Adlerian Therapy

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Alfred Adler (1870-1937)

• Grew up in a Vienna family of six boys and two girls

• His younger brother died at the very young stage

• He nearly die because of pneumonia

• This experience, along with the death of a younger brother, motivated Adler to become a physician (Corey, 2011).

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• He received his medical degree near the end of 1895, he had realized his childhood goal of becoming a physician (G. Feist & J. Feist, 2008).

• He fulfilled that obligation immediately after receiving his medical degree and then returned to Vienna for postgraduate study (G. Feist & J. Feist, 2008).

• After the World War II he was able to advance his theories through lecturing, establishing child guidance clinics, and training teachers (G. Feist & J. Feist, 2008).

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• Adler married a fiercely independent Russian woman, Raissa Epstein, in December of 1897(G. Feist & J. Feist, 2008).

• Raissa and Alfred had four children: Alexandra and Kurt, who became psychiatrists and continued their father’s work; Valentine (Vali), who died as a political prisoner of the Soviet Union in about 1942; and Cornelia (Nelly), who aspired to be an actress (G. Feist & J. Feist, 2008).

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Human Nature Adler focused on the person’s past as

perceived in the present and how an individual’s interpretation of early events continued to influence that person’s present behavior (Corey, 2011).

Human motivated by social relatedness. Behavior is purposeful and goal oriented,

conscious. Adler stressed on choice and responsibility,

meaning in life and the striving for success, completion and perfection (Corey, 2011)

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1) Early Development

To Adler, people are born with weak, inferior bodies—a condition that leads to feelings of inferiority and a consequent dependence on other people (G. Feist & J. Feist, 2008). Individual psychology holds that everyone begins life with physical deficiencies that activate feelings of inferiority—feelings that motivate a person to strive for either superiority or success(G. Feist & J. Feist, 2008). To Adler, inferior feeling is normal and as a source of all human striving not weakness or abnormality (Capuzzi & Gross,1995; Corey, 2011).

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Early development(cont….)

Inferiority driven us to overcome obstacles to

achieve our goal.

To Adler, human is not solely determined by

heredity and environment, instead we have

capacity to create, interpret and influence events.

Adler is forerunner that focuses on internal

determinants of behavior such as values, beliefs,

attitudes, goals, interests and the individual

perception of reality (Corey, 2011).

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2) Subjective Perception

Adlerian attempt to view the world from the client’s subjective frame of reference, an orientation described as phenomenological (Corey, 2011). Objective reality is less important than how we interpret reality and the meaning we attach to what we experience (Corey, 2011). Private logic is Adler term of individual ‘s unique pattern of thoughts, feeling n attitudes that guide understanding, predicting and managing lifestyle experiences and behavior (Capuzzi & Gross,1995).

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3) Unity and Patterns of Human Personality

I) Holism

Indivisibility of a person is a fundamental belief of

individual psychology (Capuzzi & Gross,1995).

Focus on understanding whole person within

their socially embedded contexts of family, culture,

school, work (Corey, 2011).

Individual’s thoughts, feelings, beliefs, convictions,

attitudes, character and actions are expression of

his or her uniqueness and all reflect a plan of life

that allows for movement toward a self-selected

life goal (Corey, 2011).

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3) Unity and Patterns of Human Personality (cont….)

Teleo denotes the goal orientated nature

of human beings, human has a purpose

(Capuzzi & Gross,1995; Corey, 2011).

We can only think, act, feel in relationship

to our goal (Corey, 2011).

We can fully understand only in light of

knowing the purpose and goals towards

we are striving.

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Types of striving forces to life goal:-

Success Psychologically unhealthy individuals strive for personal superiority, whereas

psychologically healthy people seek success for all humanity.

Human it is the product of the creative power, that is, people’s ability to

freely shape their behavior and create their own personality.

Healthy people who are motivated by social interest and the success of all

humankind.

Healthy individuals are concerned with goals beyond themselves, are

capable of helping others without demanding or expecting a personal

payoff.

Compensation

People strive for superiority or success as a means of compensation for

feelings of inferiority or weakness.

Without the innate movement toward perfection, children would never feel

inferior; but without feelings of inferiority, they would never set a goal of

superiority or success.

Deficit feeling would not exist unless a child first possessed a basic

tendency toward completion (Adler, 1956).

Personal Superiority

Some people strive for superiority with little or no concern for others.

Their goals are personal ones, and their strivings are motivated largely by

exaggerated feelings of personal inferiority.

Murderers, thieves, and con artists are obvious examples of people who

strive for personal gain. Adlerian Therapy 11

Two Basic Methods of Striving toward the Final Goal.

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3) Unity and Patterns of Human Personality (cont….) iii) Life style

• Core beliefs and assumptions guide each person’s

movement through life and organize his or her ability.

