Positive Psychotherapy and Meaning of Life

Abstract

Stories are a key part of human fabric as they bring meaning into our existence. At celebration, both sad and happy, we tell each other stories to help make sense of the world. These stories are the backdrop of meaning in life. Several psychotherapy traditions have used the power of stories to help clients and patients in the process of healing. Applying Peseschkian’s Balance Model to StoryTelling, one can navigate the four dimensions – physical, achievement, contact, and future – in search of meaning. Finally, we bring the example of “doors” as metaphors for limits in life. With this example, we apply the idea, attributed to Kierkegaard by Frankl, that “the door to happiness opens only from inside out.” Thus, with the power of stories, we can not only recognize that but also muster our power to open it.