Purdue University Calumet Counseling Students and Alumni Have Class in Vienna, Austria:  The Culture of Psychology

Ten students and alumni of Purdue University Calumet’s Counseling and Development Program spent a week studying the culture of psychology in Vienna, Austria in August with their professors Dr. Mary Didelot and Dr. Lisa Hollingsworth.  Their most memorable experience was spending over two hours with Dr. Elly Frankl, the wife of the founder of Logotherapy Dr. Viktor Frankl.  Dr. Elly Frankl took the students on a tour of the flat where Dr. Viktor Frankl returned from the concentration camps and wrote many books on existentialism and Logotherapy.  She also took them on a tour of the Frankl Center, took time to answer their questions, and signed their books.  The students then toured the Sigmund Freud Museum where Dr. Freud developed psychoanalysis, the “talking cure,” and where he lived and saw patients.  They also visited where Dr. Frankl and Dr. Alfred Adler taught and practiced psychotherapy.

Another unforgettable experience the students had was the day they spent touring the Mauthausen Concentration Camp.  It will be etched in their minds forever. Many of the sites in Vienna allowed them to gain further knowledge about World War II and the consequences of intolerance.  They visited the Jewish Museum, the Holocaust Memorial sites, and the St. Stephansdom Cathedral. 

The culture of Vienna was appreciated by the counseling students and alumni as they attended the opera and other musical events, as well as visiting several museums.  We were fortunate that Vienna had a nightly screening of opera, dance, and movies at the Rathaus (the beautiful, gothic City Hall) on a huge screen with a gourmet food court.  It was a fun place to eat and take in European culture in the evenings. Students also toured Schonbrunn Palace, the home of the once ruling Hapsburgs, and went to Salzburg, Austria for a day.  In addition, several students visited the famed Central Cemetery where they viewed the graves and amazing gravestones of Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Strauss, and many other famous composers.

Professors Didelot and Hollingsworth plan to make this a bi-yearly course. The next class will be offered in Fall 2009 in the summer. It is a three credit class offered to alumni and current students of Counseling and Development programs in the School of Education.

Student responses to the class and trip included:
“This trip was a once in a lifetime experience. As I thought back to all of the things I experienced while abroad, I was flooded with so many memories-memories of the great beauty and architecture that was constantly surrounding me, memories of the language and the diversity of language that was demonstrated daily, memories of the people and the culture of the country, and memories of the amount of history and emotion still attached to it, but the one thing that immediately jumps to the forefront of my mind is our visit with Elly Frankl.  Elly is one of the most amazing, dedicated, authentic, caring people I have ever had the pleasure to meet, and her humbleness is astounding.  The thing that will always stick in my mind is the true unconditional love that she had and will always have for her husband, Viktor Frankl.  To hear her talk and reminisce of her life with him left me with hope and optimism.  What they shared and continue to share is a bond and connection that I can only hope I have the opportunity to experience in my lifetime.  These were two hours of my life that I will never forget.”  Charity Kehoe, School Counseling Student

“The Purdue Calumet Counseling trip to Vienna, Austria was an amazing experience. As students, we were immersed in the three Viennese schools of psychotherapy, Freud, Adler and Frankl and exposed to the cultural history of Austria.  Tours included the Habsburg’s royal palaces and gardens, St, Stephen’s Cathedral and the catacombs under the premises, the Art Museum, Jewish Museum and a cycling trip down the Danube River. Day trips also took us to Mauthausen, an Austrian concentration camp during WWII and Salzburg where the infamous VonTrapp family originated. As a self-educated historian, I found the trip to be an extraordinary education.
       The highlight of the trip, however, was a visit with Elly Frankl, wife of world-renowned psychologist, Viktor Frankl. Meeting with Elly, seeing her private apartment and hearing stories of her life and work with Viktor Frankl was indescribable. Frankl’s perspective on human nature and life, in spite of his years in a concentration camp, have been a motivating force in my life for many years. Meeting Elly was inspiring!  It offered me an opportunity to say “thank you” for a therapeutic perspective that not only empowered my own life but that will assist me in empowering others as I progress in a career as a mental health counselor.”  Diane Klikus, School/Mental Health Counseling Student

