The Licensure Lifeline Circle will be opening in the next couple of weeks. This will be a structured space where we take topics like this and turn them into something you can actively practice—case breakdowns, study tools, and live sessions.

Next week’s episode will focus on Personality Disorders (Clusters A, B, and C), building on this idea of how clients think, interpret, and respond to their experiences.

I’m also continuing to build out the Licensure Concierge app to better support your study process—more updates coming soon.Upcoming events

Viktor Frankl was a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor who developed Logotherapy, a form of therapy centered on the idea that the primary human drive is the search for meaning.

This stands in contrast to other major theories. Freud emphasized the pursuit of pleasure. Adler focused on power and superiority. Frankl believed that what ultimately drives people forward is meaning—having a reason to continue, even in the face of difficulty.

A key concept in Logotherapy is the “existential vacuum,” which describes a state of emptiness, lack of direction, and absence of purpose. Clinically, this often shows up in clients who say things like, “I don’t know what I’m working toward,” or “Nothing really feels meaningful.”

What makes Logotherapy unique is that it does not aim to eliminate suffering entirely. Instead, it explores how individuals can find meaning despite suffering.

Frankl identified three primary ways people find meaning:

That last point is central. When a situation cannot be changed, Logotherapy focuses on helping the client change their relationship to it.

Two techniques you’ll see on exams include paradoxical intention—encouraging clients to engage with what they fear—and dereflection, which involves shifting attention away from excessive self-focus.

For exam purposes, Logotherapy questions will often focus on meaning, purpose, and existential themes rather than cognition or behavior. The correct answer is usually the one that explores purpose, not the one that tries to immediately fix the problem.

A simple way to anchor Logotherapy:

Freud = pleasure
Adler = power
Frankl = meaning

If you see a question focused on purpose, direction, or existential emptiness, think Logotherapy.

Also remember the three paths to meaning:
work, love, and attitude toward suffering.

Elena is a 29-year-old client who presents to therapy reporting a general sense of dissatisfaction with her life. She denies significant symptoms of anxiety or depression but describes feeling “disconnected” and “unmotivated.” She recently achieved several major life milestones, including completing graduate school and starting a stable job, but reports that these accomplishments have not brought the sense of fulfillment she expected.

During the session, Elena states, “I thought I’d feel different by now. I did everything I was supposed to do… and now I’m here, and it just feels kind of empty.”

As the conversation continues, she shares that she has become less engaged in relationships and spends most of her free time scrolling on her phone or watching television. When asked about future goals, she responds, “I don’t really know what I’m working toward anymore.”

She is not in immediate distress, but there is a clear sense of disconnection from purpose and direction.

Discussion questions:

Existential Vacuum: A sense of emptiness, boredom, and lack of purpose or direction

Will to Meaning: The idea that humans are primarily motivated by the search for meaning

Freedom of Attitude: The ability to choose one’s response, even when circumstances cannot be changed

Q: “What do I do when a client isn’t really symptomatic but still feels stuck or lost?”

A: This is more common than most people expect, and it can feel confusing early in your training. Not every client needs symptom reduction—some need help reconnecting with purpose. When the issue is meaning, jumping into problem-solving can actually miss the mark. Slowing down and exploring what matters to the client is often the more effective starting point.

“Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl
Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (for contrast and integration with meaning-focused work)
APA resources on existential and humanistic approaches

Listener Question:
“How do I know when a client’s issue is about meaning versus something like depression or burnout?”

Wins:
Shoutout to everyone continuing to stay consistent with studying and practice questions—this is where real progress happens.

Not every problem is something to be solved.

Sometimes, the work is helping someone rediscover what makes moving forward worth it.

Never stop learning.