The Future of Logotherapy

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T H E F U T U R E O F L O GO T HE R A P Y V I E N N A 2 0 1 2

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PROGRAM AND ABSTRACTS

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GREETING MESSAGE

Dear Conference Participants,

welcome to Vienna, where the concepts of logotherapy were first develo-

ped and formulated!

Hopefully, apart from the scientific get-together, you can enjoy some of the rich history of this town. The very building where the conference takes place was Frankl's professional home throughout his life. This makes the Gesellschaft der Ärzte the perfect location for discussing the Future of Lo-

gotherapy.

Thanks to the initiative of organizer and director Alexander Batthyany, proven friends and pioneers of logotherapeutc teaching, research and application, as well as young and gifted professionals get together and will surely contribute to what Frankl always declared his highest goal: helping people find meaning in their lives.

In the name of the family of Viktor Frankl, we wish you a successful mee-

ting and many fruitful encounters. Remember that creating a work or doing a deed is only one road to meaning. You should also take this unique chance to experience the friendship and informal exchange this confe-

rence makes possible.

Gabriele Vesely-Frankl, Ph.D.

Katharina Ratheiser-Frankl, L.L.M., M.A.

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THE VIKTOR FRANKL INSTITUTE VIENNA Prinz Eugenstr. 18/12, A-1040 Vienna, Austria

www.viktorfrankl.org

ELEONORE FRANKL, HON.D.

Honorary President

ASSOC. PROF. ALEXANDER BATTHYÁNY, PH.D.

President

Head of Research Department and Viktor Frankl Archives

Middle European Research Program in Cognitive Science

University of Vienna, Austria

and Adjunct Faculty, Dept. of Psychotherapy, Vienna Medical School, Vienna, Austria

GABRIELE VESELY-FRANKL. PH.D.

Secretary, President, 1992-2007

KATHARINA RATHEISER, LLM, MAS

Vicepresident,

President, 2007-2009

PROF. FRANZ J. VESELY, PH.D.

Bibliography, Book Rights, Website

PROF. GISELHER GUTTMANN, PH.D.

Vice Dean

Dept. Neuroscience of Psychotherapy Sigmund Freud University, Vienna, Austria

PROF. EUGENIO FIZZOTTI, PH.D.

Dept. of Psychology

Salesiana Pontifical University, Rome, Italy

ASSOC. PROF. WILLIAM EVANS, PH.D.

Dept. of Psychology

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA

DAVID HALLOWELL, PH.D.

U.S. Fulbright Fellow at the Viktor Frankl Archives

GEORG KRANZ, M.SC.

Viktor Frankl Archives

Research Staff,

The Functional Neuroimaging Group PET and fMRI

Dept. of Neurology

Vienna Medical School, Vienna, Austria

ELISABETH LINDNER, M.A.

Psychotherapist, Vienna

ASSOC. PROF. PÉTÉR SÁRKANY, PH.D.

Dept. of Philosophy

Apor Vilmos Catholic University College

MICHAEL THIR

Assistant and Secretary, Research Dept. VFI,

Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria

ALEXANDER VESELY, M.A.

Media Archives

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WELCOME

On behalf of the Viktor Frankl Institute Vienna and the Conference Organi-

sation Committee, we welcome you to the Vienna 2012 Conference “The Future of Logotherapy“. It is both a privilege and pleasure to host this meeting of about 150 logotherapists from more than twenty-eight coun-

tries, coming together in order to share their concerns, ideas, and concrete

action plans on how to work towards a successful future of logotherapy and existential analysis. We have a full agenda during the next two days, so please take a few minutes to read through the information in this packet. It includes our itine-

rary and other important information.

Over the next two days, about eighty brief lectures on a wide range of topics relevant for the future of logotherapy will be presented. The pro-

gram is, as planned, quite heterogeneous and we tried to arrange the program so that parallel sessions appeal to different interest groups.

The abstracts are arranged in alphabetical order by the surname of the

(fist named) presenter.

The final program, included in your registration pack, gives the details of which lectures are presented in which room, and at which times. All sessions for presentations listed in this booklet will take place either at the Festsaal, the Grosse Bibliothek, or the Verwaltungsratszimmer of the

Billrothhaus. The opening and closing addresses and the special round

table session will be held in the Festsaal. The Festsaal and the Verwal-

tungsratszimmer are situated on the first floor of the building, the Grosse Bibliothek is on the ground floor (see plan). If you are uncertain where to go, members of the Organisation Team will

be available to guide you through the building.

If you require any help during the conference, please ask a member of Organisation Team.

And should you need special assistance, or got lost somewhere in town, or have special requests during your stay in Vienna, please feel free to call the conference help line: 0676-9345 750. We look forward to helping you to enjoy your stay in Vienna and the company of fellow logotherapists and our staff members.

The Organisation Committee

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GENERAL CONFERENCE INFORMATION

VENUES AT A GLANCE Conference Venue: Vienna Medical Society, Billrothhaus

Friday Evening Reception: Albert Schweitzer Haus

Saturday Luncheon: Albert Schweitzer Haus

Saturday Dinner: Gasthaus Rebhuhn

(For further details and directions, see pages 11ff).

REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION BOOTH The registration and information booth is on the ground floor and is occupied

during the opening hours of the conference. The staff is looking forward to helping

and assisting you.

CONFERENCE EXHIBITION The Conference Exhibition (ground floor) is open during conference hours. Insti-tutes, initiatives, and individuals are invited to display information about their cur-

rent and future projects. If you are an exhibitor, or if you wish to sell books or CDs through the bookstore, please ask for assistance at the information booth before displaying brochures

and flyers and only use your designated space.

CONFERENCE BOOKSTORE

The bookstore (ground floor) is open during conference hours and during lunch and coffee breaks.

LOGO TALK RADIO (LOGOTHERAPY PODCAST) RADIO BOOTH

As an extra service to the world-wide logotherapeutical community, especially for those colleagues who aren’t able to participate in this year’s Future of Logother-

apy-Conference, a radio booth is installed on the ground floor near the informa-

tion booth. Marshall Lewis will broadcast from the Conference, and will interview

participants about their projects, their work, or generally about their views and

perspective on logotherapy and its future. Opening hours of the radio booth vary; please ask at the information booth for further details or leave a message at the

radio booth.

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PROGRAM AT A GLANCE

FRIDAY, 16.03.

07.00 PM - ca. 10.30 PM Reception and Dinner Albert Schweitzer Haus

Schwarzspanierstr. 13

SATURDAY, 17.03. Vienna Medical Society, Billrothhaus,

Frankgasse 8

08.30 AM Registration

09.30 AM Conference Opening Welcome Message (Alex. Batthyány) Greeting Message (Eleonore Frankl) Keynote (William Evans)

10.30 AM - 12.15 PM Round Table and Parallel Sessions

12.30 PM Lunch Albert Schweitzer Haus

13.30 PM Presentations / Parallel Sessions

18.30 PM End of Conference Day 1

20.00 PM Conference Dinner Buffet

(Traditional Austrian Food)

Gasthaus Rebhuhn

Berggasse 24

SUNDAY, 18.03. Vienna Medical Society, Billrothhaus,

Frankgasse 8

09.00 AM - 13.30 PM Parallel Sessions

13.30 PM End of Conference

15.00 PM A Walk Through Frankl’s Vienna: A Guided Tour

(Max. 20 per group; groups depart every hour from Hotel Regina. Please register at Information Booth)

(FOR DETAILS, SEE FINAL PROGRAM, INCLUDED IN YOUR REGISTRATION PACKAGE)

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Conference Venue

HOTEL REGINA TO VIENNA MEDICAL SOCIETYA Hotel Regina Rooseveltplatz , 9

B Vienna Medical Society Frankgasse 8, 9th

The Conference Venue, The Billrothhaus of Vienna Medical Society, is about 350 mlow Rooseveltplatz. Pass Ferstelgasse; the next street (right side) is Frankgasse. Enter Frankgasse continues on the other side of the road)

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VIENNA MEDICAL SOCIETY , 9th district, Vienna

th district, Vienna

aus of Vienna Medical Society, is about 350 metres from Hotel Regina. Leave the hotel, turn right and follow Rooseveltplatz. Pass Ferstelgasse; the next street (right side) is Frankgasse. Enter and follow Frankgasse (you’ll have to Frankgasse continues on the other side of the road). The Billrothhaus is Frankgasse Number 8 on the right side.

from Hotel Regina. Leave the hotel, turn right and fol-and follow Frankgasse (you’ll have to cross Garnisongasse,

Saturday Luncheon

BILLROTHHAUS TO ALBERT SCHWEITZER HAUSA Vienna Medical Society Frankgasse 8, 9th district, Vienna

B Albert Schweitzer Haus Schwarzspanierstraße 13, 9th district, Vienna

Saturday’s luncheon is served at the Albert Schweitzence Building, turn left to Garnisongasse and follow

and looks like a church (which it used to be). The restaurant is reserved for conference participants.

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ALBERT SCHWEITZER HAUS Frankgasse 8, 9th district, Vienna

Schwarzspanierstraße 13, 9th district, Vienna

Saturday’s luncheon is served at the Albert Schweitzer Haus, which is about 150 metres from the Conference Venue. When leaving the Conferand follow the street for about 100 metres. The Albert Schweitzer Haus

and looks like a church (which it used to be). The restaurant is reserved for conference participants.

s from the Conference Venue. When leaving the Confer-is at the end of Garnisongasse

Saturday Dinner:

HOTEL REGINA TO GASTHAUS REBHUHN A Hotel Regina Rooseveltplatz, 9th district, Vienna

B Gasthaus Rebhuhn Berggasse 24, 9th district, Vienna

On Saturday evening, you are invited to a traditional Austrian dinner buffet at the Gasthaus Rebhuhn on Berggasse. The Gasthametres from Hotel Regina. When you leave the Hotel, turn left to Währinger Strasse. After about 200 metrpass Berggasse 19, former home of Sigmund Freud (on the left side of the street). Continue until you come to the end oRebhuhn is at Berggasse 24, on the right hand side.

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GASTHAUS REBHUHN Rooseveltplatz, 9th district, Vienna

Berggasse 24, 9th district, Vienna

On Saturday evening, you are invited to a traditional Austrian dinner buffet at the Gasthaus Rebhuhn on Berggasse. The Gasthafrom Hotel Regina. When you leave the Hotel, turn left to Währinger Strasse. After about 200 metres, turn right into Berggasse. You will

pass Berggasse 19, former home of Sigmund Freud (on the left side of the street). Continue until you come to the end oRebhuhn is at Berggasse 24, on the right hand side.

On Saturday evening, you are invited to a traditional Austrian dinner buffet at the Gasthaus Rebhuhn on Berggasse. The Gasthaus is about 500

s, turn right into Berggasse. You will pass Berggasse 19, former home of Sigmund Freud (on the left side of the street). Continue until you come to the end of the street. Gasthaus

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ABSTRACTS OF PRESENTATIONS

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A B R A M I , L E O M I C H E L [ R a b b i ; P h . D . ] [ U S A ]

HOW POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY STOLE FROM LOGOTHERAPY

Many contemporary psychologists assume that Viktor Frankl’s ideas have already

passed into the public domain and are now borrowing from his writings with-

out even acknowledging their source (i.e. those who propound the approach of positive psychology.) Should we consider this a sort of plagiarism or a contribu-

tion to the development of the meaning-centered psychotherapy?

Others do mention Frankl in their bibliography but not as the initiator of a certain

idea. It is therefore our task to publicize the contribution made by Frankl by using the new media that are available to us in the 21st century.

This presenter will suggest four original ways of achieving this task: the diffusion of a weekly on-line newsletter (in several languages) to a large network of subscri-bers; the creation of permanent training centers, preferably attached to universi-ties; making a complete program of initiation to logotherapy available on line - as

is already being done by the University of South Africa and possibly others; the edition of brief digests of topics of logotherapy for the non-professional rea-

der. The presenter will briefly discuss the funding and feasibility of such programs.

A C E V E D O , G E R Ó N I M O [ P r o f . ; P h . D . ] [ A r g e n t i n a ]

LOGOTHERAPY: A NEW UNIFIED PARADIGM BEYOND THE CON-CEPT OF PSYCHOSOMATIC MEDICINE

Logotherapy is not just an advance in psychotherapy. Neither is it just a new edu-

cational process, a “logo-education”, or a new communitarian view of society, or just a philosophical thinking.

Logotherapy is all of this, but it also represents a new unified paradigm, both inte-

ractive and existential that goes beyond the concept of psychosomatic medicine. The predominant health model prioritizes the one-dimensional concept of disease

and operates on a reductionist approach, which in turn leads to an anthropologi-

cal exclusion and leaves out other areas.

In this scenario, therapeutic intervention, both at the individual and institutional

level, focuses on three things: the event produced by the agent (the sickness), the

event produced by the individual (the pathology) and the event’s manifestation (the symptom). All these instances imply an anthropological exclusion. Logothe-

rapy highlights the unity within the individual’s plurality by including his spiritual

and social dimensions, taking into consideration the contribution of various sphe-

res of science. On this basis, we approach the process of knowledge as an ap-

proximation to the complex task of arriving at a concept of health within an inte-

grative and interactive paradigm and a concept of healthiness as a dynamic pro-

cess that aims at the development of the being in the world in its essence and meaning. The proposed paths to health may be approached from different levels that go from macro to micro levels, including social networks. Therapy aims at making visible what is invisible. The therapist is much as an oph-

thalmologist that operates on a patient´s cataracts to make him see what he wants

to see, and not a painter, who paints a picture and shows it to a viewer so that he

sees what the artist intended. No one is a better as a professional than as a per-son.

Professional help must be aware of its own limits, open to exchange within and

between disciplines and it must rely on an anthropological model based on a non-

excluding perspective. Logotherapy takes into account contributions made by

various areas of scientific knowledge that recognize the unity underlying the indi-

vidual’s biological, psychological and spiritual dimensions. According to Edgar

Morin (Cf. Medina Bisiach, 2007), those who isolate themselves deeply and industriously in their specialty, although their aim may be commendable and signi-

ficant, will gradually lose sight of the complete scene around them, of their envi-ronment, and end up cut off from reality. Morin calls these people “the barbarians of our century” because they master their specialty, but know very little about life. The proposal of an inter-disciplinary approach, the inclusion of dimensional onto-

logy and the search for meaning have been enriched by Viktor Frankl’s theories and experience. Professors, doctors, psychologists and philosophers take part at the Viktor Frankl Center’s training courses, not aiming to become polymaths, pro-

fessionals who know about everything; but professionals who perceive the limits of every discipline and are open to fruitful and permanent scientific dialogue.

