Logotherapy: Concept of the Human Being

The main aim of the course is to provide you with insights into the logotherapeutic approach to psychotherapeutic practice and the practice of living one’s life; to teach you the main concepts of logotherapy, with reference to what a human being is; to demonstrate the application of logotherapy in some tasks and issues; to inspire you to get to know yourself and help you live freely and responsibly, solving the most important issues of choice and, as a result, leading a dignified existence. Our task is also to inspire you to further study the entire course of logotherapy and move on to living a logotherapeutic life and understanding the practical methods and techniques.
Upon completion of the course, psychologists will be able to greatly enrich their view of phenomena occurring in their patients and clients and understand the main concepts of logotherapy. Students will be able to make the right decision concerning their future Specialization. Many seemingly complex and complicated situations will look different to you, and in spite of everything, you will experience, in the words of Schweitzer, a “reverence for life”.

• Philosophical foundations
• In the first module you will study biography of Viktor Frankl, which is in many respects a result of his unique attitude and response to tough life circumstances. You will study the concept of the human being according to logotherapy, based on the unity and integrity of physical, psychic and spiritual. Understanding this unity will allow you to make a free choice.
• Psychonoetic antagonism
• In this module you will learn about the essential human phenomenon, "the defiant power of the human spirit", and how it can be efficiently used by psychotherapists in their practical work.
  You will see that attempts to limit yourself by psychophysics, disregarding the noetic dimension, will lead you to a distorted image of man.
  People often don’t see themselves as free. Still, it is an illusion, and the logotherapeutic approach presented in this module will show you what it looks like, in the form of a roleplay, and how we can deal with the lack of freedom.
• Psychonoetic antagonism (continuation)
• In the third module, you will get to know the logotherapeutic approach to the concepts “aggression” and “happiness.” You will see that the original and reasonable view of these concepts inspires people and engages their key resources. Addressing your personal experience will confirm this information, and a detailed case analysis will show the peculiarities of logotherapy in dealing with problems and symptoms.
• The concept of meaning in logotherapy
• The module “The concept of meaning in logotherapy” will give you an understanding of what is meant by ‘meaning’ in logotherapy and how to make meaningful choices. Applying the knowledge of making meaningful decisions, in both your personal and professional life, will give you a wider and calmer outlook on everything happening in the world. You will understand the difference between what you are obliged to do and what should happen in the world because of you. The role play, illustrating choice based on conscience, will show you the possibility of finding a decent solution to a complicated problem
• Dealing with oneself
• This module “Dealing with oneself” introduces the essential human abilities: self-detachment and self-transcendence, which allow a person to distance themselves from a symptom and relate to something bigger than themselves. After studying self-awareness from a logotherapeutic point of view, you will not only be able to change the way you look at your personal development and change process, but also be able to take care of your clients and yourself in the best possible way. By applying a logotherapeutic approach to burnout, you will be able to achieve an effective balance in your professional and personal life.
• Crisis prevention
• This module will teach you how to apply a logotherapeutic approach to stress and trauma, focusing not only on things that cause damage, but also how to overcome them. This aspect is not well studied, but it is particularly interesting for a productive life. You will learn and be able to apply a noopsychosomatic approach when the usual explanations for what is happening to a person are not enough, and you will be able to support them with your logotherapeutic knowledge. You will be able to form your own position towards the burdens of life and apply it in practice.
• The human being as a deciding being
• The module “The human being as a deciding being” will not only explain how the mechanism of indecision and procrastination works, but it will also prove that any decision is always connected with stress and pain, and that people should be able to find the optimum based on pro-motivation, and not counter-motivation. You will see an example of how this works in the form of a role-play. The explanation offered will inspire you to change.
• The pathology of time
• The module “The pathology of time” provides information about individual and collective positions that lead to a crisis. It will allow you to understand destructive human motives and to develop your own position toward destructive influences. You will be more durable in cases when it is necessary and more loyal in other situations. Besides, it will influence the people around you.
• Methods of Logotherapy
• The closing module “Methods of logotherapy” will provide you with the idea of practical tools used in therapeutic process. You will learn about those methods and will be able to understand why logotherapy works this way. You will also be able to use this knowledge in your practice