The Art of Meaning

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 Logotherapy, a therapeutic approach maintaining that an individual’s most important need is to find meaning in life, was developed by neurologist and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl and his ideas were affirmed by what he experienced during the Holocaust. Logotherapy comes from the Greek word “Logos,” which means meaning. Frankl believed that humans could find meaning even in the most miserable circumstances and that pursuing meaning could alleviate people from their sufferings and help them find a purpose (Frankl, 1984). 

  1. Freedom of Will:
Humans are not free from circumstances but are rather free to make choices and choose our attitudes about these circumstances.
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances” – Viktor Frankl (1984, p.12)  

2. Will to Meaning:
Humans are drawn to find something, or someone, worthwhile to live and work for.
“Life is not primarily a quest for pleasure, as Freud believed, or a quest for power, as Alfred Adler taught, but a quest for meaning. The greatest task for any person is to find meaning in his or her life.” – Viktor Frankl (2014, p.X)

3. Meaning of Life:
There is a deeper, overarching meaning in our lives. Moreover, meaning can be found in every situation with the right mindset and attitude. Individuals can find meaning through a connectedness with something beyond and greater than oneself.
“Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible.” – Viktor Frankl (1984, p. 131) 

  Frankl (1984, 2014) identified three avenues in which meaning can be discovered: creative, experiential, and attitudinal.  

1. Creative: Creating work or doing a good deed. 

2. Experiential: Experiencing something, such as nature, art, music, etc., or having a significant encounter with someone. 

3. Attitudinal: Adopting a modified attitude toward inevitable suffering.   The frequency of coaching sessions depends on the individual and their goals. Some clients prefer to meet weekly, while others may meet bi-weekly or monthly.

To learn more about Logotherapy, please visit the following website: https://www.viktorfranklinstitute.org

Please reach us at info.artofmeaning@gmail.com  if you cannot find an answer to your question.