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A C E V E D O , G E R Ó N I M O [ P r o f . ; P h . D . ] [ A r g e n t i n a ] ;

D E G A R C Í A , L E T I C I A A S C E N C I O [ M A . ] [ M e x i c o ] ;

N O B L E J A S D E L A F L O R , M A R I A Á N G E L E S [ P h . D . ] [ S p a i n ]

THE ASOCIACION IBEROAMERICANO DE LOGOTERAPIE (ASIL)

La Logoterapia ha tenido el enorme merito de rescatar, para el pensamiento

contemporáneo, la dimensión espiritual de la realidad humana. El espíritu del

hombre se eleva con Frankl hasta una altura sin precedentes en la historia de la

psicología, se erige en expresión de una antropología que es a su vez

fundamento de una nueva manera de pensar y de actuar, construye una teoría y

orienta una práctica destinada a aliviar el enfermar humano. Pero la logoterapia misma tiene su propio espíritu, un espíritu forjado a la sombra del alambre de púas de Auswichtz, acrecentado en la generosa esperanza de un

porvenir más solidario, que el mismo Viktor Frankl alimentó con esmero y

profunda confianza en aquellos interminables días del campo de concentración. Un espíritu que burbujea en sus libros, que atrapa por la misma libertad a la que

invita, que es sostén y estimulo de un sendero, que iniciado por el autor se ofrece en forma abierta para ser profundizado. Esta integración se ve favorecida por la actitud de búsqueda de Leticia, María Ángeles y Gerònimo que partiendo del tronco común la antropología Frankliana comparten su aplicación preponderante

en educación y psicología (Leticia) Comunitaria y psicológica (María Ángeles) Medica Psicológica (Gerónimo), lo que posibilita el surgimiento de un nuevo

paradigma de salud antropológico- integrativo – interactivo-dimensional –

existencial –comunitario. Es todo eso pero, y además, representa un nuevo

paradigma integrador -interactivo-existencial del enfermar humano que supera el concepto de Medicina Psicosomática.

La logoterapia es prioritariamente terapia, es decir atención y por lo tanto entra

en juego cuando alguien requiere atención (Cuidado). Desde estas bases se

aborda el proceso de conocimiento como una aproximación a la complejidad para recalar en los conceptos de salud, en el contexto de un paradigma

integrador e interactivo, y de lo saludable como proceso dinámico que apunta al

desarrollo del ser en el mundo en su esencia y sentido. Se proponen caminos

para la salud que se pueden abordar desde diferentes niveles, del “macro” al “micro”, pasando por las redes sociales.

La tarea terapéutica desde este paradigma intergrador no es una imposición de

teorías sino que consiste propiamente en hacer visible lo invisible. El terapeuta

tiene que actuar como un oculista que opera las cataratas para que el paciente

pueda ver lo que quiere ver, no como un pintor que pinta un cuadro y se lo

enseña para que vea lo que el pintor quiere que vea.

La ayuda profesional debe ser consciente de sus propios límites, abierta al intercambio inter y transdisciplinario y contar con un modelo antropológico que

funde una perspectiva no excluyente de la compleja realidad humana. La logoterapia rescata y jerarquiza los aportes provenientes de diversos sectores

del quehacer científico y el reconocimiento, en la unidad de la persona, de las dimensiones biológica, psicológica y espiritual.

Desde esta perspectiva integradora, la logoterapia corre también un peligro: el

de fragmentarse en esos diversos factores o lo que suele suceder en creer que puede integrar cualquier otro tipo de visión biológica, psicológica, espiritual o

social. Por eso es necesario un reposicionamiento de la espiritualidad humana y

su reconocimiento, como un fenómeno no reductible al plano de la facticidad psicofísica y por ende no comprensible plenamente desde una óptica mecanicista, conduce a nuevos enfoques en el campo de la salud que tienen relevancia también desde el punto de vista de la ética.

Edgar Morín decía (Cf. Medina Bisiach, 2007) que aquel que se aísle laboriosa y profundamente en su especialidad, no obstante tener un objetivo loable y

significativo, perderá paulatinamente el panorama integral del entorno, alejándose de la realidad circundante. Morín los llama los “bárbaros de este

siglo”, porque dominarán mucho de su especialidad pero muy poco de la vida

misma. La propuesta de un abordaje transdiciplinario, la inclusión de la ontologia

dimensional y la búsqueda de sentido son enriquecidas por las teorías y las

experiencias de Viktor Frankl.

La búsqueda de Sentido es la intencionalidad y su efecto terapéutico es la consecuenciaEn las actividades de ASIL participan profesores Médicos, Psicólogos, Filósofos, Trabajadores sociales no con la intención de formar “todologos” que sepan todo, sino que perciban los límites de cada disciplina y se abran a un fecundo y permanente diálogo científico.

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Á L V A R E Z - S E G U R A , M A R I A [ P h . D . ] [ S p a i n ] ;

E C H E V A R R I A , M . [ A r g e n t i n a ]

EGO-CENTRICITY VS. SELF-TRANSCENDENCE: UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOPATHOLOGY FROM A LOGOTHERAPEUTIC PERSPECTIVE

Logotherapy has analyzed self-transcendence as a fundamental anthropological

characteristic which makes it possible to go beyond oneself and to discover mean-

ing in values (Frankl 1985). However, its opposite, egocentricity (Kunkel 1984),

has attracted little attention. This concept was first described by Adler (1912) and

later developed by F. Kunkel and R. Allers (1934); from it stems Frankl´s term

hyperreflection (Echevarria 2011).

If self-transcendence is directed toward something that is not itself, egocentricity makes the person think, feel and act exclusively in the service of the preservation or elevation of his/her own self. The spiritual act of going beyond and forgetting

oneself is diametrically opposed to the egocentric orientation which produces an infatuation and obsession with one´s self.

In this presentation I would like to analyze the involutive effect of egocentricity. I hypothesize that this egocentric attitude leads to a lack of mature relations and a

progressive increase in a psychopathology of neurotic and personality disorders. Healthy relations depend on self-transcendence as a person engages with an-

other. Under egocentric rule, however, all objectives are geared to protecting

one’s ego from others. With this self-protection attitude, personal development is

built on minimum expectations of others. The desire to engage with others is turned into a personal desire of not being harmed by others (Stratton 2006). It thus has

tragic consequences in relationships: human potentials are arrested by an inca-

pacity for complete self-giving and commitment to others.

If the acting of the spiritual dimension produces a distance between the patient and his symptoms (self-distance), the egocentric orientation will produce an over

interest in the self (Bursten 1989). This egocentricity may become the guiding

principle of the patient´s existence and then draw all psychic forces in its direc-

tion. In this case, egocentricity gradually assumes a more pathological intensity

and hinders acting from the spirit. In chronic situations, it will produce a progres-

sive increase of psychopathology in reactive, psychogenic and noogenic neuro-

ses, psychosomatic illnesses and personality disorders.

A S A G B A , R A C H E L B O L A J I [ P h . D . ] [ N i g e r i a ]

THE FUTURE OF LOGOTHERAPY/FRANKL ON PSYCHOLOGY; THE NEED FOR IMPROVING OUR PRESENT PRACTICE

The beauty of Logotherapy is that it is ontological anthropological in nature which makes it fit to all individuals, situations and environments. That is, the totality of man is seen as he interacts with his environment because Logotherapy views man

as an interactionist which makes its concept to be for life. This means that as long as man live on the earth, he would always be in search for the meaning for his life.

Therefore, the future of Logotherapy/ Franklian Psychology is very bright for both the Health Care Providers and Patients as well as the people at large. But we all

need to work harder and change our present strategies in terms of how we pro-

mote, project and practice Logotherapy to the rest of the world. Asagba (2011) commended to the Viktor Frankl Institute for bringing Logother-

apy to the USA as well as to the rest of the world, which was started from the late founding father Dr Fabry in 1970, and this continues to the present stage. While commending their great influences over the years, Asagba (2011) recommended a changing of their present method of promoting logotherapy to fit the present changing world. We all can witness many Scholars who are now using Frankl’s

Concepts under different terms and names of schools without acknowledging

logotherapy or Viktor Frankl. Yet, logotherapy or Frankl were not listed in the

`U.S.A. Current Psychotherapy Manual`. We all need to work harder to be able

to come up with more empirical studies in the years ahead for us to justify the relevance of logotherapy to the world. Yes, we can do it. It is now that we must

act. This is the “meaning of the moment” of our time to bring logotherapy to both the academic and clinical circles.

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A S A G B A , R A C H E L B O L A J I [ P h . D . ] [ N i g e r i a ]

LOGOTHERAPY IN NIGERIA

In this presentation, the challenges and opportunities of Logotherapy in Nigeria will be discussed in some detail; also, experiences with conducting clinical and

empirical work, and teaching, of logotherapy in the Nigerian context will be analysed. Next to the national and local perspective, however, the presentation

will also address the international situation of logotherapy both from the Nigerian perspective and, more generally, from the perspective of an academic researcher who has been active in the field for many years.

B A R B E R O S E R E N O , S A N D R A [ M A . ] [ A r g e n t i n a ]

CONCERNS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOGOTHERAPY

Logotherapy is open to all; it is an invitation to man to re-encounter who he really

is and could, or should, be by choosing and living a meaningful life. This is our common basis. And yet, questions abound when it comes to asking how logother-

apy will navigate through its future. For example, how can we promote logother-

apy? Who will promote it, and who will train logotherapists, and who will pre-

serve and propagate the legacy of Viktor Frankl? Who will be responsible for the accreditation of the many institutes - and are all of them fit to be accredited? These

and other concerns will be discussed in this presentation, with special emphasis on

the situation in Peru, which no doubt mirrors that of many other countries.

B R A U N S T E I N E R , G L O R I A [ A s s i s t . P r o f . ; P h . D . ] [ S l o v a k i a ]

FRANKLS PERSONBEGRIFF IM DIALOG MIT DER THEOLOGIE

Ziel des Beitrags ist die Erkundung von Bezügen zwischen dem Personbegriff Frankls und dem theologischen Verständnis der Person in Anbetracht dessen, wie

Frankl seine Logotherapie von der Theologie abgegrenzt hat. Er spricht der Theo-

logie die Kompetenz zu, das Seelenheil zu suchen, wobei er die Aufgabe der

Logotherapie im Vermitteln psychischer Heilung sieht, dessen Nebeneffekt sich nur u.U. in einer Annäherung zu Gott äußern kann. Der vorliegende komparatistische Versuch verzichtet auch auf einen praktischen Vergleich von Therapie und Pasto-

ral; und kann auch die Erläuterung vieler entscheidender Begriffe im Bereich der Theorie beider Disziplinen nicht erschöpfend leisten. Das Anliegen unserer Über-legungen vermeidet ebenso eine vorschnelle Identifikation logotherapeutischer und theologischer Begriffe (wie z.B. Transzendenz, Geist, unbewußte Religiosität) sowie eine verfälschte Interpretation von Frankls Begriffsverwendungen in Form

ihrer „Übersetzung“ ins theologische Denken: Frankl warnt ja vor einer dilettie-

renden Theologie.

Das Vorhaben des Beitrags liegt in der Vorstellung des Personverständnisses bei-

der Disziplinen, ohne sie gegenseitig zu vereinnahmen – in der Vielfalt ihrer Ent-

stehungsgeschichte und im Spannungsgefüge von möglichen Brücken bzw. Diver-

genzen.

B U R T O N , T A N C H U M [ R a b b i ; P h . D . ] [ U S A ]

BRINGING CONSCIENCE INTO THE PROCESS: A MEANING ANA-LYSIS OF SEXUAL ABUSE AND CURRENT TRENDS IN RESEARCH AND TREATMENT

The presentation will outline the basic approach used in the treatment of sexual

offenders, and will demonstrate how, with the addition of the Logotherapeutic

dimension, the entire process of treatment can be not only enhanced but transfor-med to being a more values-oriented protocol, empowering the client to make

conscience-based life changes, instead of merely acquiring skills to avoid re-of-

fending. The treatment of paraphilias in general, and of sexual offenders in particular, has been evolving or over a century, culminating in the treatment protocol that is offe-

red to sexual offenders today. Elements of treatment include accountability, identi-fying cognitive distortions and triggers, empathy training, understanding the cycle

of abuse, and relapse prevention. These items are essential and impart to the

client necessary tools to prevent him or herself from repeating the cycle, i.e. how to not re-offend. What is lacking in treatment is a dimension that enables the client

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to internalize the reasons why he or she should not re-offend. This is not a dimen-

sion of techniques, but a serious exploration of the client’s connection to cons-cience and meaning at every stage of the therapeutic process. Though meaning is primarily a phenomenological experience, its presence in therapy can be built in

to the existing structure of treatment. Therapists who work with sexual abusers suffer amongst the highest rates of burnout due not only to the horrendous nature of the crime and the often difficult personalities of the clients, but also to the nature

of the therapy, which halts at the psychological level of the clients, and does not reach higher. Bringing the noological, or human dimension into the process will

enable clients and therapists to uncover the humanity in the client, as well as the

client’s potential for conscious responsibility and decency. This presentation will culminate in group discussion aimed at developing a Lo-

gotherapeutic approach to the treatment of sexual abusers, an invitation to on-

going work amongst colleagues to arrive at an effective working model.

C O S T E L L O , S T E P H E N J . [ P h . D . ] [ I r e l a n d ]

THE MEANING OF LOGOTHERAPY

In this paper, drawing on a close textual reading of Viktor Frankl's works, I shall argue that logotherapy is not a psychotherapy as this latter term is employed

nowadays but rather that logotherapy is best construed as a noetic therapy, as a

noology rather than a psychology, and as a philosophical form of praxis. The subtitle of Frankl's The Doctor and the Soul is instructive in this regard: 'From Psy-

chotherapy to Logotherapy'. Furthermore, its 'metapsychology' is rooted in exis-

tential and transpersonal philosophy.

According to the German philosopher Eric Voegelin, Frankl retrieved and rene-

wed the older practice of philosophy understood as therapeia in the Platonic

sense ('Socratic dialogue') and as a spiritual exercise. Moreover, a number of Stoical ideas re-emerge in Frankl's form of existential analysis, namely attitudinal change, de-reflection and paradoxical intention. However, it goes beyond, I con-

tend, philosophical counselling (a widespread and interesting contemporary phe-

nomenon) in that Frankl has a coherent theory of neuroses and psychoses as

evident in his psychiatric-logotherapeutic work, On the Theory and Therapy of Mental Disorders, which is lacking in clinical philosophical consultancy.

Mention shall also be made of seminal and apposite papers by Reinhard Zaiser and Peter Sárkány, two philosophers and logotherapists, to support my thesis and

which provide a context for the reflection. I will then proceed to pose some practi-cal questions in the light of my theoretical observations which have consequences for our clinical work in the light of on-going discussions concerning the profession of mental health with statutory regulations from Europe looming.

