A structured review of the client's life through the lens of meaning: which moments were significant, which values were realized, what will remain. Rests on Frankl's idea that the past cannot be taken away: everything lived with authentic meaning already exists eternally as "has been". This protects from the feeling that what has been lived was in vain.
Step-by-step guide
- Invite the client to recall moments that felt "alive" or significant.
- Explore: "What made them significant? What in them was important?"
- Find recurring values and meanings across the whole life.
- Work with the feeling of "life lived in vain": the past cannot be taken away — what was will always be "has been".
- Formulate what the client wants to do with the remaining time, in light of these meanings.
When to use
- Older clients, summing up
- Palliative care, work with the dying
- Midlife crisis with a feeling of "life lived in vain"
- Depression of a retrospective character
Key phrases
If you look back — are there moments when life felt authentic?
Follow-up questions
What of what you have lived would you not want to cancel?
What you have done and lived is already eternal. It cannot be taken away.
Alternative phrasings
If you were writing a book about your life, what would its main chapter be called?
Warnings
- ⚠️ Do not turn this into nostalgia or regret: the aim is meaning, not the past as such.
- ⚠️ In an acute suicidal situation, do not use this as the only instrument.
- ⚠️ Respect the "dark" chapters of the biography: they too can be included in the meaning-map.
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.