Title: Adlerian Therapy Objectives: Describe key concepts of the Adlerian approach Explain how the relationship between therapist and client is viewed from the Adlerian Perspective Describe the four phases of the Adlerian therapeutic process Identify the strengths and limitations of Adlerian therapy from a diversity perspective. a. THEORETICAL FOUNDATION/PRINCIPLES/VIEWPOINT Alfred Adler Adler’s early childhood experiences had an impact on the formation of his theory. Adler shaped his own life rather than leaving it to fate. Adler experienced anti-Semitism and the horrors of World War I. Those experiences, and the sociopolitical context of the time, contributed to his emphasis on humanism and the need for people to work together. He pioneered the practice of teaching professionals through live demonstrations with parents and children before large audiences, now called “open-forum” family counseling. View of Human Nature According to Adler, humans are motivated primarily by social relatedness rather than by sexual urges; Adler’s theory starts with a consideration of inferiority feelings, which he saw as a normal condition of all people and as a source of all human striving. From the Adlerian perspective, human behavior is neither determined by heredity or environment. Subjective View of Reality Adlerians attempt to view the world from the client’s subjective frame of reference, an orientation described as phenomenological. Paying attention to the individual way in which people perceive their world, referred to as “subjective reality,”. From the Adlerian perspective, objective reality is less important than how we interpret reality and the meanings we attach to what we experience. Unity and Patterns of Personality Adler chose the name Individual Psychology for his theoretical approach because he wanted to avoid Freud’s reductionist divisions such as ego, id, and superego. He emphasized the unity and indivisibility of the person and stressed understanding the whole person in the context of his or her life—how all dimensions of a person are interconnected components, and how all of these components are unified by the individual’s movement toward a life goal. ● Behavior is Purposeful and Goal-Oriented o Individual Psychology assumes that all human behavior has a purpose, and this purposefulness is the cornerstone of Adler’s theory. o Adler replaced deterministic explanations with teleological (purposive, goal-oriented) ones. o Fictional Finalism - to an imagined life goal that guides a person’s behavior. o Adler’s concept of striving for perfection implies striving for greater competence, not only for oneself but for the common good of others. ● Striving for Significance and Superiority o Adler stressed that the recognition of inferiority feelings and the consequent striving for perfection or mastery are innate (Ansbacher & Ansbacher, 1979); they are two sides of the same coin. o According to Adler, the moment we experience inferiority, we are pulled by the striving for superiority. o The goal of superiority contributes to the development of the human community. ● Lifestyle o Lifestyle, often described as our perceptions regarding self, others, and the world, includes the connecting themes and rules of interaction that give meaning to our actions. It is the characteristic way we think, act, feel, perceive, and live (Carlson & Johnson, 2016). o Adler saw us as actors, creators, and artists. Understanding one’s lifestyle is somewhat like understanding the style of a composer. o People are viewed as adopting a proactive, rather than a reactive, approach to their social environment. Social Interest and Community Feeling Social interest is the action line of one’s community feeling, and it involves being as concerned about others as one is about oneself. While Adler considered social interest to be innate, he also believed that it must be learned, developed, and used. Adler equated social interest with a sense of identification and empathy with others: “to see with the eyes of another, to hear with the ears of another, to feel with the heart of another” Community feeling (Gemeinschaftsgefühl) embodies the feeling of being connected to all of humanity—past, present, and future—and to being involved in making the world a better place. Many of the problems we experience are related to the fear of not being accepted by the groups we value. The Life Tasks ● Adler taught that we must successfully master three universal life tasks: ○ building friendships (social task), ○ establishing intimacy (love–marriage task), ○ contributing to society (occupational task). ● These basic life tasks are so fundamental that impairment in any one of them is often an indicator of a psychological disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Birth Order and Sibling Relationship Adler identified five psychological positions, or vantage points, from which children tend to view life: oldest, second of only two, middle, youngest, and only. Birth order is not a deterministic concept but does increase an individual’s probability of having a certain set of experiences. Because Adlerians view most human problems as social in nature, they emphasize relationships within the family as our earliest and, perhaps, our most influential social system. 1. The oldest child generally receives a good deal of attention, and during the time she is the only child, she is typically somewhat spoiled as the center of attention. When a new brother or sister arrives on the scene, however, she finds herself ousted from her favored position. 2. The second child of only two is in a different position. From the time they are born, they share the attention with another child. The typical second child behaves as if they were in a race and is generally under full steam at all times. 3. The middle child often feels squeezed out. This child may become convinced of the unfairness of life and feel cheated. This person may assume a “poor me” attitude and can become a problem child. 4. The youngest child is always the baby of the family and tends to be the most pampered one. Youngest children tend to go their own way, often developing in ways no others in the family have attempted and may outshine everyone. 