D Í A Z D E L C A S T I L L O , J U A N P A B L O [ P h . D . ] [ C o l o m b i a ]

APLICACIÓN CLÍNICA DE LA ESCALA DE RECURSOS NOOLÓGICOS ERN

Logotherapy can be defined as therapy that mobilizes noetic resources in order to

unrestrict psychophysical dimensions in a clinical process which is based on two

characteristics and abilities: self-detachment and self-transcendence. In order to

integrate these two factors into a theoretical and clinical research instrument, the

"Scale Noological Resources" (SNR) is a new test which measures the self-de-

tachment and self-transcendence. This instrument was subjected to validation with

a non-random incidental sample (627 male and female). 28.1% (176) had a

history of clinical psychological condition. We obtained a structure of 6 compo-

nents, which were conceptualized as strength/weakness, Distance / Addiction

itself, Domain / Submission of itself, Immanence / Transcendence, Difference /

Indifference, and self-projection, and structure noological resources.

Because this scale is able to identify the ways and means by which therapists

facilitate the healing process, the SNR allows professionals to develop a coherent therapeutic process that goes on a road suitable for most clinical effectiveness.

22


E V A N S , W I L L I A M F . [ A s s o c . P r o f . ; P h . D . ] [ U S A ]

THE WORLD STILL CRIES FOR MEANING – ARE WE STILL LISTE-NING?

In The Unheard Cry for Meaning Dr. Viktor Frankl defined logotherapy as “mea-

ning-centered psychotherapy,” and “therapy through meaning” (1978, p. 19). In

our postmodern age, the world is still struggling, perhaps more than ever, with

meaninglessness, hopelessness, and existential emptiness. Logotherapy, as lived

and taught by Dr. Frankl, still stands firm as a viable alternative to reductionism,

depersonalization, and this pervasive existential vacuum. We who honor the life

and legacy of Dr. Frankl have the ability to offer meaning, a sense of direction, and hope to people who are calling out for help. The world still cries for meaning!

Are we still listening? How will we respond?

F R A N C I S , D O R E E N [ P h . D . ] [ U n i t e d K i n g d o m ]

THE FORGOTTEN POPULATION

As we know, there is a plethora of research out there on child development, from ‘whether or not a foetus feels pain’ to understanding ‘the complexities of teenage behaviour’. From my perspective, particularly since my recent experience working

with 12 to 18 year olds, I’ve come to understand that albeit there is all of this knowledge out there we continue to perpetuate a problem that is pervasive

throughout the domains of childhood development. In many sectors when programs are sought for troubled 12 to 18 year olds, it appears to me that the problem is one of not fully acknowledging the fact that meaning begins its formation at the point at which experts say that attachment

begins to establish its significance. My presentation will briefly discuss my findings and my rationale for a proposal to the Frankl Institute to consider further and more extensive research on how the

sense of meaning a) begins to develop in infancy which transmits and impacts a sense of meaning in adulthood and b) is paralysed, when a child is abused (in any way – physically including sexual abuse, psychologically and emotionally) to create a deadly existential vacuum.

In the latter case this population becomes ‘forgotten’ and ‘lost’. By the virtue of their managing to survive we can evidence the utter strength of the defiant power of the human spirit – a ‘teacher’ that must be validated with the aim of creating an

environment to avoid further trauma among ‘the forgotten population’.

G A Š P A R Í K O V Á , M A R T A [ M a g . ] [ S l o v a k i a ] ;

G I N Z E R I O V Á , M O N I K A [ M a g . ] [ S l o v a k i a ]

MÖGLICHKEITEN EINER LOGOTHERAPEUTISCHEN INTERVENTION BEI ERWACHSENEN KLIENTEN IN EXISTENTIELLEN KRISEN

Das Ziel unserer Präsentation ist es, über Lebenskrisen vom Standpunkt konkreter

Klienten nachzudenken. Die Autoren legen in Form kurzer Kasuistiken und Bei-

spiele aus ihrer Praxis einige Beispiele von existentiellen Krisen vor und stellen die

Möglichkeiten logotherapeutischer Intervention dabei dar.

Grenzsituationen treten häufig reale Veränderungsmöglichkeit der äußeren Le-

bensumstände auf, weshalb Klienten keinen positiven Ausweg oder sogar keine

optimale Lösung finden können. Sie wissen nicht, wozu oder für was es einzuset-

zen gibt. Nach Viktor E. Frankl existiert auch in solchen anspruchsvollen Situatio-

nen eine Möglichkeit zu helfen: durch Veränderung der Einstellung, die der Klient

in dieser gegebenen Situation wählt.

Im ersten Teil der Präsentation legen wir Beschreibungen von Beratungsfällen bei körperlicher Behinderung und generell bei einer existentiellen Krise vor. Im nächs-

ten Teil wird der ganze Prozeß der Intervention nach E. Lukas - Diagnostische,

Therapeutische und Posttherapeutische Phase vorgestellt. Zur Sprache kommen

unter anderem die Einstellungsmodulation, die Dereflexion und die Korrektur des

Selbstverständnisses im Einklang mit der Idee von V. E Frankl: „Das Leben selbst

fragt den Menschen und nicht der Mensch soll das Leben fragen. Der Mensch ist derjenige, den das Leben fragt und er soll antworten.“

23


G R A F , H E L M U T [MMag . P h . D . ] [ A u s t r i a ]

MEANING OCCUPATION ASSESSMENT (MOA). ARBEITSPSYCHO-LOGISCHES TESTVERFAHREN FÜR SINNORIENTIERTE MOTIVA-TION, CHRONISCHE STRESSBELASTUNG UND BURNOUT-PRÄVEN-TION

Im Vortrag wird das Testverfahren kurz vorgestellt und praxisrelevante Beispiele aufgezeigt, wie das Testverfahren im klinischen Bereich (REHA-Klinik Klagenfurt),

in der betrieblichen Gesundheitsförderung und im arbeitspsychologisch-psy-

chotherapeutischen Coaching-Prozeß (noetive Dissonanz) eingesetzt werden kann, wobei auch darüber diskutiert werden soll, wie stark eine biographisch be-

dingte Stressvulnerabilität einen Sinnwahrnehmungsprozess negativ beeinflussen kann.

Das Testverfahren hat zum Ziel, latente Faktoren und intrapsychische Strukturen der Motivation (Sinndimension) im Arbeitskontext zu messen. Neben dieser Di-

mension werden gesundheitsrelevante Persönlichkeitsvariablen erfaßt, die einen

Burnout-Prozeß ermöglichen bzw. verhindern können (inter- und intrapsychische

Stressvulnerabilität, Sinndissonanz, salutogene Faktoren, somatoforme Störungen).

H A L A M A , P E T E R [ A s s i s t a n t P r o f . ; M a g . P h . D . ] [ S l o v a k i a ] ;

N A N I Š T O V A , E V A [ A s s i s t a n t P r o f . ; P h . D . ] [ S l o v a k i a ] ;

S T E M P E L O V Á , J U D I T A [ A s s i s t a n t P r o f . ; P h . D . ] [ S l o v a k i a ]

LOGOTHERAPY IN SLOVAKIA: ESTABLISHING, DEVELOPMENT AND PERSPECTIVES

The goal of the presentation is to show how logotherapy in Slovakia was establis-

hed and developed, including the activities of the Institute of Existential Psycho-

logy and Noo-logotherapy at Trnava University (in years 2000-2010) and re-

cently created the Slovak Institute of Logotherapy (SILOE), which has been institu-

tional base for logotherapy in Slovakia. The authors describe history of logotherapy in Slovakia (first information, lectures, workshops on logotherapy methods), its academic development with strong inspi-ration by Prof. Kazimierz Popielski (research projects, scientific seminars, metho-

dological and psychometric works etc.). They present publishing activities related

to logotherapy (translations of original works of V. E. Frankl, E. Lukas, K. Popielski as well as publishing Slovak original studies and books). They also point to inter-national cooperation of Slovak logotherapists with logotherapist from other count-ries (especially from former Eastern Block – Poland and Czech republic). Slovak logotherapist organized several local logotherapy conferences with several invi-

ted participants from abroad, and together with Czech colleagues they started to organize annual Czech and Slovak conferences on logotherapy. The presentation

also describes how postgraduate education and accredited training in logother-

apy is carried out in regard to the criteria of Slovak Psychotherapeutic Society for becoming licensed psychotherapist. Possibilities for logotherapeutic intervention in psychotherapy, counselling, health care, education, social care and crisis interven-

tion are also discussed. At the end, the authors outline, what are the goals and

perspectives of further development of logotherapy and logotheory in Slovakia

and they suggest several areas: further development of education and training in

logotherapy in regard with local requirements and standards; establishing lo-

gotherapeutic centers; interdisciplinary cooperation between psychologists, doc-

tors, theologians, philosophers etc. and finally, development in theory and re-

search (e.g. development integral psychological anthropology, creation of new research methods etc.).

H E I S E L , M A R N I N J . [ P r o f . ; P h . D . ] [ C a n a d a ]

ASSESSING EXPERIENCED MEANING IN LIFE AMONG OLDER ADULTS: THE DEVELOPMENT AND INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE EMIL

Older adults have high rates of suicide and the older adult population is growing. Research findings demonstrate a negative association between recognition of Meaning in Life (MIL) and late-life suicide ideation (Heisel & Flett, 2007, 2008).

Yet existing measures of MIL were generally not developed or validated with

older adults or treat MIL as unidimensional. This presentation will describe the

development and validation of the Experienced Meaning in Life scale (EMIL), a novel, multidimensional measure assessing Creative, Experiential, Attitudinal, and

24


Ultimate sources of meaning among older adults, consistent with Logotherapy theory (e.g., Frankl, 1985). A sample of 173 adults 65 years or older was recrui-ted from community locations in London, Canada into a longitudinal study asses-

sing the onset and/or exacerbation of suicide ideation; participants could return

for 2-4 week, 6-12 month, and 12-24 month repeat interviews.

Findings indicate strong internal consistency and 2-week test-retest reliability for the EMIL and its subscales, positive associations with existing measures of MIL and of well-being (life satisfaction, purpose in life, spirituality, and psychological well-being), negative associations with suicide ideation and pathology (depression, hopelessness, anxiety, and physical health complaints), and no association with social desirability or functional impairment. MIL further appears to confer resiliency to suicide ideation, as initial EMIL scores were negatively associated with 1-2 year suicide ideation, controlling for initial suicide ideation and intervening depressive symptom severity and daily hassles.

Findings will be discussed in the context of meaning-centered approaches to the

prevention of suicide and promotion of mental health among older adults.

H E I S E L , M A R N I N J . [ P r o f . ; P h . D . ] [ C a n a d a ] ;

B O W M A N , J O R D A N [ H . B S c . ] [ C a n a d a ] ;

M O O R E , S H A R O N [ P h . D . ] [ C a n a d a ] ;

W I L S O N , K . [ M S W ] [ C a n a d a ]

UTILIZING KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION TO REDUCE RISK FOR SUICIDE AMONG OLDER ADULTS: EVALUATING THE CANADIAN COALITION FOR SENIORS' MENTAL HEALTH LATE-LIFE SUICIDE PREVENTION KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION PROJECT

Older adults have high rates of suicide and employ lethal means of self-harm

(Heisel, 2006). Many at-risk older adults do not access mental healthcare servi-

ces, and those who do so rarely receive recommended care, partly due to a pau-

city of provider knowledge regarding suicide risk assessment and intervention (Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health, 2006).

The present study describes a late-life suicide prevention knowledge translation

study funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, assessing knowledge

transfer and attitudinal change of healthcare and social service providers atten-

ding half-day training workshops incorporating knowledge translation tools deve-

loped with the Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health. We will specifi-cally outline our multi-component project methods, including an iterative process

of developing and validating novel scales to assess provider knowledge and attitudes towards working with at-risk older adults, incorporating expert input, a

provider focus group, online data collection, and psychometric evaluation. Fin-

dings will also be presented from half-day training workshops in late-life suicide

prevention delivered to healthcare and social support professionals, including from a pre-conference workshop at the 2011 Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention scientific meeting, demonstrating a significant increase in participant knowledge of late-life suicide prevention and positive attitudinal change. Findings

will be discussed in the context of our on-going research and public health impe-

ratives for late-life suicide prevention.

H E R M A N N , H A N S [ D i r . ] [ A u s t r i a ]

SINNSPUREN ENTDECKEN ...IN DER WIRTSCHAFT.

Wie Arbeitsleben gelingen kann: In dieser Präsentation wird zunächst berichtet

von dem Auftrag der Neuorganisation eines Unternehmens samt einer strategi-

schen Neuausrichtung, ohne dabei das Kernangebot (Gesundheit / Kneippen) wesentlich zu verändern-und dies als erster weltlicher Verantwortungsträger in

einem katholischen Frauenorden. Nach grundlegenden Maßnahmen in Organisa-

tion, Struktur, Verwaltung und Bausubstanz kam die Erkenntnis, daß das Wesent-

liche vernachlässigt worden war; die Mitarbeiter. Erster Schritt, um diesen gerecht

zu werden, war ein Projekt in betrieblicher Gesundheitsförderung. Von 137 vor-geschlagenen Maßnahmen konnten 130 gut umgesetzt werden, zwei wurden als derzeit nicht machbar zurückgestellt und fünf Punkte (Anerkennung, Lob, Partizipa-

tion, Information und Kommunikation) forderten eine besondere Lösung. Die her-kömmliche Lösung in Form von Seminaren oder Schulungen war nicht zufrieden-

stellend. Auf der Suche nach effektiven Möglichkeiten wurde Viktor Frankls Logo-

therapie entdeckt.

25


Damit war der Grundstein zur sinnzentrierten Unternehmenskultur gelegt und eine

Reise in die Welt von Sinn und Werten begann. Der intensive Prozeß dauerte ein

Jahr, Schloß alle Mitarbeiter ein und ist bis heute in lebendiger Entwicklung. Die

einzelnen Meilensteine (persönliche Werte der Führungskräfte, Werte des Unter-nehmens, Führungsleitsätze, Leitsätze der Abteilungen, Begegnungs- und Bezie-

hungsqualität) und praktische Erfahrungen sind Inhalt des Vortrags. Wie Gesundheitspflege gelingen kann: Als besonderes Ergebnis dieser Ausrich-

tung hat ein Betrieb, das Kneipp Traditionshaus Aspach als Spezialist für Stress-bewältigung und Burnout-Vorbeugung, die Logotherapie als wesentliche Säule für die Gäste erkannt und in der Angebotsstruktur und marktstrategischen Ausrichtung

fest verankert.

I C O Z , F E R H A T J A K [MB P s S ] [ T u r k e y ]

LOGOTHERAPY AND PSYCHODYNAMIC ORIENTATION: TOWARD THE COMBINED USAGE OF LOGOTHERAPEUTIC AND PSYCHODY-NAMIC ORIENTATIONS IN INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY

Logotherapy can be used as a complimentary or combined treatment with other

approaches, as well as a mono-treatment in dealing with various distresses and

diseases. In the existing Logotherapy literature, there is an abundance of papers, research and applications of Logotherapy applied with Cognitive-Behavioural

approaches. This presentation aims at discussing how to use Logotherapy in com-

bination with psychodynamically oriented psychotherapies. This presentation

takes all the main four schools of Psychodynamic orientation into its scope; na-

mely, drive theory, ego psychology, object relations, and self-psychology.

