Man's Search for Meaning, With Viktor Frankl's Grandson

I first read Man's Search for Meaning by the neurologist, psychologist, and philosopher Viktor Frankl in high school, and I have re-read it several times since. It's one of the books that's had the biggest impact on my life, so it was a real treat to speak with Alexander Vesely, Frankl's grandson, about his grandfather's ideas and legacy. Today on the show, I talk to Alexander, who is a documentarian, and like his grandfather, a psychotherapist, about Frankl's life, his development of logotherapy, a type of meaning-centered therapy, and how that approach to the psyche was tested during Frankl's time in the concentration camps. We discuss why Frankl said that "everyone has their own Auschwitz," how a lack of existential meaning can create depression, the three ways to actualize meaning in your life, whether meaning is something that is objective or subjective, the freedom we have to choose our attitude in all circumstances, including suffering, and more.Resources Related to the PodcastMan's Search for Meaning by Viktor FranklThe Doctor and the Soul by Viktor FranklViktor and I: The Life and Work of Viktor Frankl — Alexander's documentary about his grandfatherLiving Logotherapy by Elisabeth Lukas and Heidi Schönfeld Logotherapy Online AcademyViktor Frankl Institute Connect With Alexander VeselyAlexander at the Viktor Frankl InstituteAlexander on LinkedInAlexander on IG