TITLE

Secrets of Psychotherapy: What is Happiness? 

DESCRIPTION

The article “What is Happiness” takes us on an excursion through both Philosophy and the historical roots of Psychotherapy.  The articles starts with  the common traditional perspective on happiness and includes a bit about Freud’s view:  “Traditionally, happiness is defined as a prolonged and pervasive state of satisfaction, pleasure, contentment, peace of mind, or joy. Or as Sigmund Freud suggested, the relative absence of suffering and pain. But given the inherently tragic quality of the human condition, with its harsh and ultimately inescapable universal realities of death, disease, loss, suffering, grief, and constant struggle for survival, gratification, and significance, happiness for most of us tends to be a relatively fleeting, transitory, and elusive phenomenon.”  This article tries to distill the older Greek philosophies with the more modern that includes Freud, Jung, Viktor Frankl (Meaningfulness), Paul Tillich (Joy), as well as Marsha Linehan (Dialectical Therapy – DBT).

This is the first posting that looks historically and philosophically at the topic.  It may require some discussion to fully understand the roots of differing perspectives on the topic of “happiness.”  Do not be put off by “philosophical” or “historical” because you will truly gain a deeper understanding.  

SOURCE

Psychology Today, March 11, 2021, Stephen A. Diamond, Ph.D.

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evil-deeds/202103/secrets-psychotherapy-what-is-happiness

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/yyu5cv2r

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

•After reading the article:  What is the traditional understanding of “happiness”?

•What is the view of Freud and Jung as relates to the topic of “happiness”?

•Viktor Frankl’s perspective on the topic focuses on the search for “meaning” in our lives.  What is his understanding of how we achieve happiness?

•If you were leading a discussion with a class on the topic:   which of the views would you emphasize?