January-February, 2015

The Decade of Meaning

Editorial
Brent Potter, PhD

Welcome! I hope you’re finding 2015 to be a particularly wonderful year! The focus of this newsletter, following the President’s Report, is the decade of meaning. This newsletter offers a wealth of knowledge on the topic of meaning; from Gordon Medlock's article on authenticity, to Paul Wong's work on meaning therapy, to Marie Dezelic's meaning-centered therapy workbook. Aside from these articles, I have provided a link to a comprehensive list of the voluminous articles and activities of INPM members.

Please note upcoming events and dates: the potluck supper for Meaningful Living Meetup, the Personal Development Course, The Safe and Effective Use of Self in Psychotherapy Course, and the Summer Institute. Of these, I am especially excited about the courses being developed and the instructors for the Summer Institute. It promises to be a most engaging and exciting session! More information is forthcoming.

There is quite a bit of growth in the INPM. As mentioned in the last newsletter, the INPM is forming a new Board of Directors. We've had a number of exceptional nominations for the positions. Nominations, according to the bylaws, do require 5% of membership vote. So, a nomination does not necessarily mean an appointment to a position.

As always, I welcome your feedback on the newsletter. Don't hesitate to pass it along to your friends and colleagues. I hope that you find something here that 'speaks' to you. If not, please make a suggestion or, better yet, get involved.

You can make a difference!
We hope to hear from you!

Upcoming Events Date
Personal Development Course March 1, 8, 15, 2015
Safe and Effective Use of Self in Psychotherapy April 25 & 26, May 2 & 3, 2015
Summer Institute July 30, 31, August 1, 2015

President's Report Paul T.P. Wong, PhD

From INPM to the Decade of Meaning: Expanding Visions.
This new year promises to be an exciting year for INPM. I will highlight a few new developments here as opportunities for our meaning partners. The following diagram represents my expanding visions of the ever-evolving INPM. This is a living diagram, as all of this is in progress. The meaning of the different connections will become clear when you finish reading my report.

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Training Opportunity

Safe and Effective Use of Self in Psychotherapy Certificate

30 hours of graduate-level professional training on the essentials of a successful practice.

“Self-mastery is the foundation for all professional competencies.”

Dates: April 25-26, and May 2-3, 2015
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: 13 Ballyconnor Court, Toronto, Ontario, M2M 4C5
Faculty: Dr. Lilian C. J. Wong, Ph.D., and Dr. Paul T. P. Wong, Ph.D., C. Psych.

View Course Details »

Authenticity as a Core Virtue in the Normative Framework of a Positive Humanistic Psychology Gordon Medlock

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the meaning of authenticity in relation to the theory of character strengths and virtues, and to demonstrate how it serves as an integrative moral ideal within the normative framework of positive psychology. The paper clarifies the meaning of authenticity, as defined within the existential-humanistic tradition, as a multi-dimensional construct.
Thus understood, authenticity assumes a much larger place in the catalogue of virtues and related character strengths than is typically allocated within positive psychology. It not only interfaces with many of the strengths identified by Peterson and Seligman, but also accounts for how individuals integrate their distinctive value orientations into their core sense of self [...]

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Meaning Therapy: Assessments and Interventions Paul T.P. Wong, PhD

Meaning matters more than we realize. We are only scratching the surface of the vast potential of meaning that is available for healing and flourishing. Most of us know intuitively that we experience the deepest satisfaction when we engage in meaningful activities and we feel fully alive, when we passionately pursue a worthy life goal. Recently, philosophers have attempted to delineate more precisely both the subjective and objective conditions for meaning and happiness (Haybron, 2013; Kauppinen, in press; Metz, 2013). Positive psychology research has also shown [...]

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Meaning-Centered Therapy Workbook: Based on Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy & Existential Analysis Marie Dezelic, PhD

This one-of-a-kind, existential and humanistic theory workbook is designed as a clinician’s manual, with structured exercises and handouts, as well as a comprehensive guide to understanding the theory and therapy of Logotherapy & Existential Analysis, which can also be used for self-help in personal growth, exploration and transcendence. In an easy-to-read format, this workbook utilizes unique “Conceptual Pictographs”—graphic, visual representations—to address key concepts of Logotherapy & Existential Analysis, with numerous hands-on techniques, in a practical format for clinicians to use in therapeutic settings [...]

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Recent Publications by Members

The Path to a Meaningful Purpose

Luis A. Marrero

Who am I? What matters in life? Why am I here? How do I successfully fulfill my life purpose? Available from Amazon

Happiness: A Very Short Introduction

Daniel M. Haybron

Happiness is an everyday term in our lives, and most of us strive to be happy. But defining happiness can be difficult. Available from Amazon

Getting to Oz: The Personal Journey Home to Your True Self

Dr. Deborah Khoshaba

Getting to Oz is a journey of self-discovery that no one can make for us. Available from Amazon

Elements of Reparation

Brent Potter

Explaining the phenomenon of reparation via the themes of aletheia (truth), pistis (faith) and metanoia (repentance/ transformation). Available from Amazon