THE POTENTIAL OF LOGOTHERAPY IN OVERCOMING THE CONSEQUENCES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/umv-2025.1.8Keywords:
logotherapy, Viktor Frankl, meaning, existential vacuum, psychotherapy, noogenic disturbance, stress-related disordersAbstract
This article explores the potential of logotherapy as a psychotherapeutic approach for overcoming the consequences of psychological trauma, particularly in cases of post-traumatic stress disorder, moral injury, and noogenic disturbance. Logotherapy, developed by Viktor Frankl, emphasizes the search for meaning as a fundamental resource for healing individuals who have endured suffering. The article outlines key logotherapeutic concepts “existential vacuum” “will to meaning” and the “noogenic dimension” and discusses their relevance in therapeutic support for trauma survivors. Special attention is given to the mechanisms of coping with trauma through the development of personal responsibility, attitude change toward unalterable circumstances, and the actualization of values. The article also examines the integrative capacity of logotherapy within contemporary psychotherapeutic models for stress-related disorders. Clinical cases and empirical findings are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of logotherapeutic interventions. The study underscores the importance of the existential approach amid the growing prevalence of individuals affected by traumatic experiences who require not only symptomatic relief but also the restoration of meaning and wholeness in life.
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