Applying Logotherapy in Teaching Meaning in Life in Professional Training and Social Work Education

Chi Ho Chan*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

40 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Meaning in life is an important topic for professional training and social work education. This article aims to illustrate how Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy could be applied as the framework in teaching meaning in life to social work students and helping professionals. It critically examines the experience of teaching meaning in life and integrating it with various training and education components, such as human behaviours, end-of-life and bereavement care, and self-care of helping professionals. Reflections on these teaching experiences suggest that the significance of teaching meaning in life is recognised by helping professionals and students, especially its dual influence on both personal and professional aspects. Lack of systematic and continuous training and education of meaning in life may be a hindrance for more in-depth understanding and learning. More case examples and discussion may help advance helping professionals’ practice to facilitate service users’ meaning searching. Reflecting on meaning in life may also facilitate helping professionals’ coping with existential challenges in work, but such self-care training should be offered regularly to provide continuous support. This article suggests that teaching meaning in life may have great implications for the psychological health of helping professionals and the service users who receive their professional services.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)77-94
Number of pages18
JournalThe British Journal of Social Work
Volume54
Issue number1
Early online date4 Aug 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2024

Keywords

  • end-of-life and bereavement care
  • logotherapy
  • meaning in life
  • professional training and education
  • self-care

Cite this