A Case of Tragic Optimism: Volunteer Counsellors' Experience of Meaning

Abstract

This study applied concepts from logotherapy to construct the meaning that volunteer crisis counsellors experienced by working with victims of crime. Data were collected from seven participants who delivered services at community-driven crisis centre using a qualitative approach. The data were analysed thematically. The findings suggest that the volunteers discovered meaning from reaching out to victims of crime. Adopting an attitude of tragic optimism could serve as the impetus to search for and realise logotherapeutic values notwithstanding high crime victimisation rates.

Keywords:

• Logotherapy
• Viktor Frankl
• victim empowerment
• qualitative
• South Africa
• volunteer counsellors
• crisis