The first part of the presentation compares and contrasts Logotherapy and Psy-

chodynamic psychotherapies. This part deals with what seems to be incompatible

between Logotherapy and Psychodynamic approach. The second part of the presentation explores the common sides of Logotherapy and Psychodynamic psychotherapies.

After the orienting first two parts, the presentation looks into a functional frame-

work as the basis for combined usage of Logotherapy and Psychodynamic psy-

chotherapies. This framework mainly emphasises the time perspective. Psychody-

namic approaches are known to work in an archaeologist‘s fashion, digging back to the “crime scenes”, where the evoked emotions with current issues in the here-

and-now are first felt.

Psychodynamic approaches work toward affect regulation through naming, ex-

periencing, and metalizing the intra-psychic dynamics. In doing so, Psycho-

dynamic psychotherapies emphasise the notion of “remaining in the affect”. With the same token, Logotherapy works with awareness as well, however, it carries

the client to the steps laying further, through inviting the client to explore his/her area of freedom, to make an aware choice and to be prepared for the conse-

quences responsibly. The current proposed framework assumes that Psy-

chodynamic orientation works in the past and Logotherapy works toward the

future, and these two orientations meet in the present time. The discussion about the framework is based both on theory and cases.

L E M O S S I L V E I R A F R E I T A S , M A R I N A [ P h . D . ] [ B r a z i l ]

VIKTOR FRANKL SCHOOL (VFS), RIBEIRÃO PRETO, SAO PAULO, BRAZIL

The Viktor Frankl School (VFS) will celebrate 20 years of service in 2012, offering guidance from kindergarten through to high school. At time I learned the basic principles of Logotherapy, I noticed a new meaning emerging in my life-"what life expected of me", and we decided as a family to establish a school based on Frankl’s anthropology. Viktor Frankl says that “life goes in the right direction when we are on the right track”. A committed team was

formed and we received support, including financial funding, from family and friends.

Theory was turned into practice through training and constant improvement of teamwork, through courses and study groups of the work of Viktor Frankl as well as other significant authors. The foundation of this educational approach is based

on the personalist concept developed by Frankl, according to which “there is no

education without clear understanding of the human person and a vision of the world”. Re-humanization requires education of the human being, that is, to rescue and protect the inner being of a man and his spiritual dimension. The ultimate

26


purpose of education, as we view it, is the facilitate the discovery and realization of the personal “project of life” and the meaning of life of each of us in the educa-

tional community. At VFS, the transmission of knowledge is permeated by the consciousness that makes education relevant to meet the specific requirements of our time, marked by the crisis of values and the existential void. With a heightened awareness combined with responsibility, we can see the horizon of meaning wait-ing to be reached, and with the knowledge, skills, and values developed it is pos-

sible to achieve it. As examples, we name some projects: Protagonist of the week - Early Childhood Education; Reciprocity – teens teaching computer to seniors; Yes

to Life - drug prevention; Healthy sexuality; Inclusion of people with disabilities.

L E O N T I E V , D M I T R Y [ P r o f . ; P h . D . ] [ R u s s i a ]

LOGOTHERAPY BEYOND PSYCHOTHERAPY

The difficulties logotherapy faces trying to match the standard requirements of present-day institutionalized psychotherapy are evidence of a very special status and nature of logotherapy, rather than of its weakness. My claim is that the prac-

tice of logotherapy viewed in a broader context is not to be reduced to a special

form of psychotherapeutic practice, though in times of its elaboration there could hardly be any option of its categorization other than as a form of psychotherapy.

On the contrary, the most important and innovative aspects of logotherapy exem-

plify a special form of practice, unfolding on the noetic level of human functioning. This practice can be called content-centered, because it is focused on one’s con-

struction of his/her life-world, rather than on individual problems and peculiarities.

This practice is often incorporated in various forms of psychological counselling

and psychotherapy, but is also a substantial part of non-psychological practices

like teaching or pastoral care.

Today we are challenged to step beyond the psychotherapist’s study and to con-

tribute to helping people to elaborate sound and unprejudiced foundations for their spiritual navigation in the world of postmodernity. Logotherapy is able to serve a highly relevant methodological basis for this existential practice. My expe-

rience of singling out such a practice, that I call life enhancement, in its pure form,

and practicing it in group workshops during the last decade, provides a fresh view on the new possibilities hidden in the logotherapeutic methodology.

The focus of this work is making sense of one’s own experience, and the basic method is Socratic dialogue making a person become aware of the inconsisten-

cies and dead ends in his/her own constructions of reality. Many long-term prob-

lems just dissolve in course of this work without special elaboration.

L E W I S , M A R S H A L L H . [ M A . , c a n d . P h . D . ] [ U S A ]

LOGOTALK RADIO

LogoTalk Radio – the world’s first Internet podcast on Logotherapy and Existential Analysis – presently heard in 54 countries around the world, offers to work with

Congress Vienna to record certain presentations for later broadcast on LogoTalk Radio and proposes to offer interviews to Congress participants who would like to further discuss their work for later broadcast on LogoTalk Radio. LogoTalk Radio is

completely volunteer. It does not pay for interviews, does not offer time to paid advertisers, and offers its podcasts at no cost around the world.

L E W I S , M A R S H A L L H . [ M A . , c a n d . P h . D . ] [ U S A ]

LOGOTHERAPY AND POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

This presentation provides a comparison between Logotherapy and the Positive

Psychology movement, highlighting key areas of similarity and difference. These areas include definitions, philosophy, clinical techniques and current research. For

example, Positive Psychology defines happiness as the Well-Lived Life. The Well-

Lived Life is based on The Three Pillars of Positive Psychology, known as The Plea-

sant Life, The Engaged Life, and the Meaningful Life. The Pleasant Life is a life of pleasure, especially simple pleasures in living includ-

ing joy and love. The Engaged Life is a life wherein one uses one’s strengths in a way that is productive. The Meaningful Life is one in which one lives for a higher purpose. This example is compared to Frankl’s categorical values. The benefit to

27


Logotherapy from the research produced by the Positive Psychology movement is explored. The reductionism of the Positive Psychology movement is compared to the noetic position of Logotherapy and Existential Analysis.

L U N A V A R G A S , J O S E A R T U R O [ M A . ] [ C o l o m b i a ]

LOS CIRCULOS DE DIALOGO EXISTENCIAL (C.D.E.)

Los Circulos de Diálogo existencial, son una técnica creada por el Psicólogo José

Arturo Luna, director del Instituto Colombiano de Análisis Existencial y Logotera-

pia. La base fundamental de esta técnica es la logoterapia del dr. Viktor Frankl a quien conocio en 1987 y quien en 1995 lo autorizó por medio de una carta

para traducir parte de su obra del Italiano al español.

Se parte de la reflexión de que hay demasiada Comunicación Instrumental,

pragmática, funcionalista, que desde luego es importante, pero desafortunada-

mente se está erdiendo la Comunicación Existencial, afectuosa, gratuita. La técni-

ca parte de una hipótesis y es que a mayor Comunicación Instrumental y menor

Comunicación Existencial hay más problemas de Soledad y Depresión. La técni-

ca se aplica en varios países de suramérica y actualmente con la Universidad Au-

tónoma de Barcelona España en el Máster Prosocialidad y Logoterapia hay 20

tesis de grado con este tema.

M A K O L A , S O L O M O N [ P h . D . ] [ S o u t h A f r i c a ]

HOW I INTEGRATE THE PRINCIPLES OF LOGOTHERAPY (MEA-NING/PURPOSE IN LIFE) IN MY WORK ENVIRONMENT

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether Viktor Frankl’s theory of fin-

ding meaning in life, can be taught to all people, including members of the mana-

gement team in my institution. The following hypothesis was tested by the study: The sense of meaning of the staff members will be rated significantly higher after the staff members have been exposed to the workshop.

The participants are 14 members of the Welkom Campus Management Commit-tee (WCMC) at the Central University of Technology, Free State. For the quantita-

tive data, a pre-experimental design, one group pretest-posttest design, has been

used, to evaluate the influence of the workshop on the participants’ Purpose in Life Test (PIL) scores and Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) scores. T-tests

for paired samples were computed on the 28 complete sets of pre- and post-test

PIL and MSQ scales to test the significance of the outcomes. In the qualitative sec-

tion, a participatory action research design has been used to determine whether

the participants experienced an increased consciousness with regard to the con-

cept of meaning in life. The results of the current study revealed that on average, the group displayed a high purpose in life before the workshop, with a mean score of 121.50. However, the workshop brought about a significant increase of 6.21 in the participants’ PIL scores. In terms of general work adjustment, the group displayed a high degree of satisfaction before the workshop (MSQ M= 82.29; after the workshop, their mean MSQ score increased to 85.21.

Thus, teaching Logotherapy to the management team resulted to significant impro-

vement in their levels of meaning, as well as job satisfaction. The results were confirmed by the qualitative part of the action research, which suggested that themes which emerged, from participants’ responses, confirmed that the partici-pants could comprehend the construct of finding meaning in life, and apply the theory to their lives.

M A R S H A L L , E D W A R D [ M D . , P h . D . ] [ C a n a d a ]

LOGOTHERAPY IN CANADA

There have Logotherapists in Canada since the time of Viktor Frankl. Two world

congresses of Logotherapy were organized in Toronto in 1986 and 1993. Lo-

gotherapists trained in Europe, some of them with Dr. Viktor Frankl immigrated to Canada. Doctoral dissertations on Logotherapy were done at the Universities of Alberta and Ottawa. Dr. Viktor Frankl himself visited the country in several occasi-ons, to attend conferences, offer presentations (Toronto, 1972) and media inter-views (CBC, 1977).

28


There are Logotherapy groups in the East and West coast, Quebec and Ontario.

They include individuals with a variety of faith denominations and professions. Many interested individuals from Canada train through the Viktor Frankl Institute of Logotherapy in the USA and a Canadian Chapter of this Institute was establis-hed in 2010, which include all the Canadian members. There are other Logothe-

rapists not affiliated with the Viktor Frankl Institute of Logotherapy offering indi-vidual and group work. In 2011 a Canadian Association of Logotherapy (The Canadian Institute of Logotherapy) was established to include any interested

Logotherapist in Canada, independently of any other affiliation, and offer a Lo-

gotherapy program in Canada.

The Canadian Institute of Logotherapy is member of the Alliance of Psychotherapy Training Institutions (www.apti.ca), an association of training Institutions working towards recognition of their training by the newly formed Transitional Council of the College of Psychotherapists of Ontario. We are seeking recognition of Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy among other psychotherapeutic modalities, to train future

psychotherapist in Ontario. This model would likely be implemented in other pro-

vinces in Canada in the future.

M A R T I N E Z O R T I Z , E F R E N [ P h . D . ] [ C o l o m b i a ]

SAPS - SOCIETY FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF MEANING-CENTE-RED PSYCHOTHERAPY (SOCIEDAD PARA EL AVANCE DE LA PSI-COTERAPIA CENTRADA EN EL SENTIDO)

The SAPS Project was founded with the clear intention to position Logotherapy

and Existential Analysis in the academic world, specially in the current psycholo-

gical environment, through the use of an interaction model between academic

formation, research, and diffusion. Academic formation is offered through a Mas-ters Degree in Clinical Psychology and a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling,

both of them with a clear emphasis on Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, from which ten research projects are derived per year.

These research projects focus on four different empirical research lines: 1. Devel-

opment of Assessment Instruments, 2. Life Meaning, 3. Noological Resources and

4. Personality Disorders. A diffusion plan for these research projects is created,

with special emphasis on the congresses in which they can be presented, the

journals in which they are to be published, as well as a general outlook on how to

diffuse Logotherapy and Existential Analysis as a Psychological Current. The pur-

pose of this paper is to present a brief description of the actual state of the four research lines.

M A R T I N E Z S Á N C H E Z , C L A R A [ P r o f . ; P h . D . ] [ C o l o m b i a ]

GUIDING CHILDHOOD TOWARDS MEANING: A CLINICAL INTER-VENTION PROPOSAL

It is our life mission to contribute individually to the task of meaning fulfilment.

Childhood in the 21st century demands special attention from psychology and education, in order to offer professional help on many layers, such as family, scholar and existential issues.

However, currently, there are only few contributions to the logotherapeutic prac-

tice with children. For instance, some say that children lack the capacity to find meaning, and that the ongoing and relatively slow process of personality matura-

tion from infancy to adolescence is an impediment to come to a full understanding and utilization of freedom and responsibility. But on the other hand, clinical prac-

tice tells us that the search for meaning is present in childhood, too. The clinical

setting from the perspective of logotherapy aims to ease the process of reflective self-consciousness that allows the expression of the spiritual dimension of the child. The purpose of this presentation is to propose a model of clinical logotherapeutic

intervention for children which also looks at different intervention techniques and strategies for both the assessment and the therapeutic stages of the psychothera-

peutic process based on the anthropological vision of Viktor Frankl.

29


M C L A F F E R T Y , C H A R L E S [ P h . D . ] [ U S A ]

THE FUTURE OF LOGOTHERAPY: IDEA, IDEAL, OR IDOL?

It is appropriate for us to discuss the future of logotherapy in the shadow of Viktor Frankl’s home, 15 years after his passing. In fact, logotherapy requires that we

consider the future. The concept of noëtic temporality is suited not just for the pati-ent facing an existential vacuum; it is appropriate for us to apply to logotherapy itself. For us to discover the future of logotherapy, we must live it. For two days, we

are called to both the “meaning of the moment” and the discovery of a greater meaning for logotherapy itself. But several overarching paradoxes exist. There is an “elephant in the room.” How do we harvest the best ideas we know, while not

creating idols in the process?

The first is the idea that we must perfectly maintain the exactitude of “logotherapy” in order to uphold it. This contains within it the seed of truth, that we must un-

derstand its essence, and find a way to convey it to others, which is not an easy

task. But we must also be vigilant to guard against creating or upholding a lo-

gotheology—a monolithic idol of logotherapy that rapidly becomes a biblical

pillar of salt, a crystallization of the past. For example, do we extend logotherapy

based on Frankl’s acknowledgement of four dimensions, rather than three, or continue to teach “what we’ve always taught”?

The second idea is related to the first, that procedures and processes of logothe-

rapy must be taught exactly and precisely followed. This idea stems from the de-

sire to ensure that practitioners who call themselves logotherapists have grasped

the essence of Frankl’s orientation to meaning. But the extreme idol—of exact pra-

xis— obscures the foundational idea that each person is unique. In fact, it is through the noëtic dimension (beyond cognition) that we find our true authenticity, and our uniqueness. The third idea follows: that the training programs for logothe-

rapy must be standardized. Here the core of truth is that we must make sure that

those who call themselves logotherapists have found their own unique way of living it—of “infusing” a meaning orientation into their own lives and demonstrating that in their respective professions they are learning to help others to do the same.

