Book Review – Page 2

Category: Psychology/Philosophy.
Target audience: General.
How challenging is it to read?:The first section straight forward, the section on logotherapy more challenging though not too technical.

It’s not often I read a book that brings tears to my eyes, but Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl did just that. Frankl uses his experiences as a Jewish prisoner in Nazi concentration camps to illustrate his own branch of psychotherapy, which he terms Logotherapy. He postulates that we humans need meaning in our lives to exist. When meaning has gone we see little reason to stay alive any longer. If we have a clear reason to live, something definite to live for, then we can survive regardless of what challenges are presented to us. Frankl quotes Neitzsche;

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.“

This quote reverberates throughout the book and illustrates the essence of Logotherapy beautifully. Frankl supports this theory by recounting fellow prisoners who lost their grip on what that meaning for them was. When these prisoners could find no meaning to their lives and no meaning to their suffering, many of them gave up the will to live. In this passage, Frankl describes what often happened to these men:

“Usually it began with the prisoner refusing one morning to get dressed and wash or go out on the parade grounds. No entreaties, no blows, no threats had any effect. He just lay there, hardly moving. If this crisis was brought about by an illness he refused to be taken to the sick-bay or to do anything to help himself. He simply gave up. There he remained, lying in his own excreta, and nothing bothered him any more.” V. Frankl p82-83

So how are these horrendous experiences of half a century ago relevant to us today and what can we learn from this book? I believe there is true value in reading in detail what it was like to live in the Nazi death camps. Frankl writes eloquently about the routines the prisoners had within the camp, the food shortages they had to endure and the punishing, seemingly endless work details the prisoners were sent on, and sometimes did not return from. The descriptions genuinely and significantly moved me. When Frankl describes the suffering and pain the prisoners experienced daily and the cruelty they withstood I feel shocked and deeply saddened that one group of humans could enforce such misery on another. It’s important we don’t forget the depths that human beings can descend to and make sure that such abhorrences are never repeated again.

Frankl talks in his book about detaching himself from the misery of every day existence in the camps and using the experience as a kind of live experiment in human psychology. Through this his life becomes more bearable and he learns much about human behaviour.

The second part of the book gives a summary of Logotherapy. Frankl discusses the importance of meaning in our lives and states that when it is missing we exibit “existential frustration”. This could be outwardly displayed by the prisoner in the death camp letting life slip out of him or the unemployed person slipping into deep depression. Frankl recalls a client who had a high powered diplomatic position in the American government coming to see him because he felt discontented with life. The diplomat had undergone five years of psychoanalysis with little improvement to his condition. Frankl quickly deduced that the client was unhappy in his work and saw little point in it. With encouragement from Frankl the client changed careers into a job that he really wanted to do and though much more poorly paid, remained contented for the five years Frankl stayed in touch with him.

The idea that life needs meaning in order to give contentment fits in with the philosophy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy too. In ACT the focus is on leading a values focused life rather than a goal focused one. If we live by our values then we are rewarded with meaning continually. We don’t have to wait until we have achieved a set goal in order to feel content.

I’m not sure “enjoyed” is a word I can use to describe how I felt about reading a book that details the events of the holocaust so vividly. Life is not always about enjoying things. The book reminded me of the atrocities that took place in the concentration camps and the lessons we could all learn from this. This book was my first insight into logotherapy. It explained it well and I can see the many links the modality has with my interests in Transactional Analysis and ACT. I will be reading more on the subject I’m sure.

If you wish to have Transactional Analysis therapy in Manchester with me, please contact me using my form or phone me on 07966 390857

Category: TA Psychotherapy.
Target audience: TA novice – expert.
How challenging is it to read? Most of it accessible – some bits for more experienced TA practitioners.

Clients often ask me to recommend one book they can read to increase their Transactional Analysis knowledge when I work with them delivering therapy. TA today is that book. It has been the standard text book of Transactional Analysis trainees now for many years, mainly because it is well written, comprehensive and understandable. There are parts of the book that are targeted at the more advanced practitioner but if you don’t understand those sections straight away they will open up to you as you become more knowledgeable. The book includes exercises at the end of each section to engage the reader, but there are no answers anywhere so you determine the correct answers by reading the book. Most of the exercises are self reflective anyway, so only you know the correct answer! This in not exactly a bed time reading book (though as a TA geek I have often treated it as such) due to its text book like density, but what it lacks in entertainment factor it makes up in thoroughness.

I’m not going to go into the contents of the book here because it would require me to list all of the major ideas and concepts contained within TA. Suffice to say that they are all in there! Some could argue that the book is starting to show its age too, it was written in 1987, but as it is a basics book I don’t think that matters.

One question that comes up now and again is why this book is a better read for those new to Transactional Analysis than Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy by Eric Berne (the Author of Games People Play)? After all, it was Berne who founded TA. The answer is two fold. Firstly, TA has moved on and developed since Berne. There are many other important contributors to the theory since Eric laid the foundations and all of these extras are included in TA Today. Secondly, Berne’s books are far from straight forward to read, maybe with the exception of Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships. The others can be dense and certainly not recommended for the casual peruser! I like to look on them as personal challenges, a bit like climbers may view Mount Snowden (they are not quite in Everest territory).

So if it’s Transactional Analysis basics your after, TA Today : A New Introduction to Transactional Analysis is a great starting point, a comfortable meander over rolling hills maybe?

If you’ve enjoyed this review, or disagree in any way, please comment below.

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