What is Logotherapy and Existential Analysis?
Logotherapy and Existential Analysis (LTEA) was founded by Prof Viktor Frankl in Vienna. It emphasises the importance of meaning and spirit (in a non-religious sense). It takes seriously Plato’s insight: ‘Man – a being in search of meaning’.
Who is Viktor Frankl?
Viktor Emil Frankl, MD, PhD (1905-1997) was a world-renowned Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, and philosopher and Holocaust survivor. He was the founder of Logotherapy and Existential Analysis and the author of over 30 books, including the international bestseller, Man’s Search for Meaning, which was voted one of the ten most influential books ever written.
What courses does your Institute offer?
We offer three courses: a Certificate in Logotherapy, a Diploma in Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, which is the full training, and a Diploma in Clinical Logotherapy, intended for mental health professionals.
How long do I have to complete the courses?
This will vary depending on the programme in which you are enrolled but the dates are flexible. The aim is to accommodate the student at all times.
Are they fully online?
Yes, they are all 100% online.
Are there starting dates?
No. A candidate may begin them at any time after having been accepted.
Tell me about the Institute.
I founded the Institute in 2009 to introduce logotherapy into Ireland and was privileged to be allowed use Viktor Frankl’s name for the Institute. I retain close ties with Vienna and the Frankl family, whom I have met with on numerous occasions in Vienna. Dr Frankl’s grandson referred to my work as representing ‘the authentic interpretation of my grandfather’s thought’. In the Foreword to my book Applied Logotherapy: Viktor Frankl’s Philosophical Psychology, Dr Alexander Batthyany of the Viktor Frankl Institute of Vienna, described it as ‘the book we were all waiting for’.
Our graduates come from all over the world and from all sorts of backgrounds and professions. The Institute is the only English-speaking one in Europe. What attracted me to logotherapy and existential analysis, after my own training in philosophy and psychoanalysis, was that it seemed to be the missing piece of the jigsaw, containing a philosophy, a spirituality (though not in a denominational or dogmatic or religious sense) and it was practical with concrete techniques that had an extremely high evidence-based success rate – so all three strands appealed to me. Members of the Institute and indeed the international logotherapeutic community are active and committed. There are biannual congresses held by both the Viktor Frankl Institute of Vienna as well as the American Institute of Logotherapy, together with other institutes across the globe.
What type of study is involved?
In each programme, there are modules which are divided into units and each of these requires the student to carry out a 500-word reflective writing assignment – all of which are read by myself and commented on in some detail by way of providing feedback. They are intended less as academic essays and more by way of personal appropriation of the material and application in one’s daily life.
Is logotherapy a psychotherapy?
Logotherapy has a broader outreach than psychotherapy. Some logotherapists are also psychotherapists. We train logotherapists rather than psychotherapists. Recall the subtitle to Frankl’s The Doctor and the Soul: ‘from psychotherapy to logotherapy’. The former concentrates on bringing instinctual factors to consciousness and often follows a medical model; the latter will direct the person to meaning-potentials. Logotherapy can be employed clinically as a form of counselling and therapy, in pedagogy, the corporate sector, be practised as a form of life-coaching or as pastoral psychology etc. Its application is huge as meaning is universal. Much will depend on a person’s former qualifications and experience and how they ‘package’ logotherapy, but it is intended that the qualified logotherapist and existential analyst will practise it in whatever capacity they choose.
Will I be accredited?
Yes. The Viktor Frankl Institute of Ireland is a recognised member of and accredited by the International Association of Logotherapy and Existential Analysis in Vienna which is the sole accrediting body worldwide. After successful completion of the Diploma in Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, which is awarded by the Viktor Frankl Institute of Ireland, you are eligible to join the International Association of Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, from whom you will receive the Certificate of Accreditation which is signed by Eleonore Frankl (Frankl’s widow), Prof Alexander Batthyany (who is also Consultant to the Viktor Frankl Institute of Ireland), together with eight other signatories, as well as a seal/stamp which you may use, and be entered into the international directory of logotherapists and existential analysts.
Do I not have to do my own therapy?
While it is true that most psychotherapy trainings insist on one’s personal psychotherapy, psychiatrists, for example, are not obliged to undergo personal psychotherapy. It is recommended but not required as logotherapy can be employed in many diverse settings and not just the clinic. Moreover, the various workbooks are intended to orient the candidate to meaning in his/her own life and clarify issues that may arise from a practical logotherapeutic perspective. Supervision is also offered for practising logotherapists through the Institute and is encouraged.
Where can I go for further information?
You can visit the website of the Viktor Frankl Institute of Vienna: www.viktorfranklorg.com