But we must be wary of those who would presume to impose their values on oth-

ers in the name of “meaning” or “logotherapy.”

When I read the great teachers of logotherapy, I note the surprises they present us—the unexpected twists and turns. Frankl: “Why would you not commit suicide?”

Lukas: “Perhaps this tragic accident [that disfigured your face] has given you a truth detector….”

(and this after many weeks of working with the client). How do we teach surprise? Is this not a key to the Socratic dialogue? The obstacles we face, at this juncture in world history, are challenging. But consider the opportunity we have as well: I see

the same problems in the United States, in education, counselling, psychology,

and medicine. The solutions we find here for logotherapy have implications far beyond our small discipline.

These problems, of standardization, of finding uniqueness, and of the unique dis-covery of meaning, are opportunities for us to move logotherapy—and all of hu-

manity—into the future.

M C L A F F E R T Y , C H A R L E S [ P h . D . ] [ U S A ]

TRAINING LAY COUNSELLORS IN LOGOTHERAPY AT THE BIR-MINGHAM SUICIDE HELP LINE/CRISIS CENTER

I have volunteered at the Birmingham Suicide Help Line for nearly two years. The

training program was extensive and comprehensive. However, the pendulum had

swung too far: the idea presented in our training was that suicide is caused by a medical imbalance; it is not a choice. After a year, I approached the director and began a dialogue to integrate logotherapy into our training. Together we identi-

fied areas of logotherapy that a) could be readily presented and applied by the lay counsellors, b) were lacking in our current training, and c) were safe to use with minimal training.

The in-service training program incorporates several introductory logotherapeutic

issues: the person lives in multiple dimensions; the somatic and psychic dimensions

need to be supplemented in training with the noëtic (and perhaps the theologic) dimensions; honouring the philosophical stance of the caller, whether mechanical or teleological; considering the logotherapeutic view of psychosis vs. neurosis;

and listening for “key phrases” to which attention should be paid as cries for meaning. Two other concepts were later added: noëtic temporality, which increa-

ses the awareness of the counsellor to the “time stance” of the caller’s dialogue (stuck in the past, focused on the present and near future, or dreaming on the far

30


future); and the importance of attitudinal values, the “last choice” with which a

person can take a stance toward fate. The in-service program was well received and a larger implementation is planned

for late February/early March, and will be evaluated fully.

M E N G E L , T H O M A S [ P r o f . ; P h . D . ] [ C a n a d a ]

EXISTENTIAL AND MOTIVATIONAL ANALYSIS IN LEADERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

This conceptual and practical presentation is integrating the work of Viktor Frankl (1985) and Steven Reiss (2000, 2008) into a model of Existential and Motivatio-

nal Analysis (EMotiAn). This integrated model and approach may provide scho-

lars, educators, consultants and practitioners alike with an innovative and mea-

ningful framework for leadership and leadership development. First, it will be discussed how the two approaches to motivation presented by

Frankl and Reiss may serve as a basis for leadership and leadership development. In particular, the presentation will show how the Sources of Meaning Profile (SOMP; Reker, 1996), a scientifically developed instrument based on Frankl’s work, allows individuals to identify and prioritize areas of meaningful engagement and value actualization. Furthermore, it will demonstrate how the Reiss Motivati-

onal Profile (RMP) and the respective strivings and values of an individual may

allow for a ‘balanced’ evaluation and coaching process. Both, the SOMP and the

RMP-strivings and values, are integrated into a coherent leadership and (self-)lea-

dership development model based on an Existential and Motivational Analysis

(EMotiAn). Finally, the application of the EMotiAn will be described presenting the case of the coaching client Sam Someone. Based on five case studies ( four in Canada and one in Germany) this research project investigated the value of values and meaning in the context of project management implementation and project environments. The presentation will first briefly summarize the research approach. It will then discuss the findings of the case studies and a comparative content analysis of the interview protocols; the

results will be focused on the concepts of values and meaningful work.

Core findings seem to support Viktor Frankl’s research on the importance of values and meaning (Frankl, 1946–1991, 1997) and its translation into work and pro-

ject environments (Boeckmann, 1980; Covey, 1989; Martin, 2000; Terez, 2000;

Pattakos, 2004; Mengel, 2004, 2005, 2008; Mengel & Thomas, 2004; Thomas

& Mengel, 2007). While foundational research on the significance of discovering meaning in project environments has still been missing, the results of this research project and this presentation will contribute to filling that gap.

M I L L U L , A . G . G I D E O N [MA . ] [ I s r a e l ] ;

M I L L U L , J U D I T H [ I s r a e l ]

LOGOTHERAPY IN ISRAEL: LOGOTHERAPY IN SPITE OF THE DIFFI-CULTIES. CARRYING THE TORCH OF LOGOTHERAPY IN "WINDY" ISRAEL FOR THE WELFARE AND PEACE OF ALL

All of us here know that a meaningful life brings with it healing and peace. This is so much needed in this war-torn and problem-afflicted part of the world, in which

Israel, we believe, is but a reflection sample of the crisis and upheaval faced in the wider parts of our restless Globe. Surrounded, on one hand, by radical fundamentalists who try to acquire nuclear and super modern weapons in order, as they openly proclaim, to wipe off the globe Israel, Israelis and also parasite Jews, investing meanwhile continuous ef-

forts to spread terror, death and agony among civilians, women, children and elderly by "Shahid" murderers and daily shelling of rockets. On the other hand, we live in a small country with a high cultural mixture, evidencing tough difficulties in economics, in immigrant's absorption and foreign labour, in social structures,

unemployment, poverty and rising criminality. In spite of this special and complex situation here in Israel, we try humbly for the last 17 years to forward and spread Logotherapy, with a handful people and no financial capability except of our private pockets. That by teaching, lecturing and conducting a variety of activities through our OTSMT Institute and the non profitable Association of Logotherapy in

Israel, which we established over two years ago.

By now, we trained a round of certified Logotherapy Diplomates, conducted seve-

ral introductory courses and lectures to different populations, Like PhD physicians,

31


social workers, Therapists in different fields, as well as staff and tenants in elderly homes and clubs, some of which had no formal education, coming from mixed cultures. Presentations were also given on National and International conferences. During all that time we learned how difficult it is to introduce Logotherapy in the

rigid academic and organizational world. However, we succeeded, in spite of that, to conduct some courses and teachings at the Open University, at the Haifa University, and at the high technological school, the Technion, at the Bar Ilan

University, and also in some governmental and private enterprises.

In parallel, Dr. Teria Shantall trained Logotherapy Diplomates in Jerusalem besi-

des her being Head of Logotherapy studies at UNISA (the University in South Africa), and vice president of the OTSMOT Institute and the Logotherapy Associa-

tion in Israel.

In view of our long experiences in facing the difficulties of spreading Logotherapy in Israel, which we believe are also present worldwide, we think that time has

come to join forces with other Logotherapy systems, by expanding communication

channels on regular basis, exchanging information on ongoing activities, conduc-

ting joint Logotherapeutic projects for communities' welfare, intensifying the efforts for receiving academicals and states official recognition to Logotherapy, and

widening the efforts to enlarge the financial resources of the bodies dealing with Logotherapy, including mutual support, if possible, between them.

M O K L E B U S T , L U C R E C I A [ M A . M A . ] [ G u a t e m a l a ] ;

M O L L I N E D O , M A R I A D E L O S A N G E L E S [ M A . M A ] [ G u a t e -

m a l a ] ; D E B O Y , K A R L A [ M . A . ] [ G u a t e m a l a ]

UNIVERSITY LEVEL LOGOTHERAPY TRAINING: THE GUATEMALA EXPERIENCE AT THE INSTITUTE OF FAMILY SCIENCES (ICF)

With the important innovative advances of the mental health studies in the neuros-

ciences, and the demanding need for scientific verification and statistical measure of research work, the mental health professionals are more inclined towards scien-

tific approaches in the fields of psychology and psychiatry. In this scientific school

of thought, Logotherapy is often viewed and reduced to a humanistic approach in

the trend of positive psychology, or as part of the self help movement. Since core

concepts of Logotherapy such as meaning, values, freedom, dignity, and respon-

sibility are specific human conditions that resonate to every person, many times its

universality and familiarity are erroneously misunderstood as superficial in this positivist environment. Therefore the need for an actualized scientific, humanistic,

as well as methodologically and technically sound training for professionals spe-

cializing in the field of Logotherapy. It is with this objective that ICF organized and

implemented two successful programs at University level that merge academic

issues with practical aspects, in accordance with international academic standards

and our national reality, integrating the advances of the neurosciences, and of

anthropology, sociology, psychopharmacology, psychopathology, psychometrics,

and psychotherapy in an integral professional training. A two year Masters pro-

gram in Logotherapy for professionals in the mental health areas, and a five year License program in Logotherapy and family sciences, for those with no formal

training in Psychology. To achieve university degrees in Logotherapy, graduates

from ICF Guatemala go through extensive preparation, including, but not limited to, the following basic areas: 1. Philosophical anthropology, 2. Psychology and

psychotherapy, 3. Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, 4. Neuroscience, 5.

Methodology and research, and 6. Clinical applications and supervised practice.

Relevance should be given to the shaping of the future of Logotherapy and exis-tential analysis in the 21st century, and the ICF Guatemala has more than a de-

cade proving to be both innovative and successful in promoting Logotherapy in

the field of mental health through academic teaching and therapeutic training, and graduating professionals with knowledge and skills in the scientific, research and clinical fields, with a deep understanding of the human personhood. In order for Logotherapy to avoid being erroneously reduced, more steps should be taken following the path that Viktor Frankl, a neurologist, psychiatrist and great

humanist, set, who wanted Logotherapy to be accessible to everybody, but at the

same time urged that despite its accessibility, it should not be taken lightly. After

all, simple and precise is not to be misunderstood as superficial. The ICF has

achieved university recognition for its Logotherapy programs. It is responding to

the need to provide society with meaning-oriented professionals with a sound scientific basis, as well as an educational model that could be implemented in

other societies in order to foster the growth of the future of Frankl´s Logotherapy

in the contemporary scientific landscape which is shaped by a prominent role of the neurosciences, statistics and scientific verification of research.

32


M O R I , H A R A L D [ E C P ; A u s t r i a ]

THE HERITAGE OF VIKTOR FRANKL IN THE WORLD OF THE 21ST CENTURY – CONNECTING AND SEPARATING INFLUENCES FROM A PERSONAL VIEW

Since the celebrations of Viktor Frankl´s 100th birthday in 2005 I had the chance

to experience logotherapeutic developments and institutes in many parts of the world, in European countries as well as in Brasil, Japan, Argentina, Uruguay,

United States, Canada and Russia. 25 years ago I became personal student of Viktor Frankl in Vienna and also his assistant in his university lectures and in some

personal affairs for about 10 years until his death in 1997. During these times I

experienced many people and institutes working in the field of Logotherapy and Existential Analysis (LTEA). About some of them, I had the chance to discuss with Viktor Frankl personally, and I found confirmed, what he had published in his article about “The Degurufication of Logotherapy”. During this time, I could clearly see Frankl´s intention – he wanted Logotherapy

and Existential Analysis above all to be part of a medical or psychological treat-ment. Obviously sincere institutes all over the world are trying to follow this idea as is testified, for instance, by the fact that they are more and more located in or

affiliated with universities. Visiting some of these institutes I recognized two types

of tendencies how logotherapists communicate with each other: either it was a

synergetic and respectful constructive work or it was a sort of hostility with or without personal disparagement. In my presentation I would like to present some

of my experiences with successful and constructive cooperation which flourished and succeeded, without being ridden by the fear to lose the personal and cultural aspect of the particular identity.

M R U S E K , R E N A T E [ P h . D . ] [ G e r m a n y ]

LOGOTHERAPEUTISCHE PAARBERATUNG

Angesichts vielfältiger und wachsender Schwierigkeiten, Partnerschaften langfristig zu leben, und der daraus resultierenden Not in Familien, werden wir auch in der

logotherapeutischen Beratungspraxis intensiv mit diesen Problemen konfrontiert.

Eine Gruppe tätiger Beraterinnen initiierte 2008 mit den Frage: „Gibt es nicht

auch eine logotherapeutische Paarberatung? Was genau kennzeichnet diese?

Worin unterscheidet sie sich von anderen?“ die Entwicklung eines solchen Curricu-

lums.

In der kurzen Präsentation werden die zentralen Grundprinzipien logotherapeuti-

scher Paarberatung an einem kleinen Beispiel aus der Praxis dargestellt. In einem

Bild/Modell wird gezeigt, wie sich die verschiedenen Ebenen und Notwendigkei-

ten einer Paarberatung mit diesem logotherapeutischen Kern verbinden lassen.

M U C C I , R O B E R T O J U A N [ P r o f . ; P h . D . ] [ A r g e n t i n a ]

SOZIO-POLITISCHE DIMENSIONEN DER LOGOTHERAPIE

La Logoterapia asume la función de volver inaceptable toda forma de vida in-

digna del hombre libre. Somos artífices de nuestro destino y debemos hacernos

cargo de nuestra realidad social en todas sus áreas. ¿Hacemos intervenir la Logo-

terapia en las distintas áreas de la vida social?. ¿Cuál es nuestro aporte desde los

valores, al mundo de la política, del trabajo, de la empresa, de la educación, de

la salud, de los medios de comunicación, de la justicia? Viktor Frankl nos presenta

los valores de creación, de vivencia y de actitud y pienso que podemos sumar

una cuarta categoría, los valores de servicio en el contexto de lo que es la di-

mensión socio-política de la Logoterapia; dentro de los cuales podemos ubicar el

sentido de la responsabilidad y el sentido del liderazgo.

El sentido de la responsabilidad: La tríada de la responsabilidad: (a) El Sentido

de la Responsabilidad, donde descubro ¿cuál es el motivo para ser responsable?,

¿Qué sentido tiene vivir desde la responsabilidad?; (b) La Ética de la Responsabi-lidad, donde se aborda el cómo y, de qué manera me hago responsable; (c) El

Espíritu de la Responsabilidad: la fuente desde donde actúo, siendo responsable

de la realidad que me toca construir; desde el corazón y con alegría.

