We are facing many crises as a society, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis, Brexit, and socio-economic inequality. Related and unrelated to these collective crises, countless individuals are also struggling with personal traumas and crises. It seems to be a logical result from these crises, that research indicates that we are possibly in the middle of the largest collective mental health crisis in history. How can we still remain hopeful and live a meaningful in the face of collective and personal suffering and injustice?
In this workshop, the internationally recognised researcher on existential and humanistic therapies and meaning in life, Dr Joel Vos, will describe how individuals can live a meaningful life despite our social crises. The session will be particularly tailored to practitioners working with clients after trauma and crisis: how can they help individuals live a meaningful and satisfying life again?
This workshop will consist of three parts. Firstly, Joel Vos will explain how a sense of meaning in life can help individuals to cope with crises such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. A sense of meaningfulness can help people to be more resilient, lower their levels of stress, improve their immune system functioning, and make them less susceptible to infection. Secondly, research will be shown that describes how our social and economic systems immediately impact our sense of meaning in life. It will be shown that the pyramid of Maslow does not work: individuals do not first need to fulfil their basic needs before they can address questions about meaning in life; in contrast, individuals need a sense of meaning to feel motivated and resilient to cope with stressful life situations. Thirdly, Joel Vos will explain how therapists can help clients live a meaningful life despite their social and personal traumas and crises. This explanation will focus on evidence-based therapeutic skills.
This online workshop will consist of a lecture about the main research findings on meaning in life, self-development exercises for self-reflection, and group discussion. Joel Vos will also give the participants recommendations how they could further learn to live a meaningful life. Some suggestions will be given for psychological therapists and coaches about how to help clients with meaning-oriented questions. This workshop does not require any prior learning, and everyone can join. The workshop will be the most relevant for mental health professionals, such as counsellors, psychotherapists, counselling/clinical psychologists. All formats will be hosted via Zoom, and procedures for participating in the different formats will be explained on the day (they’re very straightforward). We ask all participants to commit to maintaining strict confidentiality: not disclosing something that has been shared by another participant outside of the workshop.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the workshops, participants will be able to:
- Understand how social and personal crises and traumas can impact one sense of meaning in life; Understand the key research findings on meaning in life;
- Understand how a sense of meaningfulness can help to cope with societal and personal crises and traumas;
- Understand how a sense of meaningfulness can be restored after societal and personal crises;Apply key ideas and exercises on meaning in life to their therapeutic practice;
- Understand the relevance and value of meaning in life during the current COVID-19 pandemic;
- Apply key meaning-centered skills to their personal life;
- Apply key meaning-centered skills to their therapeutic practice;
Suggested reading:
Vos, J. (2021). The Psychology of Covid-19. The Psychology of Covid-19. SAGE. (this book describes the impact of COVID-19 and how citizens, therapists and governments could respond to this)
Vos, J. (2020). The Economics of Meaning in Life: From Capitalist Life Syndrome to Meaning-Oriented Economy. University Professors Press. (this book describes the impact of societal crises and the economic system on meaning in life, and how individuals can live a meaningful life despite societal restrictions)
Vos, J. (2017). Meaning in life: An evidence-based handbook for practitioners. Macmillan. (this is a handbook and practical guide for practitioners, such as therapists, counsellors, coaches, nurses and priests)
Vos, J., van Deurzen, E., & Tantam, D. (2020). The forgotten Brexistential crisis. The Psychologist, 33, 10-10.
Course Content
Presenter
Dr Joel Vos PhD MSc MA CPsychol FHEA is a psychologist, philosopher, author, researcher, lecturer, and existential therapist. He works as Senior Researcher and Senior Lecturer at the Metanoia Institute in London, United Kingdom. His research focuses on topics around meaning in life, social justice, social movements, social and political change, and the effectiveness of humanistic and existential therapies. He is director of the IMEC International Meaning Events & Community which organises annual conferences, workshops, training, and cultural events (meaning.org.uk). He has over 100 publications, including the books ‘Meaning in Life: an evidence-based handbook for practitioners’ (MacMillan, 2017), ‘Mental health in crisis’ (Sage, 2019), ‘The economics of meaning in life’ (University Professors Press, 2020), and ‘The psychology of COVID-19’ (Sage, 2020).
