AP+P2+2014-15+Dereflection

Joy Kosik, Meagan Poarch, and Jonathon Davis
 * Dereflection**

Aim - Joy Kosik Viktor Frankl wanted to create an account of his experience in Nazi death and concentration camps that included how the average prisoner felt and thought. He also used his own experiences to explain his psychoanalysis theory of logotherapy, derived from the greek word logos. Frankl directly tells the audience his intentions in the beginning of the book when he says, “In other words, it will try to answer this question: How was everyday life in a concentration camp reflected in the mind of the average prisoner?” (Frankl 21). He talks about his book focusing on the smaller atrocities of the death camps, and then later discusses his psychology theory of logotherapy and how he saw that in the camps as well as in real life and with camp survivors. Throughout the text, Frankl uses words like suffering, will, and meaning, especially when he discusses logotherapy. He uses these words to convey how serious a situation can be and the driving force of logotherapy, to understand and have the will to live or love. Dereflection is a technique of logotherapy that Frankle also describes in his writing. Marshall Lewis, a talk show host for LogoRadio, described dereflection by saying, “Dereflection ignores the self and leads to self-transcendence through focusing attention on someone or something else” (Lewis). Frankl only talks about dereflection in one part of his book, since it is a part of the whole he is discussing, but is able to achieve his overall thesis by using his own experiences and other’s experiences in Nazi death camps as well as referencing stories where he or another doctor used logotherapy successfully.

Audience - Jonathon Dereflection is a Logotherapy technique that tries to orientate a person's goals to either assist in the completion of the original goal, or creates new reachable goals. Patients who would undergo Dereflection are people who are obsessed with a certain goal and need a distraction. People who would be best suited for Dereflection are people that obsess over impossible or difficult goals, or people that stress out about the little things (Goodtherapy). Victor Frankl showed how bad it can get in his book, Man's Search for Meaning, he stated, “A man who could not see the end of his ‘provisional existence’ was not able to aim at an ultimate goal in life. He ceased living for the future” (Frankl). He describes how he met someone in a concentration camp who dreamed about being liberated that month, he remembers the man giving up when that didn’t happen then grew sick and died. Dereflection often assists the patient by refocusing their immediate goals and often allows the patient to achieve his original goal (medical-dictionary). This is a strength because it is able to refocus a persons mind and can often result in completed the original goal. For people who often stress over the little things, or obsess over goals, dereflection can help them refocus, ease stress, and can lead to accomplishing goals.

Historical: Meagan Regularly tragic events remain with someone for long periods of time and commonly never go away. For those who have gone through such circumstances obsess and fret over them, causing the need for them to undergo dereflection. Such people would need to undergo dereflection because “ The principle of dereflection, Dr. Frankl would say, helps us to ignore those aspects of our life and work that should be ignored” (Pattakos). For example Dr. Frankl himself experienced Nazi death camps and genocide during the famous historical event, the Holocaust. In order to achieve a better, more preferable lifestyle he underwent dereflection in order to shift his focus away from such drastic events. While Frankl is not the only person who has faced dereflection he made it possible for others to understand the process of it. For everyday human beings, they are plagued with such despair as Frankl due to past experiences that they too have faced. Although not everyone has been through the Holocaust, but have in fact lived through events such as the Great Depression, the Black Plague, etc. In order for them to deal with these events “techniques of Paradoxical Intention and Dereflection, to cope with their symptoms and to regain control and self-determination” (Battyhany). Frankl has changed the futures way of thinking based on his past experiences, by offering knowledge of dereflection for others to see. Due to his findings and discoveries typical people have a chance at a happier life.

Culture: Joy Dereflection is when a person’s focus is shifted from themselves and their own problems to others, when this attention is redirected it allows the person to become fully whole, according to Viktor Frankl. Viktor uses his experiences in Nazi concentration camps to support his claims and this is a way he connects to his audience. In today’s world students learn about the Holocaust and the terrible events that took place, and Frankl’s story of suffering and making it through connect with people emotionally. Frankl uses his story and other’s stories as a way to persuade the audience about his theory of logotherapy. This affects modern society since now his books and theories are used as another basis of psychotherapy, and his connecting story to that theory helps support this. Amanda Greene, a doctor in philosophy, talked about Viktor Frankl’s writing and said, “His experiences in the horrendous conditions of a concentration camp were the catalyst of forming his school of thought in psychology that still applies today” (Greene 1). Frankl’s book still inspires people today and his theory of logotherapy is a major part of psychoanalysis that is still studied and applied. His book affects today’s culture because many know of the Holocaust and read his story in remembrance, and many still use his school of thought when looking for help.

Works Cited Batthyhany, Alexander. “What is Logotherapy and Existential Analysis?” Viktor Frankl Institute. Web.22 October 2014.

“Dereflection” medical-dictionary, Web 21. October 2014.

Frankl, Viktor. Man’s Search For Meaning. Washington Square Press. 1985. Print.

Greene, Amanda. “An Analysis of Viktor Frankl’s Book on Meaning of Life and Logotherapy Style of Psychoanalysis.” Dream Positive! Canadian Positive Psychology Network. N.d. Web. 22 October 2014.

Lewis, Marshall. LogoTalk Radio. 2009-2014. Web. 22 October 2014.

“Logotherapy” goodTherapy.org,Web. 21. October 2014.

Pattakos, Alex. “Living with Meaning: Shift Your Focus Of Attention” Huffpost, Web. 07 March 2009.