The Psychiatrist

Dr. Viktor E. Frankl was born on March 26, 1905 in Vienna, Austria, where at a young age, he wrote a short
paper to Freud which was published after three years. Dr. Frankl graduated with a medical degree from the University of
Vienna in 1930. He was assigned in Vienna Hospital suicide ward and headed the Rothschild Hospital, eight years later.

A survivor of the Holocaust, Dr. Frankl published a book about logotherapy. In 1959, the book was translated to
English and was revised in 1963 as The Doctor and the Soul: An introduction to Logotherapy. His book, Man's Search for
Meaning, has been used as a textbook in high school and college courses. Dr. Frankl died in 1997.

Logotherapy

Logotherapy is a psychotherapy introduced by Dr. Viktor Frankl, who is considered the Father of Logotherapy. The main
belief of logotherapy is that "man's primary motivational force is search for meaning." Logotherapy aids individuals to o
find personal meaning of life, whatever life situation they may be.

In logotherapy, meaning can be discovered by creating a work or doing a deed, experiencing something or encountering
someone and the attitude toward unavoidable suffering. According to the Victor Frankl Institute of Logotheraphy (n.d.),
it uses the philosophy of optimism in the face of tragedy, where people are capable of "turning suffering into human
achievement and accomplishment deriving from guilt the opportunity to change oneself for the better; and deriving
from life's transitoriness an incentive to take responsible action."

Basic Concepts of Franklian Psychology

The Franklian Psychology has the basic concepts. These are the following:

Life has meaning under all circumstances.

Main motivation for living is our will to find meaning in life.

Freedom to find meaning.

Furthermore, Franklian Psychology aims to: (1) become aware of spiritual resources, (2) make conscious spiritual
resources, and (3) use "defiant power of to the human spirit" and stand up against adversity.

Logotherapy Assumptions

All psychotherapies make philosophical assumptions about the human persons that cannot be proved with certainty.
Viktor Frankl Institute of Logotherapy (n.d.) states the assumptions of logotherapy, which include the following:

The human being is an entity consisting of body, mind, and spirit. This first assumption deals with the body (soma), mind
(psyche), and spirit (noos). According to Frankl, the body and mind are what we have and the spirit is what we are.

Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable. Assumption two is "ultimate meaning." This is
difficult to grasp but it is something everyone experiences, and it represents an order in a world with laws that go
beyond human laws.

People have a will to meaning. The third assumption is seen as our main motivation for living and acting. When we see
meaning, we are ready for any type of suffering. This is considered to be different than our will to achieve power and
pleasure.
People have freedom under all circumstances to activate the will to find meaning. Assumption four is that we are free to
activate our will to find meaning, and this can be done under any circumstances. This deals with change of attitudes
about unavoidable fate. Frankl was able to test the first four assumptions when he was confined in the concentration
camps.

Life has a demand quality to which people must respond if decisions are to be meaningful. The fifth assumption, the
meaning of the moment, is more practical in daily living than ultimate meaning. Unlike ultimate meaning this meaning
can be found and fulfilled. This can be done by following the values of society or by following the voice of our
Conscience.

The individual is unique. The sixth assumption deals with one's sense of meaning. This is enhanced by the realization that
we are irreplaceable. In essence, all humans are unique with an entity of body, mind, and spirit. We all go through
unique situations and are constantly looking to find meaning. We are free to do these at all times in response to certain
demands.

Frankl's Sources of Meaning

Popova (2017) discussed Viktor Frankl's work. There are three possible sources of the meaning of life: purposeful work,
courage in the face of difficulty and love.

Purposeful Work. To find the meaning of life starts with holding a future goal. Each individual has each own future goal
to achieve or a task to perform. That task or goal to fulfil becomes the meaning of their life. Therefore, meaning of life is
unique to every individual.

Courage in the Face of Difficulty. A meaningful life is a life with suffering. Suffering is inevitable part of life. To find
meaning of life is to recognize suffering, pain, and death as part of life and to have the courage to face these life
difficulties.

Love. Popova (2017) quoted Dr. Frankl's notes about his experience in the Nazi Camp: "For hours I stood hacking at the
icy ground. The guard passed by, insulting me, and once again I c communed with my beloved. More and more I felt that
she was present, that she was with me: I had the feeling that I was able to touch her, able to stretch out my hand and
grasp hers. The feeling was very strong: she was there. Then, at that very moment, a bird flew down silently and perched
just in front of me, on the heap of soil which I had dug up from the ditch, and looked steadily at me."

Dr. Frankl's wife, parents, and some relatives were victims of gas chambers. His love for his wife kept him fight for his
life. Popova (2017) also quoted Dr. Frankl's definition of love: "Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the
innermost core of his personality. No one can become fully aware of the very essence of another human being unless he
loves him. By his love, he is enabled to see the essential traits and features in the beloved person; and even more, he
sees that which is potential in him... Furthermore, by his love, the loving person enables the beloved person to actualize
these potentialities. By making him aware of what he can be and of what he should become, he makes these
potentialities come true."

A Costello (2015) captured Viktor Frankl's message: "The ultimate secret on the spiritual foundation of life is that love is
salvation and joy eternity." The ultimate factor to find the meaning of life is love.