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A Simulated Interview with Viktor Frankl

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A Simulated Interview with Viktor Frankl Volume 18 • Issue 1 • Spring 2018 IJCP Academic Article ven while he was E imprisoned in the A Simulated Interview concentration camps, Frankl continued to with Viktor Frankl: develop his ideas. His landmark books ... Part 1 - Freedom & captured the agony experienced by these Responsibility prisoners on a daily basis, and how these By James C. Overholser, Ph.D., ABPP, Case Western Reserve horrific events changed University. Frankl’s views of life forever. Ph.D. in philosophy with a focus on psychology and religion. Before the start of World War II, Frankl began practicing psychiatry in the shadows of Nazi Germany. Being raised Jewish, this was a tense time for Frankl and his family, as well as most people throughout Europe. Nazi soldiers moved into Vienna in 1938, and on September 25, 1942, Frankl was deported to the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz. He spent three years in four different concentration camps, and was released in 1945. He went on to publish numerous books and journal articles that explained how these horrific experiences had shaped his personal and Introduction capture these ideas in dialogue form. professional views. iktor Frankl developed a Throughout his career, Viktor Even while he was imprisoned in Vvision for psychotherapy that Frankl has made numerous the concentration camps, Frankl embraces broad issues relevant to contributions to the field of continued to develop his ideas. His life and death decisions. Derived psychotherapy, promoting an landmark books ”Man’s Search from his time spent imprisoned existential view that confronts for Meaning” and “The Doctor in concentration camps, Frankl the meaning in life. Viktor Frankl and the Soul” captured the agony developed a vision for helping was born in Vienna on March 26, experienced by these prisoners on people adjust to tragedy and loss. 1905, and he died September a daily basis, and how these horrific Frankl argued against the immutable 2, 1997. He lived most of his events changed Frankl’s views of power of genetics or environmental life in Vienna, Austria, near the life forever. Throughout the rest influences, favoring the power of historic homes of Sigmund Freud of his career, Frankl campaigned the mind and the importance of and Alfred Adler. Frankl studied against hate and terrorism, and a person’s attitude. The present medicine and earned his MD in shared his existential perspective. manuscript examines many ideas 1930, specializing in neurology According to Frankl’s view of described throughout Frankl’s career, and psychiatry. After the war, psychotherapy, an assortment of using a simulated interview to in 1949, he went on to earn a problems arise from the changes Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy 11 IJCP Volume 18 • Issue 1 • Spring 2018 simulated interview. ounce piece of bread was our only had to go through food in four days” (Frankl, 1992, I the hell of despair Interview: p. 24). “Beatings occurred on the over the apparent An exploration of the existential slightest provocation, sometimes meaninglessness of views of Viktor Emil Frankl (VEF) for no reason at all” (Frankl, 1992, life, through total and interviewed by James C. Overholser p. 36). ultimate nihilism (JCO). JCO: What impact did these events JCO: I have found your writings to have on you? that pervade modern society. Frankl be quite inspirational. Thank you for encouraged clients to focus on meeting with me. You have written VEF: “No dream, no matter how the major aspects of life, death, about your experiences during horrible, could be as bad as the freedom, and responsibility. He has World War II. Maybe you can share reality that surrounded us” (Frankl, emphasized the value of searching how those experiences shaped your 1984a, p. 48). “We looked like for each individual’s personal life as well as your career. skeletons disguised with skin and meaning in life, and creating a life rags” (Frankl, 1984a, p. 49). “Life worth living. VEF: “I am a survivor of four in a concentration camp tore open There is a risk that Frankl’s camps, that is, concentration the human soul and exposed its original words and ideas may be camps” (Frankl, 1965, p. 54). “I depths (Frankl, 1984a, p. 108). neglected in graduate training spent a total of three years in four “The thought of suicide was today. The thoughts and words camps” (Frankl, 2000, p. 98). entertained by nearly everyone, if from several other pioneers in only for a brief time. It was born of psychotherapy have been captured JCO: How did the war affect you and the hopelessness of the situation, in real interviews with Albert Ellis your family? the constant danger looming (Overholser, 2003) and Irvin over