El sentido del liderazgo personal y socio-politico: “Ser líder empieza por uno

mismo” (G. Utrilla). Hay que conocer nuestra realidad interior y lograr el autogo-

bierno. Los líderes sociales influyen en la vida de las personas, ayudan a crecer a la gente; por lo tanto el liderazgo social es una su vocación de servicio. Los líde-

res sociales trabajan para promover acciones conjuntas dirigidas a proyectos

33


comunitarios donde se interrelaciona el capital humano, social y económico para

modificar la realidad de la que se es parte, en vista a logros que mejoren las condiciones de vida de una comunidad. En mi comunidad, venimos realizando

desde 1997 hasta la fecha, a través de la Asociación Bonaerense de Logotera-

pia, las siguientes actividades:

(a) Programa radial sobre Logoterapia; (b) Coordinando en nuestra zona la red

solidaria de profesionales de la salud; (c) Encuentros sobre “Logoterapia y vida

cotidiana” realizados desde los Centros Culturales del Gobierno Local; (d) Cur-

sos sobre “Logoterapia y Análisis Existencial” y “Ciencia, Fe y humanidades”

para profesionales y agentes de la salud; (e) Jornadas y Congresos sobre Logo-

terapia con entrada libre y gratuita; (f) Jornada para la “Prevención de la violen-

cia a nivel familiar, institucional y comunitario”, con participación de todas las instituciones locales; (g) Realización del proyecto “Logoterapia desde la Univer-

sidad para la Comunidad”; (h) Abordaje de los contenidos temáticos de “Elemen-

tos de Filosofía” y “Psicosociología de las Organizaciones” en la Carrera de Ciencia Política; en la Universidad Nacional de La Matanza, desde la perspec-

tiva antropofilosófica y axiológica frankliana.

N A G A T A , K A T S U T A R O [ P r o f . ; M D . , P h . D . ] [ J a p a n ]

SPONTANEOUS REGRESSION OF CANCER AND THE EXISTENTIAL SHIFT

Objective: Spontaneous regression of cancer (SRC) is an ultimate goal that pallia-

tive medicine may achieve. SRC appears to occur when a patient experiences an

existential shift. This paper aims at exploring contributing factors in and the me-

chanism of an existential shift.

Materials and Methods: A total of 289 cancer patients had come to the psycho-

somatic division of H university hospital between 1988 and 2007. Of them, 41

patients were involved in our study because 1) active treatment provided by con-

ventional medicine would no longer help them and they had been advised by

oncologists to seek hospice care, 2) the estimate of survival given by oncologists was less than 6 months, 3) they had come to us of their own accord, 4) they were capable of ingesting food, and 5) they had receptivity and responsiveness to

psychotherapy and a good record of compliance. Evaluation was attempted by measuring the quality of life of the patients (QOL) with the QOL questionnaire, the sense of coherence (SOC, or attitude toward life) with the SOC questionnaire, urinary 17-ketosteroid sulfate (S), urinary 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (OH), S/OH ratio, and oxidative stress with d-ROM test, BAP test and the modified BAP/d-

ROM ratio (the modified ratio). Based upon integrative medicine, treatment of the patients included the administration of reducing type coenzyme Q10 and a Kampo formula (Juzentaihoto and red ginseng) to boost their energy, immunology

and anti-oxidative stress, and logotherapy and existential analysis (e.g. life review interview). To make a comparison, the patients were assessed at their first visit and 16 weeks afterwards.

Results: In contrast to the healthy population, the patients in our study scored, at

their first visit, significantly low in total QOL, SOC, S, S/OH ratio, and the modi-fied ratio. And the scores in OH and d-ROM test were remarkably high. 16 weeks

later, all the scores improved; increases were observed in formerly low scores and a decrease in d-ROM score. The average length of survival was 19.41 months (M=11.56 months) from their first visit (p less than 0.01 versus an estimate of survival of less than 6 months).

Discussion: Poor prognoses of the patients in our study might have prompted doc-

tors of conventional medicine to refer them to palliative care programs. Nonethe-

less, our pharmacotherapy by complementary medicines and logotherapy and

existential analysis brought improvement in their actual survival and quality of life. Of the 41 patients, 10 (24.4 per cent) appeared to have accomplished existential

shift. This group showed in the week 16’s data marked increases in the scores of SOC, S and the modified rate, reported on low depressiveness and peak expe-

riences, and succeeded in perceiving and focusing on meaning in life. Presu-

mably, existential shift occurred because the patients regained the meaning of life and attempted to fulfil it while becoming aware of death and their capabilities to

shape a meaningful life. Peak experiences also appeared to play an important

role. It was speculated that the whole process helped brain functions to be activa-

ted and secrete dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), a precursor of urinary 17-KS-S.

34


N O B L E J A S D E L A F L O R , M A R I A Á N G E L E S [ P h . D . ] [ S p a i n ]

PATHS OF LOGOTHERAPEUTIC RESEARCH IN SPAIN

Logotherapeutic research in Spain during the last decades is presented. Empirical

work has increasingly become more relevant in order to confirm and give statisti-cal validity to the general line of thought on human realities that logotherapy has postulated from its roots. Our discussion focuses on the preceding decades (from the background to the creation of the Spanish Association of Logotherapy). The analysed works have been collected by searching for the keywords of logothe-

rapy in the database of doctoral theses Theseus, which includes scientific studies since 1976. Besides, current contributions have been selected because of its pro-

ximity to what has been the binding agent of Franklian empirical studies in Spain,

the Spanish Association of Logotherapy. We can distinguish two fundamental lines of investigations: The first one is related

to basic tools and targets to get norms of tests (PIL, Logotest, SOMP-R, LAP-R,

SONG, Existential Scale) or to study their structural features, reliability and vali-dity. The latter refers to applied studies that have been grouped into three blocks: drug addiction, disease (e.g. cancer, Alzheimer) and noogenic neurosis, and

other life situations (the end of life, adolescents and young people, teachers, pa-

rents of children with autism, indicators of suicide). The common denominator of

these blocks is existential confrontation under extreme circumstances and challen-

ges. Currently, the first line is aimed at deepening the multidimensionality of the

meaning construct and the second one is to study the relationship between self-concept, use of leisure time and values in young people and meaning in their life.

O R O , O S C A R R . [ P h . D . ] [ A r g e n t i n a ] ;

S O S A T E R R A D A S , A D R I A N A [ P h . D . ] [ A r g e n t i n a ]

VALIDACION DE LA EFECTIVIDAD CLINICA DE LA LOGOTERAPIA EN LA FUNDACION ARGENTINA DE LOGOTERAPIA

The Fundación Argentina de Logoterapia was founded in 1992 as an initiative of

a group of health professionals who wished to live and spread Viktor Frankl’s

hopeful message. Due to our predisposition for a clinical formation in logothe-

rapy, we consider it necessary to evaluate the quality of the treatment that the patients who come to our institution receive and to measure the results by weig-

hing the fortitudes and weaknesses of our service. In the first phase of this investigation, and based on our research, we combined

two different tests: the Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45.2) created by Michael

Lambert in 1996 and the Purpose in Life Test created by Crumbaugh and Maho-

lick in 1964.

During the research, we analyzed 436 patients who came to the Fundacion Ar-

gentina de Logoterapia with a spontaneous requests for psychological treatment.

Results obtained by the correlation of both techniques show that the therapeutic

help offered by the logotherapists of the Fundacion Argentina de Logoterapia

helped to mobilize clients‘ resources; furthermore, they show that the questioning

of the situation of each patient during the psychotherapy has contributed to a significant improvement in their general health and the relation with their environ-

ment.

Ö Z M E R T , M E M D U H [ T u r k e y ]

LOGO-LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT: LOGOTHERAPY AS AN ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGY FOR ATTAINING SANE AND SUS-TAINABLE ORGANISATIONS

I would like to make my case for the applicability of Logotherapy in Organizatio-

nal Management and generating consultancy and coaching material to facilitate organizations, in their effort to achieve effectiveness and sustainability in a sane way. Businesses today operate in a world characterized by what almost amounts

to a worship of high profit margins. Persons in position of leadership focuses on “process” and “outcome” but give very little importance to “people” and “future”. This factor contributes to an overall perspective of the corporate world being driven by the concept of “survival of the fittest” with money and power being the main focus. Frankl theorized that these behaviours that are detrimental to a mean-

ingful life (i.e. hubris, greed, selfishness) are manifestations of a lack of true mean-

ing or purpose in life. A literature survey revealed that Logotherapy’s contribution

to Organizational Management and Business can be categorized as (i) “Organi-

35


zations alignment to its mission”, (ii) “Leadership and Governance”, (iii)“Motivation and Creating meaningful climate/culture in work environment”, (iv)“Change Management”. Based on the literature survey a methodology is

established and titled as Logo-Management. Logo-Leadership & Management

methodology is considered to be an intervention merely based on meaning-

centered mentoring and coaching. A case history about the implementation is also

available.

P A C H E C O G Ó M E Z , J O R G E H . [ M A . ] [ C o l o m b i a ]

DER NIHILSMUS, DIE POSTMODERNE UND DAS AUFTRETEN VON LEBENSBEDEUTUNG: EINE VISION ÜBER DIE GÜLTIGKEIT DER LO-GOTHERAPIE IN DER KOLUMBIANISCHEN KONTEXT

Wie in vielen anderen Ländern hat auch Kolumbien in den letzten Jahren eine

soziale Dichotomie zwischen zwei Wirklichkeiten erfahren: Auf der einen Seite be-

steht der Wunsch, Kolumbien in die globalen Prozesse des wirtschaftlichen Wachstums einzubinden. Dies führt in einem großen Teil der Bevölkerung zu einer Art von Individualismus und von Unternehmertum, das die Anerkennung des An-

deren und die Selbst-Erkenntnis nahezu ausschließt. Auf der anderen Seite gibt es

hunderte Obdachlose, die in Städte abwandern, um für ihr bares Überleben zu

betteln. Die erste „Wirklichkeit“ versucht – und schafft es, die zweite zu verste-

cken, mit dem Resultat daß viele der Vertriebenen dazu verurteilt sind, ohne jegli-

che Hilfe und Anerkennung als Obdachlose auf den Straßen zu leben. Wie blickt

ein solches Dasein auf den Wert der eigenen Person und die Sinnfrage? Verschiedene Autoren behaupten in ihren philosophischen Theorien, es gäbe eine

Art Grundregel auf der Basis der Logotherapie und die Existenzanalyse: dieses

besage, daß der Lebensinn auch, und manchmal gerade, in Zeiten des größten Verlusts aufscheine, und es dem Menschen unter allen äußeren und inneren Um-

ständen möglich sei, den größeren Sinn um seine Existenz zu finden. Intention

dieser Präsentation ist es, die aktuelle Situation Kolumbiens unter diesem Ge-

sichtspunkt zu beleuchten. Tatsächlich zeigt sich nämlich der Wert und die Wirk-

samkeit der Logotherapie im Zeitalter der Postmoderne und des Nihilismus auch

unter den beschriebenen Umständen.

P A T S C H , I N G E [ A u s t r i a ]

DAS PROJEKT „SINNAKTIV“ DES TILO (TIROLER INSTITUT FÜR LOGOTHERAPIE UND EXISTENZANALYSE)

„Fragt nicht, was Eure Kinder für Euch tun können, sondern fragt, was wir gemein-

sam für die Zukunft unserer Kinder tun können!“ Mit diesem Thema feiert das Tiro-

ler Institut für Logotherapie und Existenzanalyse seinen 10. Geburtstag. Wir star-

ten mit unserer Initiative SINNAKTIV verschiedene soziale Projekte, in welchen

sich Jung und Alt engagieren und sich der Zukunft unserer Kinder widmen. Die Zukunft unseres Landes wird von den Kindern gestaltet, die heute heranwach-

sen. Wir müssen unseren Kindern und Jugendlichen das nötige Rüstzeug zur Be-

wältigung dieser Aufgaben mit auf den Weg geben und ihre Lebensfreude und Begeisterung sowie den Wert am gemeinsamen Miteinander fördern. Die Mög-

lichkeiten und die Verantwortung liegen in den Händen eines jeden von uns.

Diese Projekte entstehen im Rahmen der Sinnstiftung, deren Präsident Univ. Prof. DDr. Gerald Hüther ist. Die Sinnstiftung gibt Menschen die Gelegenheit Kräfte und Fähigkeiten in sich zu entdecken, die sie bisher nur erahnen konnten und in

einem gelingenden Miteinander über sich hinauszuwachsen.

„Auch wenn eine Fackel erlischt, hat ihr Leuchten einen Sinn gehabt. Keinen Sinn

hat es aber, eine Fackel weiterzureichen, die nicht brennt.“ Viktor E. Frankl

P I L A T , M A R Z E N A [ P h . D . ] [ P o l a n d ]

THE APPLICATION OF LOGOTHERAPY FOR THE CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY

In the era of globalisation, which is related to mass migration, contacts with peo-

ple coming from different cultures become an everyday reality. Direct contact with

an unknown culture and loss of support from your own is often connected with

stress, which can threaten the well-being of an individual, cause adaptive and

mental disorders, and consequentially lead even to disqualifying a person from partaking in social life in the receiving country. As a consequence, psychologists have to find new ways for support and psychotherapy for migrants, refugees and alien employees, who come to European countries. This paper is concerned with

36


the psychological problems and disorders (e.g. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,

combat fatigue, grief reaction) of migrants and refugees who have traumatic

experiences such as military conflicts, extreme poverty and the necessity to leave their motherland. The efficiency of methods of logotherapy (paradoxical intention, hint, dereflection) is introduced on example of case study, too. Using the examples

derived from my own, 17-year work experience, the application of logotherapy

on the job with war, torture or persecution victims will be described and discussed.

P I S H Y A R , R E Z A [ P H . D . ] [Au s t r a l i a ]

THE NEED FOR LOGOTHERAPY IN IRAN: PHILOSOPHICAL FOUN-DATION, CURRENT CLINICAL IMPLICATION AND FUTURE DIREC-TION

Iranian philosophy can be traced back to 1500 BC, and started with prophet

Zoroaster. Since Islam was brought to Iran, many physician, philosophers, poets,

writers and religious scholars have produced psychological and philosophical

concepts. Existential concepts have been developed by Persian philosopher, Mula

Sadra. Despite having strong past philosophical foundations in existentialism, Iranian psychologists adopted more psychoanalytic and cognitive behaviour

orientations in academic and clinical settings. And yet, in order to give answers to

people today, logotherapy focuses on the meaning of human existence. It is a

psychotheraputic school that integrates all three aspects of human beings: biolo-

gical, psychological and spiritual. From this approach, the logotheraputic credo

consists of freedom of will, will to meaning and the meaning of life (Frankl, 1967, 1986). Therefore, losing the freedom to take a stand towards one’s conditions and circumstances, and ignoring the human capacity to find meaning will neces-

sarily result in existential frustration and various neurotic disorders. In fact, the aim of logotherapy in Iran is to help man consciously accept responsibility for himself by using the spiritual freedom to make personal choices and decisions in the dis-covery of meaning and purpose. Finally, the current clinical implication of logothe-

rapy and its future direction in Iran will be discussed.

P R A D O V E G A , V E R I D I A N A D A S I L V A [ L i c . P s y c h . ] [ B r a z i l ]

LOGOTHERAPY INN BRAZIL: EMPOWERING LOGOTHERAPY FOR A STRENGTHENS SOCIETY.

