By Dr. Floyd Godfrey

Depression remains one of the most widespread mental health concerns across the globe, impacting people of all ages and backgrounds. While traditional approaches often focus on symptom management, such as mood regulation and cognitive restructuring, other insights suggest that a deeper cause may lie in a person’s loss of purpose and meaning. Drawing from Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy and recent presentations by mental health professionals, we see growing recognition that psychological well-being can sometimes be directly tied to our perceived sense of meaning.

Educational Strategies

Dr. Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, observed that those who survived concentration camps often maintained a sense of internal purpose, even amidst unimaginable suffering. During a recent breakout workshop, Hinson (2025) emphasized this, citing Frankl’s belief that Freud was mistaken in asserting that the primary human drive was pleasure. Instead, Frankl argued that people are driven by a "will for meaning."

Educating clients and clinicians about the psychological need for meaning allows for deeper therapeutic engagement. Depression is often perpetuated by a sense of futility or directionlessness. Adolescents and young adults, for example, frequently express suicidal ideation when they cannot identify a clear purpose in their lives. Hinson (2025) echoed this by suggesting that suicide among younger generations may be linked to a growing “lack of meaning or purpose.” This insight encourages practitioners to look beyond surface behaviors and symptoms, exploring instead what intrinsic motivations or existential voids may be contributing to a client’s emotional pain.

The Role of Therapeutic Intervention

Therapeutic work can center around uncovering or rebuilding a sense of purpose. Logotherapy, for example, encourages clients to identify sources of meaning in their relationships, careers, or contributions to others. Frankl believed that even in the absence of basic needs, such as during imprisonment, people could discover profound truths about themselves. He even challenged Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, stating that “we discovered more about who we were in the concentration camp when everything was stripped away” (Hinson, 2025).

This is a powerful reminder for therapists: psychological recovery does not solely rely on external circumstances improving. Rather, internal transformation, particularly through purpose, can sustain a client during life’s darkest moments. Furthermore, Hinson (2025) noted Frankl’s observation that individuals lacking meaning often experience increased sexual acting out or substance use. This correlation between existential emptiness and maladaptive coping strategies emphasizes the need for a therapeutic approach that includes existential exploration alongside behavioral interventions.

Restoring Purpose in a Modern Context

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns further intensified this existential crisis. Hinson (2025) noted that the pandemic may have sparked an “existential tension,” compelling people to reevaluate their values and seek deeper purpose. In this environment, many individuals returned to faith communities, volunteerism, or family connections as they sought to rebuild meaning. Mental health professionals are uniquely positioned to support this rediscovery process by creating therapeutic spaces where clients can safely explore these existential questions.

Clients recovering from depression can find hope in the knowledge that their struggle is not just chemical or cognitive, but deeply human. By reclaiming meaning, they often regain vitality and motivation. As Frankl’s legacy teaches us, it’s not about erasing pain, but transforming it into something purposeful.

Floyd Godfrey PhD is a Certified Mental Health Coach and has been guiding clients since 2000. He currently speaks and provides consulting and mental health coaching across the globe. To learn more about his services please visit his website: www.FloydGodfrey.com.

References

Hinson, J. (2025, October). Purpose, Meaning & Human Sexuality. IFTCC 2025 Conferece - Stay the Course. Warsaw; Poland.