May-June 2015

How To Practice Meaning Therapy

Editorial
Brent Potter, PhD

Life exists only where there is meaning... - C.G. Jung

Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose. - Viktor Frankl

He who has a Why to live for can bear almost any How. – Friedrich Nietzsche

What is meaning therapy? This is a frequently asked question of those of us practicing in this perspective. And, frankly, I can understand why there’s some confusion around what constitutes ‘meaning therapy’ or ‘logotherapy’. On the surface it may appear that ‘meaning’ is so obvious and general that it could be anything, nothing, or something in between. Yet, perhaps what is seemingly most obvious is also the most vital to our lives and experience. Much like air, meaning eludes the senses and yet, without it, life would not be possible. This may seem self-evident, but it gets to the heart of psychology while also not excluding others schools of thought. Viktor Frankl, in Man’s Search for Meaning, gives a brief outline of logotherapy (aka meaning therapy). There, he asserts that the drive to discover meaning in one’s life is the most fundamental and important of all human activities. He outlines how his theories helped him survive internment in multiple Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust and how his experience therein served as a catalyst for the further development of his theory.[...]

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President's Report Paul T.P. Wong, PhD

How to work with meaning in life (MIL) issues in counselling and therapy

This issue showcases INPM’s unique mission of developing a big-tent approach to working with meaning in life (MIL) issues. Such an integrative approach can benefit from the rich resources of major therapeutic modalities, without the confines of their historical traditions and philosophical assumptions.

Call it synchronicity or perfect timing. First, I received a very informative manuscript on “Meaning in Life in Psychotherapy “ from Clara Hill, a prominent counselling psychologist, just before leaving for the World Congress for Existential Therapy in London in May, 2015.

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Learn How To Practice Meaning Therapy!

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Limited Time Early Bird Pricing! Opportunity to learn from Dr Paul TP Wong founder of Integrative Meaning Therapy & Dr Brent Potter leader in Existential-Psychodynamic Psychology:

> fundamental principles of Integrative Meaning Therapy
> hands-on training in meaning-centered intervention techniques
> in-session consultation for individual cases from participants
> and more!

Available via LIVE WEBCAST!

Dates: July 25-26, Saturday & Sunday
Location: 13 Ballyconnor Court, Toronto, Ontario, M2M 4C5
Faculty: Dr. Paul T. P. Wong, Ph.D., C. Psych. & Dr. Brent Potter, PhD

Register Now for Early Bird Pricing »

Book Review: I Am Not Invisible by Michael Honey Paul T.P. Wong, PhD

Reflections on Meaning: Something Old, Something New, & Something Inspirational

When I came home after a long and exhausting speaking tour in Moscow, I was pleasantly surprised to find a slim book by Michael Honey waiting for me in an express-mail package. I am used to receiving books from various publishers related to meaning in life for my review or endorsement, but this one was distinctly different not only in size (pocket size with only 102 pages) but also in content.

My biggest surprise is [...]

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Featured Member: Zvi Bellin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Holistic Counseling Psychology at John F. Kennedy University, California

Zvi Bellin, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Holistic Counseling Psychology at John F. Kennedy University in the Bay Area, California. He is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor specializing in meaning-centered psychotherapy. His recent publications include articles about post-conventional faith, and the relationship between mindfulness practice and meaning in life. Dr. Bellin is a committed practitioner of mindfulness and leads therapeutically-oriented mindfulness retreats. Additionally, he is working on a grant-funded program to improve LGBTQI-2S competency for Alameda County behavioral health providers. Zvi attended his first Meaning Conference in 2008 when he was Ph.D. student at Loyola University of Maryland. He is currently a member of the INPM Transitional Committee.

Read Zvi's article "The Practice of Personal Meaning Cultivation" on page 145 of International Journal of Existential Psychology and Psychotherapy found HERE.