Since the motto of the Congress Vienna 2012 is “The Future of Logotherapy”, this presentation is a panorama of the repercussion of Logotherapy in Brazil and our

aims for the next years. In 1984 Viktor E. Frankl went to Brazil and presided the

First Latin-American Congress of Humanism. When the Brazilian Society of Lo-

gotherapy was founded, it was composed of Brazilians and mainly Argentine and

Mexican teachers. Those teachers had in general obtained their credentials in

Europe or USA. At that time courses began to be offered in Brazil. Despite of the efforts, however, almost three decades later, the professionals still have little con-

tact with colleagues in Logotherapy. They usually meet each other in other count-

ries, and some great works and researches remain little known by the community,

which raises a doubt: why aren‘t we having more success with the promotion of

Logotherapy in our country and the strengthening of our community? Some obsta-

cles can be indicated, for example the geographical distance in a country with the

magnitude of a continent. However, Logotherapy teaches us to overcome the obstacles, when it is possible.

And it is. The institutions and professionals in general get restricted to their own region and groups. According to the B.I.A. no2: “in Brazil, Logotherapy is still not

very well known”; being aware of these efforts, forces were joined to create an

institution intended to promote Logotherapy properly. There are several professio-

nals promoting Logotherapy in Brazil, and great projects are taking place in the

country; hence now is the time to get our strength together and improve our unity,

aiming to empower the spirit of our society. In 2010 the Brazilian Association of Logotherapy and Existential Analysis was founded during the Fifth Brazilian Cong-

ress of Logotherapy/Existential Analysis, when Eugenio Fizzotti was present and lectured. ABRAL is now improving actions to integrate all Logotherapy’s institutions

and professionals, and to promote Logotherapy in Brazil. The next Brazilian Con-

gress will happen in November of 2012, by the theme “Ethics of Meaning and Culture of Peace” and aims to discuss and promote the Logotherapy in the clini-cal, social and educational aspects.

37


P U R J O , T I M O [ P h . D . ] [ F i n l a n d ]

DER KERN DER LOGOTHERAPIE

Bevor es sich lohnt, über die Popularisierung der Logotheorie (hiermit wird die sowohl aus der Logotherapie als aus der Existenzanalyse bestehende Lehre Viktor

E. Frankls gemeint) oder wiederum über die Verwissenschaftlichung der Logotheo-

rie zu sprechen, gilt es zu fragen, was die Logotheorie bedeutet. Mit anderen Wörtern, es muß versichert werden, daß wir über das Gleiche sprechen, wenn wir

uns auf die Logotheorie beziehen. Sogar unter den Experten der Logotheorie

scheint es große Unsicherheit über die wahre Bedeutung der Grundbegriffe der Logotheorie zu geben, mindestens so wie ich sie infolge meiner Untersuchungen und Auslegungen verstanden habe. Der Grund meiner Besorgnis ist also die ge-

spürte Gefahr, daß der ursprüngliche Kern der Logotheorie langsam verloren

gehen kann. Vor dem Beginn einer weiteren Ausbreitung der Logotheorie, lohnt es

sich, eine Art von Qualitätssicherung durchzuführen, d.h. jedem, der sich mit der Logotheorie befaßt, die Grundbegriffe der Lehre Viktor Frankls ausführlich ins Gedächtnis zurückzurufen.

Mit der Vorsilbe „logo[s]“ im Wort „Logotheorie“ meinte Frankl sowohl den Geist

als den Sinn. Er stellte auch fest: „Der Geist braucht den Sinn – der Nous den

Logos“. Meiner Ansicht nach kann ebenso gut gesagt werden, daß der Sinn den

Geistigen braucht. Wesentlich ist es jedoch, was mit diesen beiden zentralen

Begriffen der Logotheorie gemeint ist, beziehungsweise wie sie verstanden wer-

den sollten. Der Zweck meines Vortrages – und meines in Arbeit befindlichen

Buches über Logotheorie – ist es, nach meinem Verständnis zu erläutern, was für

die Logotheorie ihren wesentlichen Kern bildet, ohne den es nicht begründet ist,

über eine auf der Logotheorie beruhende Vorgehensweise oder über deren An-

wendung zu sprechen. Wenn nur einige Teile aus der Logotheorie herausgenom-

men oder irgendwie fehlerhaft interpretiert werden, kann der Kerngedanke der Logotheorie verloren gehen. Dementsprechend ist es meine Absicht, darauf hin-

zuwirken, daß aus der Logotheorie nicht nur solches ausgesucht wird, das auch zu

vielen anderen theoretischen Richtungen gehört, und daß die genau für die Logo-

theorie gehörende Gedanken nicht ausgelassen oder separat aus der Ganzheit

und deswegen falsch interpretiert werden. Damit die Identität der Logotheorie geschützt werden kann, stelle ich das in den Mittelpunkt, was sie so einzigartig

macht.

Die Grundbegriffe der Logotheorie gestalten eine holistische Ganzheit, deren verschiedene Teile nicht nur kompatibel, sondern auch notwendig zueinander

sind. Kritische Begriffe sind meiner Ansicht nach: der Sinn, der Geist/die Geistig-

keit/die noetische Dimension, die Selbstdistanzierung, die Trotzmacht des Geistes

und die Verantwortung/die Verantwortlichkeit/das Verantwortlichsein.

R E I N H O L D , H E L G A [ P h . D . ] [ B r a z i l ]

INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION AND CULTURE VIKTOR FRANKL

The idea of creating a non-profitable organization which is based on the ideas of Viktor Frankl was the impetus of founding the Viktor Frankl School (VFS), which for 20 years has worked with the application of Existential Analysis and Logotherapy

in education. The Institute of Education and Culture Viktor Frankl (IECVF) was

established on December 8, 2008 in response to the crisis of lack of meaning in

life, which manifests as an increase of depression, addiction, violence, the devalu-

ation of sexuality, boredom and lack of hope. As Viktor Frankl said "today's so-

ciety gratifies and satisfies any need, with the exception of one, the need for mea-

ning of life". Therefore, our proposal was to create an educational institute for the dissemination, promotion and application of Frankl’s thoughts through academic activities.

The IECVF is a founding member of the ABLAE (Brazilian Association of Logothe-

rapy and Existential Analysis) and is registered in the Municipal Council for the Rights of the Child and Adolescent (CMDCA) in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.

Its major achievements included:

(a) the Postgraduate Course Lato Sensu in Existential Analysis and Logotherapy

applied to education and organizations, in partnership with Claretiana University

Center, Batatais, Sao Paulo, Brazil; (b) various lectures and courses in partnership

with the University of São Paulo - USP, granting scholarships to students in social

vulnerability, including people with disabilities; (c) Ana e Joaquim Programme -

the renewed sense of life for seniors, in partnership with FVC (computer education for seniors by students of the VFS; Grandparents and grandchildren meeting, cognitive stimulation workshops, tours); (d) Program Yes to Life - drug prevention:

38


lectures, theatre, various educational activities; (e) publication of the book: “Every life is poetry ... The song of resilience” by Maria Luiza de Souza.

We certify that the legacy of Viktor Frankl is a sign of hope for the global society and should be studies, dessiminated, and applied.

S A R F A T I , G E O R G E S E . [ P r o f . , P h . D . ] [ F r a n c e & I s r a e l ]

LOGOTHERAPY AND VICTIMOLOGY

This communication untertakes an evaluation of the specific contribution of Lo-

gotherapy to psychotraumatology. It deals with Dr Viktor Frankl’s concept of “ori-entation of meaning” in the treatment of Post-Traumatic Disorder Symptom (PTDS). We intent to demonstrate here the simultaneous relevance of the three categories of values defined by Dr V. Frankl (values of attitude, values of experience, values of creativity) in the progressive overcoming of the trauma.

S Á R K Á N Y , P É T E R [ A s s i s t a n t P r o f . , P h . D . ] [ H u n g a r y ]

DIE BEDEUTUNG DER UNIVERSITÄREN FORTBILDUNGSSTUDIEN-GÄNGE UND DIE ROLLE EINES MÖGLICHEN INTERNATIONALEN AKKREDITATIONSVERFAHRENS VON LOGOTHEREPEUTISCHEN AUSBILDUNGSPROGRAMMEN

In meinem Vortrag präsentiere ich das Programm der logotherapeutischen Fortbil-

dungsstudiengänge an der Apor Vilmos Katholischen Hochschule (Logotherapeu-

tische Beratung und Persönlichkeitsentwicklung) und an der Pázmány Péter Katho-

lischen Universität (Philosophische Praxis). Dann skizziere ich einen möglichen Akkreditierungsentwurf von logotherapeutischen Ausbildungsprogrammen, die –

meines Erachtens – in der Zukunft vom Viktor Frankl Institut koordinert werden

könnten.

S C H E C H N E R , J O H A N N A [ DKS ] [ A u s t r i a ]

VIKTOR FRANKL ZENTRUM WIEN

Im Herbst 2004 wurde im privaten Kreis der Grundstein zum Viktor Frankl Zent-

rum Wien gelegt. Entscheidender Faktor dazu war die Vision, das heilende Ge-

dankengut Frankls der breiten Öffentlichkeit in allen Gesellschaftsschichten zu-

gänglich zu machen – wobei vor allem die Jugend als Zielgruppe ein großes Anliegen ist.

Dazu kam der 100. Geburtstag Frankls am 26. März 2005. Dieses Datum und

die Begeisterung zog das Gründungskomitee über alle Hindernisse finanzieller, politischer und sonstiger Art hinweg. In nächtelangen Diskussionen, wie die umfas-sende Lehre in einer Ausstellung präsentiert werden soll und in der fieberhaften

Kontaktsuche nach freiwilligen Medienspezialisten für Grafik, Aufbereitung, Logo, PR-Arbeit und inhaltliche Darstellung, verflog uns die Zeit. Was sich aus diesen begeisterten Anfängen bis heute entwickelt hat und welche

Visionen neuerdings aufleuchten, wird Thema des Kurzreferates sein.

S O S A T E R R A D A S , A D R I A N A [ P h . D . ] [ A r g e n t i n a ] ;

M A R T Í N E Z S Á N C H E Z , C L A R A [ P r o f . ; P h . D . ] [ C o l o m b i a ]

CHILD’S PSYCHOTHERAPY FOCUSED ON MEANING

Logotherapy is doubtlessly a growing Psychotherapy which requires the effort of Logotherapists to put in paper their own experiences. It is our intention to provide

those who are interested in Child’s Psychotherapy a new approach that may be

useful, simple and effective and also deep in meaning and hope-giving to a hu-

man being that is maturing.

Child clinical intervention with a Logotherapeutical approach is a new model that

is beginning to record important advances in its construction process. Childhood

disorders and difficulties have been rising in the last few years, demanding a different intervention from the conventional or traditional one, an intervention that

could improve the progression from child to adult. In this perspective, the objecti-

ves of a therapy focused on meaning in childhood are to deal with the various

disorders that the child may have in order to help him develop spiritually.

39


We consider Logotherapy as psychotherapy capable of enlightening traditional clinic approach with children, a model that has been worked on for more than 20

years in Argentina. First of all, we should explain why Logotherapy with children is feasible, and then we should make a framework of the sessions, to help create the bond with the child, in order to give him security and confidence to express his feelings. Viktor Frankl has asked us to be active workers in the transformation and

positioning of the humanized vision of the human being. To achieve that it is ne-

cessary to start from childhood, to analyze pedagogical, educational, legal, soci-

al-political and mental health features.

V E L I Z D E E S P E R , M A R Í A Y . [ L i c . P s y c h . ] [ A r g e n t i n a ]

ASISTENCIA A VÍCTIMAS DE ABUSO SEXUAL

El Amor es el valor superior; visto como generador de sentido, se define como “A: sin – Mor: muerte”; quiere decir que donde hay amor hay vida, y donde hay

vida hay posibilidades. Abrirse a las posibilidades es abrirse al sentido. Teniendo

en cuenta la definición de valores de Viktor Frankl “los valores son aquellos senti-dos universales que se cristalizan en situaciones típicas que una sociedad, o aún

la humanidad, deben enfrentar”, como Centro de Logoterapia asumimos el compromiso con nosotros mismos y con los demás, es decir, apuntamos a la tras-

cendencia. Cómo desde el amor encontramos sentido? Grupo A.V.A.S., Asisten-

cia a Víctimas de Abuso Sexual: es un grupo de encuentro de personas de ambos

sexos que sufrieron abuso y que en soledad consideraban que su vida carecía de valor y significado; al encontrarse con personas en sus mismas condiciones,

comprendieron que podían sobreponerse a esta situación y decidir darle un sen-

tido a sus vidas. Cárcel de mujeres: trabajando con las internas, más allá del

hecho que las llevó a estar convictas, hay en ellas una esencia sana, y desde allí

se trabaja la ontología dimensional (biológica, psicológica, social y espiritual) para guiarlas a descubrir el sentido de sus vidas, y desde allí ayudarlas a proyec-

tarse a su vida futura. En grupos sociales: Asociación de Padres con Hijos con Síndrome de Down y personas interesadas en aprender la Logoterapia. Todo

cobra sentido en nombre del amor cuando trascendemos en actitud de servicio

hacia la vida.

V I K , J Á N O S [ P h . D . ] [ R o m a n i a ]

PRÄSENTATION ÜBER DIE EINFÜHRUNG DER LOGOTHERAPIE IN DIE AUSBILDUNG DER THEOLOGEN UND ÜBER DIE GRÜNDUNG DES INTERNATIONALEN WISSENSCHAFTLICHEN VEREINS FÜR LO-GOTHERAPIE UND EXISTENZANALYSE (LENTE) IN CLUJ (RUMÄ-NIEN)

Aufgrund ihres mit der christlichen Anthropologie kompatiblen theoretischen Hin-

tergrundes wird der Logotherapie eine besondere Brückenrolle im Dialog zwi-

schen Theologie und Psychologie zugewiesen. Diese Brückenrolle der Logothera-

pie Viktor E. Frankls wird dadurch unterstrichen, daß sie 2008 als Pflichtfach im

Rahmen des Masterstudiengangs (MA) Pastorale Beratung an der Römisch-Katho-

lischen Theologischen Fakultät der Universität Babes-Bolyai in Cluj (Siebenbür-gen/Rumänien) eingeführt worden ist. Dadurch sollen sowohl Laientheologen als auch Priesteramtskandidaten von Siebenbürgen die Grundsätze der Logotherapie

und Existenzanalyse kennenlernen und sie vor allem in der seelsorgerlichen Ge-

sprächsführung bzw. in der pastoralen Beratung fruchtbar einsetzen. Der Internationale Wissenschaftliche Verein für Logotherapie und Existenzanalyse (LENTE), der 2010 in Cluj (Rumänien) gegründet worden ist, verfolgt unter ande-

rem das Ziel, diese Brückenrolle der Logotherapie weiter auszubauen und zu

stärken. Das Gründungsdokument nennt allerdings die Verbreitung und die Förde-

rung der Logotherapie und Existenzanalyse Viktor E. Frankls unter den Hauptzie-

len von LENTE. Der Internationale Wissenschaftliche Verein für Logotherapie und Existenzanalyse (LENTE) will darüber hinaus – sowohl in Rumänien als auch auf

internationaler Ebene – die wissenschaftliche Forschung und die Bildung auf dem Gebiet der Logotherapie durch seine Aktivitäten animieren und weiterbringen (vgl. www.logoterapia.ro). Am 4. Juni 2011 hat der Internationale Wissenschaftliche Verein für Logotherapie und Existenzanalyse (LENTE) den ersten Tag der offenen Tür mit dem Titel organisiert: „Sinnsuche im Alltag“. Dieses Ereignis fand in enger Kooperation mit der der Römisch-Katholischen Theologischen Fakultät der Univer-

sität Babes-Bolyai in Cluj und mit der Siebenbürgischen Ungarischen Gesellschaft

für Philosophie (EMFT) statt.

