 http://www.anb.today 773.940.2960
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cutouts from magazines or books, greeting cards, small mementos or treasures (or pictures of them), sayings, quotes or stories, drawings, and any other meaningful representation of each angle - Attitudes, Creativity, and Experiences, around the triangle; or create a collage in which the meaningful representations overlap and together create a visible Triangle. Search for meaningful threads to interweave into discussions and therapy. Ask patients to discuss each meaningful representation. Ask patients to discuss the meaning of the entire project; what they were able to derive from it; and how they can use this information to go forward in life. In group therapy, facilitate a discussion on each of the angles - Attitudes, Creativity, and Experiences and, based on their new found knowledge of each other, ask members to help each other identify possible examples of meaning; and also highlight new areas of meaning.
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BASIC TENETS OF FRANKLIAN PSYCHOLOGY 1)
Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable ones. 2) Our main motivation for living is our will to find meaning in life. 3) We have freedom to find meaning in what we do and what we experience, or at least in the stand we take when faced with a situation of unchangeable suffering 4) The human being is seen in Logotherapy as a totality comprised of body (soma), mind (psyche), and spirit (nods). We can neither understand a person nor facilitate healing in his/her life if we disregard the human spirit as a primary reservoir of strength and health. 5) The spirit within us is our core of health containing our will to find meaning, our goal orientation, and our capacities for choice (beyond the instinctual), love (beyond the sexual), imagination, abstract thought, artistic creativity, religious faith, self-discovery, and transcendence. 6) The search for meaning is seen as central to human existence. 7) It is our innermost desire to make sense of our lives in spite of apparent chaos, injustice, suffering, and boredom. 8) We are warned that our pursuit of meaning in life can be thwarted by affluence, hedonism, materialism, and the crumbling of traditional values. These roadblocks to meaning may result in inner emptiness, doubt, frustration, despair, and neurosis. 9) Our attention is refocused toward the human spirit, not in a moral-religious sense, but as a resource of health. 10) It focuses our attention on the quality of our life and on our goals, ideals, and potentials. 11) It also focuses our attention on our ability to take control of our lives. 2942 W. Lake St., Chicago, IL 60612  http://www.anb.today 773.940.2960
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SELF HELP QUESTIONNAIRE We can help ourselves by asking ourselves the following questions: 1. What is my problem?
2. Where is my area of freedom? (I am not free from fate, but I am free to choose my response.)
3. What possible choices do I have?
4. Which possible choice is most meaningful? (Only one's conscience can help determine what is best for all concerned.)
5. Which choice will I bring into reality?
We can guide ourselves only from number one through four above, but not with number five. We can help ourselves to regain basic trust for facing our lives by assisting each other in understanding the following truthisms that are also foundational to the core beliefs of Above and Beyond: 1. I am indestructible. (Basic trust helps us believe we are indestructible. With basic mistrust, one wants so much for the acceptance of others.) 2. I am basically wanted. 3. I am awaited. (There are meaningful tasks that await me.) 4. I am important for the world; I am a co-creator. 5. I am guided by my conscience. (I am not without orientation. I can get lost, but my conscience is my close friend.) 6. I am included in an ultimate meaning. (I belong to something higher. I am not quite alone.) 7. My life is treasured and preserved in the truth and reality of the universe. (The essence of me can never be damaged.) 8. My achievements are the harvest of my life that cannot be lost. 9. I do not need feedback from the outside. (The realities of our own life cannot be taken away. We are not dependent upon others to validate our lives, nor our achievements). 10. I believe that I am unique in the whole universe.
2942 W. Lake St., Chicago, IL 60612  http://www.anb.today 773.940.2960
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Discovery Worksheet Creative Values Discovery What would you like your future efforts to result in? What would you like to see happen from your efforts?
Are there things you would like to see happen as a result of your future activities or work?
Name some changes you would enjoy seeing in your relationships with specific people (loved ones, friends, work colleagues, enemies, etc).
Experiential Values Discovery What would you like to experience in your future?
Which experiences you've had in the past have brought you the most joy, or fulfillment , or satisfaction?
Are there certain things you'd like to do?
Are there things or places you'd like to see?
Are there people you'd like to meet?
Are there people you'd like to learn from?
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Attitudinal Values Discovery What does freedom allow you to do?
What are other options it gives you?
Can you envision living your life, even if your circumstances are difficult, as a proud human being?
Lending some assistance to others?
Confronting difficulties with dignity through recognizing you are a highly valuable human being?
Created by God or the Universe purposefully and having all that value within you?
Can you demonstrate dignity and pride while others around you may complain and moan about circumstances?
How does it make you feel to make the statement? (please say it out loud). I will envision living my life, even if my circumstances are difficult, as a proud human being!
How about this one? (please say it again out loud) I will demonstrate dignity and pride while others around me complain and moan about circumstances!
2942 W. Lake St., Chicago, IL 60612  http://www.anb.today 773.940.2960
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