us daily and hourly, and the Yalom (Overholser, 2005) as well VEF: “I had to go through the closeness of the deaths suffered by as simulated interviews with Carl hell of despair over the apparent many of the others” (Frankl, 1992, Rogers (Overholser, 2007) and meaninglessness of life, through p. 31). Alfred Adler (Overholser, 2010; total and ultimate nihilism” (Frankl, 2013). It remains important to 1981, p. 77). “My father died in JCO: These experiences sound respect the life and career of these Theresienstadt practically in my horrific. How did you get through experts, valuing the lessons they arms. My mother died in the gas years in these horrific conditions? have learned and shared through chambers of Auschwitz. My brother, their published works. These so I was told, perished in a mine VEF: “Through the right attitude” pioneers represent the legacy of of one of the branch camps of (Frankl, 1971a, p. 308). “Even our field. The present manuscript Auschwitz” (Frankl, 2000, p. 100). the negative aspects of human provides a condensed summary “I did not know whether my wife existence such as suffering, of the words and ideas behind was alive, and I had no means of guilt and death can still be Viktor Frankl’s existential ideology, finding out” (Frankl, 1992, p. 50). turned into something positive, presented in the format of a “I learned that Tilly had died with provided that they are faced many others after the liberation of with the right attitude” (Frankl, Bergen-Belsen” (Frankl, 2000, p. 1965, p. 57). “Through the right ven the negative 91). attitude unchangeable suffering E aspects of human is transmuted into a heroic and existence such as JCO: I am sorry to hear about these victorious achievement” (Frankl, suffering, guilt and events. What was your experience 1971a, p. 308). like, surviving the concentration death can still be turned camps? JCO: How did your time spent in the into something positive, concentration camps influence your provided that they are VEF: “We were cold and hungry, vision for psychotherapy? faced with the right and there was not enough room attitude for everyone to squat on the bare VEF: “It is necessary to ground, let alone lie down. One five- supplement psychotherapy by a 12 Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Volume 18 • Issue 1 • Spring 2018 IJCP new procedure” (Frankl, 1956b, p. attitude, they can change their life. 60). “Logotherapy is that therapy eredity is no more centering on life’s meaning as well VEF: “Exactly!” (Frankl, 1969, H than the material as man’s search for this meaning” p. 34). “If we cannot change from which man builds (Frankl, 1962b, p. 95). “In every a situation that causes our himself. It is no more case man retains the freedom suffering, we still can choose our than the stones that are, and the possibility of deciding attitude” (Frankl, 1980, p. 8). or are not, refused and for or against the influence of his “Man always retains the capacity surroundings” (Frankl, 1955a, p. to take a stand toward whatever rejected by the builder. 79). “Every human being has the conditions he may have to face” But the builder is not freedom to change at any instant” (Frankl, 1968b, p. 8). “Man’s inner built of stonesx (Frankl, 2010, p. 66). strength may raise him above his outward fate” (Frankl, 1968a, p. JCO: So you believe that there 7). “Everything can be taken from potential for both good and for evil? are options even in extreme a man but one thing: the last of conditions when problems appear the human freedoms – to choose VEF: “Man is ultimately self- overwhelming? one’s attitude in any given set of determining. What he becomes he circumstances, to choose one’s has made out of himself” (Frankl, VEF: “Of course” (Frankl, 1961b, p. own way (Frankl, 1984a, p. 86). “If 1962a, p. 118). “Any man can, 5). “The first tenet of logotherapy we cannot change a situation that even under such circumstances, is freedom of will” (Frankl, 1968b, causes our suffering, we still can decide what shall become of him p. 8). “The freedom to take a stand choose our attitude” (Frankl, 1980, – mentally and spiritually (Frankl, toward conditions” (Frankl, 1968b, p. 8). “Where we can no longer 1984a, p. 87). “Man is free to p. 8). control our fate and reshape it, we choose his attitude in any given must be able to accept it” (Frankl, situation” (Frankl, 1968b, p. 8). JCO: But in some situations, a 1958, p. 32). person has no other option, no way JCO: But don’t you feel that we are out, nothing they can possibly do to JCO: I would expect that life in a all created by some mix of genetics change a bad situation. concentration camp would drag and environment? everyone down to their lowest point. VEF: “‘How can you say such a VEF: “This is not true” (Frankl, thing’” (Frankl, 2000, p. 39). VEF: “This is not true” (Frankl, 1966/2016, p.
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