40


V I S I E R S W Ü R T H , C R I S T I N A [ P h . D . ] [ S p a i n ] ;

S C H M I D T , B E R N A D E T T E ; S T E G M A I E R , A N N A M A R I A

[ D i p l . P ä d . ] [ G e r m a n y ]

CODE OF ETHICS FOR LOGOTHERAPISTS IN EUROPE

All medical and social professions have a code of ethics that enshrines its profes-sional activity, states its limits and protects the clients from bad practice. Logothe-

rapists are still defining their own status and profession (as states the lack of uni-formity in their own professional self-description) since they have very different first or original professions (physicians, psychologists, but also sociologists, teachers,

economists, etc.). In order to move forward with the project of developing a code of ethics, not only the final result is important, but also the process and interdis-

ciplinary discussion that will be enriched by the transcultural perspective as it will

be developed already in its first phase in 3 countries simultaneously. The General

Objective of this project is to develop a code of ethics with a fundamental com-

mon core of shared items and specific items for every country. The Methodology includes:

1) Elaborating a set fundamental items as working paper. For every association;

2) Development of the formulation of each item into different articles, through questionnaires, focus groups, forums, workshops, etc.). The formulation of each article must be as short, precise and clear as possible, and the process must in-

volve learned logotherapists and logotherapists with experience. The result must

reflect the opinions and points of view of a variety of logotherapists with diverse

professional and academic backgrounds. 3) The coordinator of each area will gather the result of the process and elabo-

rate a proposal.

4) The 3 coordinators will establish the core of articles in common and the specific

articles for every country and it will be reviewed again in each country. 5) The proposal of the code of ethics will be presented to associations of other countries.

V I S I E R S W Ü R T H , C R I S T I N A [ P h . D . ] [ S p a i n ]

THE FUTURE OF LOGOTHERAPY AND TRANSCULTURALISM

Logotherapy has the cultural colour of the time and place where it was born, but at the same time has spread in culturally different countries of all continents. Frankl’s wish not to be a “guru”, but to let his followers develop Logotherapy has

interesting consequences in the spreading of Logotherapy around the world, and

has allowed different schools to develop in very different styles from Mexico to Finland or Japan. But the connection of Logotherapy and Transculturality goes far beyond that.

The holistic perspective of the person that Frankl develops in his dimensional onto-

logy, including the spiritual or noetic dimension, although clearly rooted in Euro-

pean Philosophy, is especially interesting for professionals working in transcultural

contexts, as these professionals are used to other professionals trained in western standards to treat spirituality as something to be disregarded or even, as renow-

ned transcultural expert Suman Fernando says, something taboo. The great ad-

vantage of the Logotherapeutic perspective for working with refugees and trauma-

tised persons has also already been proven in the context of Frankl’s own expe-

rience in the concentration camps. And the actual presence of students from Rwanda and Haiti, among others, in the training of Logotherapy proves that its

suitability remains unchanged in present contexts. Logotherapy, as a western

discipline with transcultural-adequate characteristics (i.e. a lack of disdain or igno-

rance of the spiritual-noetic dimension; strong rejection of any reductionism; open-

ness for innovation and adaptation to the time and place where it is to be develo-

ped; ideal anthropological fundament basis to work with migrants as refugees, etc.), could help other western disciplines with the necessary task of recognizing its cultural origin and, at the same time, adapting to the needs of persons and groups with other visions of the person, the self, the world and the believes.

41


V O N D E V I V E R E , B E A T E [ D i p l . S o z . , M A . ] [ G e r m a n y ]

COPING IN TIMES OF CRISIS. BUILDING RESILIENCE AND PERSO-NAL GROWTH CURRENT CHALLENGES FOR COUNSELLING AND LOGOTHERAPY IN THE WORKPLACE

The presentation is developing and discussing challenges, processes, and outco-

mes of coaching and counselling in the workplace, especially in the context of the

current extreme challenges. It will specifically be exploring the following issues in the light of the specific indicators for „search for meaning“: (a) Sociological, or-

ganizational and personal challenges of the present „crisis“ and influencing fac-

tors; (b) Basic needs analysis, i.e. how can personal self‐determination,

self‐efficacy and „coherence“ in the work place be met? Further keywords: Path-

ways to a „good life“ and personal growth in the workplace; Meaning oriented

employee assistance: Spelling the present and the future. The presentation will present selected case studies’ issues, process and outcomes. It will also show how

art works from different fields and centuries could encourage the clients’ inherent

search for meaning in these demanding times.

V O N W A L D , H E I D I [ P h . D . ] [ A u s t r i a ]

ABILE EU-PROJEKT “GEWALTPRÄVENTION: DAS AGGRESSIVE PO-TENTIAL VON JUGENDLICHEN IN KONSTRUKTIVE SINNENERGIE UMWANDELN“

10% von Jugendlichen pro Schulklasse lassen sich nicht mehr in den normalen

Schulunterricht integrieren. Die entstehenden Gewaltsysteme sollen bereits im

Vorfeld aufgelöst werden, um zukünftige Amokläufe nicht erst entstehen zu lassen. (1) Wege einer neuen Pädagogik aufzeigen – Zielgruppen:

(a) GewalttäterInnen & ehemalige Gewaltopfer (nach der Psychotherapie) & Eltern & LehrerInnen & ErzieherInnen & ehemalige GewalttäterInnen gemeinsam

– nicht die jugendlichen GewalttäterInnen sollen repariert und umerzogen wer-

den, sondern sie sollen mehr Mut erhalten, ihre persönliche Einzigartigkeit im Wir-

ken für diese Welt kreativ und begeistert zu leben.

Bewußt gemacht werden sollen den Zielgruppen die Wurzeln der Konfliktsituati-

onen: u. a. das Fehlen von Sinn, zirkuläre Dynamik und komplementäre Kommuni-

kation (von oben nach unten) – Double-bind (sich selbst verewigende entwer-tende, damit zerstörende Kommunikationsstrukturen), dadurch sollen neue Wege eines respektvollen Miteinanders wieder in den Familien und in der Schule ver-

mehrt lebbar werden. Nebeneffekte sind: Gewaltprävention, Suizidprävention,

Suchtprävention, Krisenintervention.

Mit diesem Programm sind die folgenden Personen und Institutionen affiliiert:

Universität Heidelberg & Mozarteum (Kieselschule): Univ.Prof. Dr. Klaus Feß-

mann; Evangelische Hochschule Nürnberg, Univ. Prof. Dr. Dieter Lotz, Universität

Barcelona mit Logotherapieinstitut Barcelona, Dr. Cristina Visiers; Viktor-Frankl-

Hochschule Klagenfurt: Dr. Friedrich Fuchs; Internationale Universität Kiev, Psycho-

logisches Institut.

W I E S M E Y R , O T M A R [ P h . D . ] [ A u s t r i a ]

DIE AKADEMISIERUNG DER LOGOTHERAPIEAUSBILDUNG IN ÖS-TERREICH ALS HERAUSFORDERUNG UND AUFGABE

Das ABILE als psychotherapeutisches Ausbildungsinstitut in Existenzanalyse und

Logotherapie bietet seit Herbst 2010 Universitätslehrgänge mit Masterabschluss

in Kooperation mit der Donauuniversität Krems an. Der bisweilen beschwerliche

Weg dorthin wird mittels humorvoller Karikaturen dargestellt. Welche Aktivitäten

und Unterstützungen sind notwendig, damit sinnvolle Entwicklungen entstehen?

Welche Gefahren verhindern diese Prozesse? Konkrete Erfahrungen bei der Ent-wicklung und Organisation von Lehrgängen sollen Einblicke in Konzepte und

deren Umsetzungen geben.

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W I N T E R S , M . [ P h . D . ] [ U S A ]

NEW STRATEGIES FOR OUTREACH ON MEANING BASED PSYCHO-THERAPY AND MEANING BASED APPROACHES TO LIFE

This presentation will outline several strategies (some tested, some yet to be tested) for reaching out to new populations of psychotherapists and to the general public.

(1) Rebranding “Logotherapy” as “Meaning Based Psychotherapy” and “A Mea-

ning Based Approach to Life”. Logotherapy is often difficult to explain simply. By

using “meaning-based approach” it may be easier to compare and contrast mea-

ning based approaches with, for example, cognitive approaches. (2) Diverse ways of offering professional training: Need: A one-day (6 or 7 hour) introduction to Meaning-Based Psychotherapy course for therapists that is accredi-ted. While the Viktor Frankl Institute of Logotherapy (headquartered in Abilene,

TX, USA) has a complete curriculum, its introductory course is a 15 hour course –

requiring 2 days to teach. This is not a common model for mental health continu-

ing education in the United States. A one day course could be developed using

the existing curriculum, and taken to sites where there is no training program in

Logotherapy. This would increase therapist exposure to Logotherapy, and pro-

mote advanced training. More specialization could be developed for individual courses, i.e., Logotherapy applied to Addiction treatment, Logotherapy Applied to

Grief and Morning, Logotherapy in Crisis intervention, Logotherapy applied to

depression, etc.

(3) Lay education: Similarly a course for the general public could be developed

(as I have done). Using a fairly standardized curriculum, this course could be adapted for lay adult education, college undergraduate education, church or

other religious education, etc. Using a standard, or fairly standard, curriculum

would make it possible to offer advanced courses and perhaps have a designa-

tion of multiple levels of knowledge for non-professionals. (4) Distance supervision leading to the Diplomate of Logotherapy has been an effective model and should be enhanced, perhaps by offering skype supervision groups.

Z Ü R N E R , H E I D I [ A u s t r i a ]

LOGOPÄDAGOGIK-AUSBILDUNG

Im Herbst 2003 starteten Fr. Johanna Schechner und Heidemarie Zürner den

ersten Lehrgang in „Pädagogik als Prävention“ an der Pädagogischen Akademie

in Klagenfurt und 1 Jahr später in Wien mit 12 TeilnehmerInnen – heuer starten

wir mit 42 TeilnehmerInnen. Als Absolventinnen der Logotherapieausbildung bei

Dr. habil. Elisabeth Lukas war es uns ein Anliegen mit den hilfreichen Inhalten der Logotherapie in der Pädagogik sinnzentrierte Akzente zu setzen.

In einer privaten Initiative mit zwei Universitätsprofessorinnen gelingt es mehrere

Institute zur Mitarbeit zu gewinnen und zu begeistern: Der erste Lehrgang findet in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Institut für Erziehungswissenschaften und Bildungsfor-schung der Universität Klagenfurt, des Landesschulrates für Kärnten, dem Päda-

gogischen Institut des Bundes in Kärnten, dem Religionspädagogischen Institut und

dem Bischöflichen Schulamt der Diözese Gurk-Klagenfurt statt. Diese Initiativen

ermöglichten die Verwirklichung des Hochschullehrgangs „Logopädagogik“ nach

Viktor Frankl Zentrum Wien, sowie Namensgebung der Pädagogischen Hoch-

schule Kärnten, Viktor Frankl Hochschule und einer Schule in Klagenfurt, Neuen Mittelschule Annabichl/Viktor Frankl Schule. Weitere interessante Planungen sind

im Gange. Darüber wird im Kurzreferat berichtet.

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44


LOGOTHERAPY RESEARCH PLATFORM

Are you planning a clinical or empirical logotherapy re-

search project? Do you need collegial help or advice re-

garding the available test instruments, statistical methods, or research protocols? Then you may to wish join the Lo-

gotherapy Research Platform.

The Logotherapy Research Platform is an international and interdisciplinary web-based meeting point for professional and student researchers in aca-

demic and applied settings. It serves as a data base and meeting point for the international logotherapy research community to receive feedback and encouragement and to develop ideas and joint research projects.

To that end, you are encouraged to post descriptions of ongoing or completed research projects, individual manuscripts, or abstracts to promo-

te information sharing and communication between researchers.

Participation is free; the platform is open to everyone who is interested in current topics and future trends in logotherapy research:

HTTP://WWW.VIKTORFRANKL.ORG/E/NEWS_PLATFORM.HTML

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46


VIKTOR FRANKL FUND

OF THE CITY OF VIENNA

FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF MEANING-ORIENTED

HUMANISTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY

The fund was established in December 1999 and formally constituted in April 2000. It supports the work of the Viktor Frankl Institute by regular endowments. In addition, it sup-

ports and stimulates relevant scientific and practical pro-

jects by the yearly announcement of the Viktor Frankl

Award.

¦ BOARD OF THE VIKTOR FRANKL FUND

The Mayor of Vienna, Michael Häupl, Ph.D. City Councillor for Culture, Andreas Mailath-Pokorny, Ph.D. Secretary General of the Fund, Prof. Hubert Christian Ehalt, Ph.D.

Eleonore Frankl, Hon.D.

Katharina Ratheiser LL.M.

Assoc.-Prof. Alexaner Batthyany, Ph.D.

For more information, go to HTTP://WWW.VIKTORFRANKL.ORG/E/VFFUND.HTML

¦ COMMITTEE OF THE VIKTOR FRANKL AWARD

Mayor Michael Häupl, Ph.D. Andreas Mailath-Pokorny, Ph.D. Prof. Hubert Christian Ehalt, Ph.D.

Eleonore Frankl, Hon.D.

Katharina Ratheiser, LL.M.

Prof. Max Friedrich, Ph.D.

Prof. Alexaner Batthyany, Ph.D. Prof. Marianne Gruber

Prof. Susanne Heine Ph.D.

Prof. Giselher Guttmann, Ph.D.

Prof. Peter Kampits, Ph.D. Prof. Siegfried Kasper, MD, Ph.D. Prof. Ulrich Körtner, Ph.D.

Prof. Brigitte Rollett, Ph.D. Cecily Corti Elisabeth Lindner, MA

¦ SECRETARY GENERAL

VIKTOR FRANKL FUND OF THE CITY OF VIENNA

Prof. Hubert Christian Ehalt, Ph.D.

Friedrich Schmidt-Platz 5

A-1082 Vienna

Tel. (+431) 4000-88 742

Fax (+431) 4000-7167

[email protected]

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Documents

The Future of Logotherapy