• Plan of life, style of life, strategy of life, road map of life.

• People are viewed as adopting a proactive, rather than reactive.

• Our perception/interpretation of environment and others shape personalities.

• Faulty interpretations lead mistaken notions in our private logic.

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4) Social Interest and Community Feeling

Individual’s awareness of being part of the human community of the human community and to individual’s attitudes in dealing with social world (Corey, 2011). i) Social Interest Involves being concerns about others as one is about oneself. Capacity to co-operate and contribute Adler equated social interest as “ to see others with the eyes of another, to hear with the ears of another, to feel with heart of another” Our happiness largely and success largely related to this social connectedness and a desire to belong.

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4) Social Interest and Community Feeling (Cont…)

ii) Community feeling Being connected to all of humanity --- past, present and future---and being involved in making the world become better place. Those who lack of community feeling will become discouraged and end up on the useless side of life. We must successfully master the three universal life task: building friendship (social task), stabling intimacy (love-marriage task), and contributing to society (occupation task). When people seek for counseling, which mean they are struggling in one of more of these life tasks.

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5) Birth order and sibling relationship/Family constellation

Individual’s perception of their family position has special significance for understanding their outlook on life (Capuzzi & Gross,1995).

Birth order is not a deterministic concept but does increase an individual’s probability of having a certain set of experiences (Corey, 2011).

But birth order is less important than how the individual interpretation.

This is the reason, why some kids grow up in the same environment and family might have very different personalities.

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Table of Adler’s View of Some Possible Traits by Birth Order

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The Therapeutic Goals • A collaborative arrangement between the client and

the counselor.

• Both work equally toward a specific goal.

• Forming a relationship based on mutual respect.

• Followed by a reeducation and reorientation of the client to useful side of life.

• To develop the client’s sense of belonging and assist in adoption of behaviors and process characterized by community feeling and social interest.

• To assist clients to understand their unique lifestyles…and to act in such a way as a meet the tasks of life with courage and social interest.

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• Clients not “sick” and in need of being “cured” but view as the growth model of personalities.

• Not in curing a sick individuals or sick society but in reeducating individual and in reshaping society.

• Giving information, teaching, guiding, and offering encouragement.

• Encouragement is the most powerful method available for changing a person’s belief, for it helps clients build self-confidence and stimulate courage.

• The loss of encouragement, results in mistaken and dysfunctional behavior.

• Adlerians educate clients in new ways of looking at themselves, others and life.

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According Mosak and Maniacci list these goals for the education process of therapy (as cited in Corey, 2011):- Fostering social interest. Helping clients overcome feelings of discouragement and inferiority. Modifying clients’ view of goals- that is, changing their lifestyle. Changing faulty motivation. Encouraging the individual to recognize equality among people. Helping people to become contributing members of society.

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Application: Therapeutic techniques and procedures

• Phrase 1: Establish the relationship Adlerian therapist focus on making person-to-person contact with client rather than start with the problem. Counselor helps clients to aware of their abilities and strengths rather than dealing continually with their deficit and liabilities. Building positive relationship by listening, responding, demonstrating respect, exhibiting hope and caring. When a client entering therapy session , they typically have self-diminished, lack of hope and ability to cope with the task of life Counselor need to provide support with antidote and despair and discouragement.

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Phase 2: Explore the individual’s psychological dynamics

To get a deeper understanding of an

individuals’ life style.

Focus the individual’s social and cultural

context.

This assessment phase proceeds from

two interview forms: Subjective interview

and Objective interview.

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i) Subjective interview Helps the client to tell his or her story of lfe

empathic of listening and responding

Follow by a sense of wonder, fascination and interest.

Allowing the client to feel completely heard

Throughout the subjective interview, the Alderian counselor is

listening the clues to the purposive aspects of the client’s coping

and approaches to life.

“Is there anything else you think I should know to understand

you and you concern?”

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Life style assessment Family constellation Adler considered the family of origin as having a central

impact on an individual’s personalities. Assessment relies heavily on exploration of the client’s family

constellation, including asking family atmosphere, birth order, parental relationship, family values, and family culture.

These questions are almost explored:

1. How many brothers and sisters have you? What is your position in the birth order? What is their attitude toward you? How do they get along in life? Do they also have any illness?

2. Who was your father’s or your mother’s favorite child? What kind of up-bringing did you have?

3. Who among the siblings was most different from you? In what ways?

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ii) Objective interview

Early Recollections

• The therapist asks the client to recall his or her

earliest memories, the age at which the event was remembered, and the feelings connected with the recollections

• Select memories that coincide with our basic beliefs about ourselves and the rest of the world.

• Early recollections are one time occurrences, usually before the age of 9.

• Select the special memories that project the essential convictions and even the basic mistake of our lives.

