Logotherapy techniques were developed by Viktor Frankl and focus on finding meaning in life. The three main techniques are dereflection, paradoxical intention, and Socratic dialogue. Dereflection redirects a patient's attention from themselves to others. Paradoxical intention involves encouraging patients to do what they fear. Socratic dialogue uses questions to help patients discover meaning through self-reflection. Logotherapy aims to help patients find purpose to overcome suffering.

1. Logotherapy techniques
1Prepared by: Ms. Aachal Taywade, Nagpur.

2. About logotherapy
• Developed by Viennese neurologist &
psychiatrist Viktor Frankl.
• “Man’s search for meaning” which covers
most concepts of Logotherapy, was the “best
seller” book. It records his experiences in the
Nazi concentration camps.
• Logos- Greek word. It means study, God, or
meaning.
• It postulates meaning in life.
2Prepared by: Ms. Aachal Taywade, Nagpur.

3. About logotherapy
• It is 3rd Viennese school of psychotherapy.
• Meaning – motivational force in human life.
• Three facts are fundamental to human life:
freedom of will
will to meaning
meaning of life.
• Life has meaning under all circumstances,
even miserable ones.
3Prepared by: Ms. Aachal Taywade, Nagpur.

4. Logotherapy techniques
Therapist – helps to find meaning.
Three main techniques:
I. Dereflection
II. Paradoxical intention
III. Socratic dialogue.
4Prepared by: Ms. Aachal Taywade, Nagpur.

5. Dereflection
• Frankl believed that humans find meaning &
satisfaction through engagement in some work.
• In some cases of neurosis & psychosis, an individual
becomes so preoccupied with himself & his internal
processes that he forgets the basic external
orientation.
• Therefore, Attention is redirected or dereflected
away from self onto others. That is, ignore
symptoms to stop reflecting on himself & orient
attention to the world around him.
5Prepared by: Ms. Aachal Taywade, Nagpur.

6. Dereflection examples
• An impotent is so focused on his sexual difficulties that he
loses sight of the person he is in bed with, & consequently
has no chance of becoming sexually aroused. This man might
be encouraged to love, & instead keep his attention onto his
partner & not his problem.
• An old lady complains of feeling lonely as her husband dies.
She may be encouraged to focus her attention onto religious
activities, music, social work, cooking, gardening or the other
such things of her interest that gives meaning to her life.
6Prepared by: Ms. Aachal Taywade, Nagpur.

7. Paradoxical intention
• Wishing for very thing you are afraid of.
• In this technique, client is encouraged to stop
fighting against problems & instead, to evoke mind a
strong wish & intention to do, or experience just
what is most terrifying & embarrassing to him.
• The aim of paradoxical intention is to undermine the
client’s vicious circle by trying to replace his fear/
shame/ depression with more positive attitude.
• Humor is inherent in paradoxical intention.
7Prepared by: Ms. Aachal Taywade, Nagpur.

8. examples of paradoxical intention
• Insomniac is asked to try as hard as possible to
stay awake.
• A person who is obsessed with organizing things,
is asked to keep things as messy as possible.
• A person who has fear of sweating, is asked to
deliberately show people how much he can
sweat.
• Ascher & Pollard & frankl warned that this
technique should not be used without proper
assessment. It should not be used in suicidal
cases.
8Prepared by: Ms. Aachal Taywade, Nagpur.

9. Socratic dialogue
• Therapist enters into dialogue & debate with the client &
poses questions in such a way that patients become aware of
their unconscious decisions, their repressed hopes &
unadmitted self knowledge,
• Client’s own words are used as a method of self discovery.
• By asking specific questions, meaning in one’s life is raised
into consciousness.
• It helps to find and the freedom to fulfill meaning.
• It allows client to discover what they already knew.
9Prepared by: Ms. Aachal Taywade, Nagpur.

10. example of socratic dialogue
• A middle aged woman spent much of her life caring for
her elderly parents & consequently feels depressed that
she wasted her life.
What would have
happened to your
parents if you had
not cared for them??
Umm..!! I guess they
would have had to live in
old age home. They would
have had free services
which would have killed
my father because he was
a very proud man..
Th.Cl.
10Prepared by: Ms. Aachal Taywade, Nagpur.

11. So you spared your
parents much
suffering by your
sacrifices. Have they
really been in vain??
I don’t regret what
I’ve done. They had
only me. They gave
me life. My care
just added a few
years to their life. It
does count
something. Th.Cl.
11Prepared by: Ms. Aachal Taywade, Nagpur.

12. Concluding comments.
• Logotherapy helps to discover higher purpose in
life.
• Gives ultimate solutions
• Best technique to survive n come out of worst
situations in life.
• A very positive approach to life.
• Criticized for similarities with religion.Based on
faith, not science.
• According to Rollo May, logotherapy techniques
are authoritarian. 12Prepared by: Ms. Aachal Taywade, Nagpur.

13. References
• Frankl, Viktor (1 June 2006). Man's Search for
Meaning. Beacon Press. ISBN 978-0-8070-
1427-1.
• "About Logotherapy". Viktor Frankl Institute
Vienna. Retrieved 22 May 2012
• Maria Marshall; Edward Marshall (4 August
2012). Logotherapy Revisited: Review of the Tenets of
Viktor E. Frankl's Logotherapy. Ottawa Institute of
Logotherapy. ISBN 978-1-4781-9377-7.
13Prepared by: Ms. Aachal Taywade, Nagpur.

14. …references
• Frankl, Viktor On the Theory and Therapy of
Mental Disorders. An Introduction to
Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, Brunner-
Routledge, London-New York, 2004. ISBN 0-
415-95029-5
• Cooper, M. Existential therapies.(May
2004)Sage publications
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