Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy: theory and techniques

This form of psychological intervention developed from existentialist philosophy.

Logotherapy was developed by Viktor Franklone of the main representatives of existential analysis. Existentialist philosophy had a great influence on these interventions, which are aimed at the achievement of vital meaning.

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

Viktor Frankl's logotherapy

Viktor Emil Frankl (1905-1997) was a neurologist and psychiatrist Austrian who was born in 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 psychological theory and therapy from 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 framed within the framework of existential analysisa 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 can always give meaning to our livesThis search for meaning is the main motivation for life, regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. 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.

Theory of the human being: suffering and meaning

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

He described three types of values that led to meaning and, therefore, to happiness: the values of creation, related to work and contribution to society, those of experience (interaction with people and experience of 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.and not the discomfort itself. This basic approach was opposed to the reductionism of the behaviorism of the time and anticipated the cognitivist approaches.

Types of neurosis according to Frankl

Frankl described various types of neurosis depending on the causes that provoke them. that provoke them. Among them the noogenic neurosis, focus of interest of the logotherapy, stands out.

1. Noogenic

Logotherapy is specific for noogenic neurosis.which arises as a consequence of existential emptiness, of the non-fulfillment of the human spiritual dimension. When a person is unable to give meaning to his suffering, he feels 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. people who share the same culture and/or were born in a certain era. 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 "collectivist thinking".

3. On Sunday

Many people try to give meaning to their lives through work and the frenetic rhythm of the week. When the weekend, vacations or retirement come and you have free time, feelings of apathy, boredom and existential emptiness 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.

• Article related: "Emotional emptiness: when we lack something that we cannot explain".

4. Of unemployment

The neurosis of unemployment is similar to that of Sunday, but it is prolonged during more time. When a person does not have occupation or work tends to experience a state of apathy and feelings of uselessness for lack of vital goals.

5. Psychogenic, reactive, somatogenic and psychosomatic

This classification refers to the factors that originate 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 are due to Biological dysfunctionssuch 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 his or her life. To do this, according to Frankl, the logotherapist should use the following techniques.

1. Socratic dialogue

Socratic dialogues consist of challenging the client's interpretations of different events (i.e., his or her belief system) through questions based on logic. Socratic dialogue was adopted by cognitively oriented psychotherapists, such as Aaron Beck, and onesuch as Aaron Beck, and constitutes one of the fundamental pillars of cognitive restructuring.

2. De-reflection

Some people provide a excessive attention to their goals or problems, which generates anxiety and interferes with life.Frankl called the first case "hyperintention" and the second "hyperreflection". The technique of de-reflection consists of redirecting this attention in an appropriate and functional way.

3. Confrontation

Confrontation is a basic technique of psychotherapy in general. It consists of to make the client see the incongruities and inadequacy of certain behaviors and attitudes so that he/she can become aware of them and modify them.

4. Paradoxical intention

Frankl called "paradoxical intention" a technique consisting of making the client intensify his symptoms in new contexts, promoting the symptom to lose its functionality.. In other words, the client is intended to intentionally provoke that which he fears, thus generating a logical contradiction, often humorous.

Paradoxical intention is now considered an effective technique for handling various problems, for example, insomnia of conciliation. It works because, when the person switches to wishing for an event to occur that normally causes anxiety or other negative emotions, such associated consequences do not occur.