“While every moment was memorable, I believe what was most meaningful to me was the trip to the concentration camp, as well as having the opportunity to meet Dr. Elly Frankl.  Although I was aware of some of the horrific acts that took place in concentration camps, I do not believe I actually internalized the feelings of horror before I was able to see it with my own eyes.  It was truly an eye opening experience.  Also, meeting Elly was such a privilege.  I felt so honored to be sitting before her and so inspired when I left.  Lastly, I am just extremely thankful I was able to get to know my Professors and fellow classmates on a deeper level.  We spent a lot of time together and always had a blast.”  Kimberly Podowski, School Counseling Student

“Our trip to Vienna was a great experience for me.  It was my first time out of the country, and it was worth all of the anxious and nervous feelings leading up to the trip.  There were so many meaningful parts of the trip, and so many things I learned, that it is hard to choose one, or even narrow down the list of experiences that I had that week.

There is, however, one experience that sticks out in my mind as “meaningful”:  meeting with Dr. Elly Frankl.  Dr. Frankl was amazing, because she and her husband had such an impact on psychology, and it was humbling to be in the same room with someone who had a hand in Logotherapy.  I think that one of the things that struck me the most was the fact that the love Dr. Frankl had for her husband was still palpable, even after all these years.  She was a truly amazing person to meet. I especially enjoyed seeing the desk where Viktor Frankl dictated books while she wrote them down. She showed me the true meaning of love, because even years after her husband’s death, you can still feel her love for him.  I truly admire her courage to go on after her husband’s death, as well as her generous contributions to Logotherapy…. All in all, I believe that this trip was a life-experience that I am lucky to have had.  Most people do not get to experience the things we did in their lifetimes.  Experiencing the trip with such amazing people was an added bonus for me.  This trip was one of the best parts of my life thus far, and I am looking forward to many, many more moments, experiences, situations and trips which can evoke similar feelings.  I could not have asked for more from this trip.”  Lauren Chappell, School Counseling Student

“Traveling to Vienna, Austria with my instructors, Dr. Hollingsworth and Dr. Didelot, along with nine fellow students, was a trip of a lifetime.  We had a packed itinerary of exciting destinations, including the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Dr. Elly Frankl, widow of the esteemed psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl, who developed the popular Logotherapy.  We visited Freud’s apartment and museum, the Austrian concentration camp in Mauthausen, which was extremely moving.  We also visited museums, the many beautiful cathedrals of Austria and many other wonderful places.  I will always treasure the experience of visiting Vienna and I highly recommend this class to anyone considering it.”  Rad Szumlas, Mental Health Student

"When I first heard about the trip to Vienna, Austria, I knew it was going to be an opportunity I did not want to miss.  We were able to experience so much in such a short amount of time.  If I have to choose which aspect of the trip was most meaningful for me, which is not a very easy decision to make, then I would pick the day we met Elly Frankl, Viktor Frankl’s wife.  She was so welcoming to all of us and was so open about her life with Viktor.  I was deeply moved by the love she has for him and her love of life.  I believe just being in her presence and actually stepping foot in Viktor Frankl’s office was a surreal experience.  After speaking to Elly and walking around Vienna at nighttime, I learned to enjoy and love the simple things in life.  Lisa and Mary, thank you for this opportunity.  I can’t wait for the next trip."  Kimberly Snow

"Having previously traveled abroad for educational purposes, I thought I was well prepared for what I would experience in Vienna.  I anticipated learning a little about Austrian culture and hoped to get some additional insight into existentialism.  I was not, however prepared for the amazing growth that took place.  There was something new to learn, not just about theories and history, but also about myself every day.  
There were two experiences that will stay with me forever.  One was the trip to visit Elly Frankl.  Just being with her in her home, hearing the stories, and remembering the books I had previously read about her and Viktor Frankl, was amazing.  I was most impressed that a world-renowned psychotherapist would keep his files in an old paprika box.  It emphasized to me, the need to focus on the important things in life.  What does it matter where I keep my notes from previous classes?  It is the work itself that is significant.
I also have been deeply moved by the trip to Mauthausen.  While I have learned much about World War II and the concentration camps, being there in person brought a whole new depth to my level of understanding.  Words alone cannot express the sadness and anger that I felt while walking through the various buildings, and down the stone stairs to the quarry.  It was an experience like no other.  I hope that trips like this one will continue to be a part of the counseling program at Purdue Calumet." Becky Fry