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Story of life

By understanding why retain these memories, it is

possible to get a clear sense of our mistaken notions,

present attitudes, social interest and possible future

behavior.

Mosak (2005) lists five basic mistakes that people

commonly make:

1. Overgeneralizations. “People are no good.” ‘You have to be careful

of not getting too close to people.”

2. False or Impossible Goals of Security. “I must please everyone, if I

am to be loved.”

3. Misperceptions of Life and Life’s Demands. “I never get any

breaks.”

4. Minimization or Denial of One’s Worth. “I’m stupid.”

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Analysis of Clients’ Dreams dreams were a way of dealing with our insecurities Adler believed that there is a correlation between the number of dreams you have and the problems in your daily life. The more problems you have, the more dreams you are likely to have. From the Adlerian perspective, dreaming is purposive. Adlerians insist that dreams prepare cli­ents to solve their current problems or to overcome their present circumstances by rehearsing them for potential future actions. The dream function is to connect present problems or conflicts to future goal attainment (Mosak, 2005). For example, a dream about falling could symbolize a fear flying, especially if the dreamer is soon to fly or climb a mountain.

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Integration and Summary of Adlerian

Uncovering and Assessment.

After Adlerian therapists have obtained a summary of their client’s early recollections and lifestyle, they can examine the client’s basic mistakes.

Therapist prepares integrated summaries of the information that contain the client’s subjective experience and life story; a summary of family constellation and developmental data; a summary of early recollections, personal strengths, basic mistakes, and coping strategies (Oberst & Steward, 2003).

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Phase 3: Encouraging Self-Understanding

and Insight

To help the client understand the motivations in their

life, understand how they are contributing to their problem, and making adjustments to correct the situation

Self-understanding results when therapists help clients to make conscious hidden lifestyles and goals.

To help make the interpretations acceptable to the client, the therapist usually presents it only as a possibility to be considered rather than as a fact (Slavik & King, 2007).

The therapist might say, “Is it possible that . . . ?” or, “Do you think it might be . . . ?” or, “Could it be that…”

When the interpretation is on target, clients are encouraged to view their behavior from a different perspective.

In this phrase, counselor helps clients understand the limitations of style of life the client has chosen.

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Phase 4: Helping with Reorientation and reeducation

• Helping clients discover a new and more functional perspective

• Clients are encouraged and challenged to develop the courage to take risks and make changes in life.

• Reorientation involve shifting rules of interaction, process and motivation

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Encouragement Process Courage develops when individual aware of their strengths. Demonstrates faith in the client Tries to build a positive self-concept within the client Gives the client recognition for his or her efforts Concentrates on the strengths and assets of the client

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Change and the Search for New Possibilities(Action orientated phrase) Clients make decisions and modify their goals. Clients instructed to behave “as if ” they possess a certain behavior, and they are encouraged to try on new behaviors and new roles. Sometimes clients trying to change nonfunctional behavior, some clients may revert back to their old behavior out of sheer habit. Clients are told to “catch themselves” when they are just about ready to revert back to their old ways and to substitute the new behavior. Giving task for client, for example give a depressed client the task of doing something pleasant each day on a “pleasant event” schedule. Commitment is essential for reorientation.

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Making a Difference

Focus on motivation modification more

than behavior change and encourage

clients to make holistic change on the

useful side of living.

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SPECIFIC THERAPY TECHNIQUES

• Offering Encouragement

• Acting “As If”

• Asking “The Question”

• Using Push-Button Technique

• Catching Oneself

• Task Setting

• “Spitting in the Client’s Soup”

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Ares of Application: Adlerian Approaches

• Education

• Parent Education

• Marriage Counseling

• Family Counseling

• Group Work/Career Choice

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Adler chose to teach and practice over getting organized and presenting a well- defined systematic theory, making his written presentations difficult to follow.

More research needed to support the effectiveness of the theory.

Limited use for clients seeking immediate solutions to their problems and unwilling to explore childhood experiences, early memories, and dreams.

Some clients can’t see the social context, family constellation is related with the problems they are struggling.

For people, brought up in extended family contexts, some of these ideas maybe less relevant

Birth order might not relevant for twins.

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Limitations and Criticisms of the Adlerian Theory

Strengths

• Concerning about what the client needs and what is best interest for client rather than squeezing into one theoretical framework.

• Using ER can understand a client with minimum time.

• Applicable to diverse populations and presenting issues.

• Adler as a vociferous multicultural-feminist-social justice advocate during his time

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Examples: Lifestyle assessment

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Early Collection Analysis

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Dream Analysis

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Case study

• 12 years old boy, Justin

• Experiencing great deal of emotion turmoil

• Legal issues – Stole, Fight

• Done badly in school exam.

• He wants to act grown up.

• He cries because he does not want to leave his mother.

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Thank You

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