5. The only child has a problem of her own. Although she shares some of the characteristics of the oldest child (for example, a high achievement drive), she may not learn to share or cooperate with other children. She may want to have center stage all of the time, and if her position is challenged, she will feel it is unfair. In Adlerian therapy, working with family dynamics, especially relationships among siblings, assumes a key role, but Adlerians do not dogmatically adopt the descriptions of birth order. It is important to avoid stereotyping individuals, but certain personality trends that began in childhood as a result of sibling rivalry can influence individuals throughout life. b. GOAL OF THE THERAPY Maniacci, Sackett-Maniacci, and Mosak (2014) identify these goals for the educational process of therapy: ● Fostering social interest by helping clients connect with their responsibility to their community ● Helping clients overcome feelings of discouragement and inferiority ● Modifying clients’ lifestyles in the direction of becoming more adaptive, flexible, and social ● Changing faulty motivation ● Encouraging equality and acceptance of self and others ● Helping people to become contributing members of the world community ⮚ A goal that is significant to Adlerian theory is Fictional Finalism. o It refers to the person's imagined life goal that serves as their behavior's purpose. ⮚ However, the term was replaced with “guiding self-ideal” or “goal of perfection” to align with Adler’s concept of striving for perfection. ⮚ In therapy, the subjective final goal is an important aspect to understand in our clients and make them realize that they have the creative power to choose what they will accept as truth, how they will behave, and how they will interpret events. c. COMPONENTS d. THERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES AND SKILLS Rudolf Dreikurs, 1967 ● Adlerian counseling is structured around four central objectives that correspond to the four phases of the therapeutic process ● These phases into what he called minor psychotherapy in the context and service of holistic medicine. His approach to therapy has been elaborated in what is now called Adlerian brief therapy, or ABT. Phase 1: Establish the Relationship Adlerian therapists focus on making person-to-person contact with clients rather than starting with the problem. To create effective contact is for counselors to help clients become aware of their assets and strengths rather than dealing continually with their deficits and liabilities. To be effective, the counseling process must deal with the personal issues the client recognizes as significant and is willing to explore and change. A positive relationship is created by listening, responding, demonstrating respect for clients’ capacity to understand purpose and seek change, and exhibiting hope and caring. If the client feels deeply understood and accepted, the client is likely to focus on what he or she wants from therapy and thus establish goals. At this stage the counselor’s function is to provide a wide-angle perspective that will eventually help the client view his or her world differently. Phase 2: Assessing the Individual’s Psychological Dynamics To get a deeper understanding of an individual’s lifestyle. This phase proceeds from two interview forms; 1. Subjective Interview - should extract patterns in the person’s life, develop hypothesis about what works for the person, and determine what accounts for the various concerns in the client’s life. ▪ Facilitated by empathetic listening and responding; from a sense of wonder, fascination, and interest. 2. Objective Interview – seeks to discover information about a) How problems in the client’s life began; b) Any precipitating events; c) Medical history including current and past medications; d) Social history; e) Reasons the client chose therapy at this time; f) Person’s coping with life tasks; g) Lifestyle assessment Adler & Dreikurs – the lifestyle assessment starts with investigating the person’s family constellation and early childhood history. ● Family Constellation - It was through the family constellation that each person forms his unique view of self, others, and life. - Factors such as cultural and familial values, gender-role expectations, and the nature of interpersonal relationships are all influenced by a child’s observation of the interactional patterns within the family. Some of these questions are almost always explored: o Who was the favorite child? o o o o o o What was your father’s relationship with the children? Your mother’s? Which child was most like your father? Your mother? In what respects? Who among the siblings was most different from you? In what ways? Who among the siblings was most like you? In what ways? What were you like as a child? How did your parents get along? In what did they both agree? How did they handle disagreements? How did they discipline the children? ● Early Recollections - To ask the client to provide its earliest memories, usually before the age of 10 that can be pictured by the client in clear detail. - Early memories cast light on the “story of our life” because they represent metaphors for our current views. Phase 3: Encourage Self-Understanding and Insight ● Interpret the findings of the assessment to provide self-understanding and insight. ● Adlerian disclosures and interpretations are concerned with creating awareness of one’s direction in life, one’s goals and purposes, one’s private logic and how it works, and one’s current behavior. Phase 4: Reorientation and Reeducation Final stage of the therapeutic process; putting insights into practice. Clients are both encouraged and challenged to develop the courage to take risks and make changes in their life. 1. Encouragement Process ● Increasing the courage needed for a person to face difficulties in life. ● Ex: client: I almost didn’t come.. Therapist: ..but you did. 2. Change and the Search for New Responsibilities ● Clients make decisions and modify their goals. ● If clients hope to change, they must be willing to set tasks for themselves and do something specific about their problems. 3. Making a Difference ● Adlerian therapists seek to make a difference in the lives of their clients. A change in behavior or attitude or perception may manifest that difference. e. TRENDS, UPDATES, AND ISSUES TRENDS AND UPDATES Is Adlerian Therapy Effective until today? ● Yes. ● According to a study published in the Journal of Individual Psychology, Adlerian therapy has been found to be effective in improving the mental health outcomes of individuals with a variety of psychological issues (Kim & Seo, et.al, 2020) ● Study about an intervention program based on Adlerian therapy for burn out teachers found out that the program has positive effects on alleviating burnout with cognitive and behavioral changes in the participants’ personal and professional lives. ● A quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest research showed that the Adlerian counseling method was effective in increasing mental health and social adjustment (Jalilian & Amiri, 2020) ● Study published in Journal of Counseling & Development found that Adlerianbased school counseling interventions significantly improved students' feelings of belonging and their attitudes towards school (Paul Main, 2023). ● According to a study published in the Journal of Individual Psychology, 78% of clients reported significant improvement after participating in Adlerian therapy (Paul Main, 2023). Modern-Day Adlerians Who are the Modern-Day Adlerians? ● Modern-Day Adlerians encompass individuals from various professions who apply the principles of Alfred Adler's psychology in their work. ● Professionals are licensed psychologists, counselors, doctors, nurses, politicians, and blue-collar workers. Beliefs and Objectives ● At the core of their beliefs is the understanding that a sense of belonging and contribution to society is crucial for individual well-being. ● Modern-Day Adlerians emphasize the importance of fostering a supportive and encouraging environment to help individuals thrive and reach their full potential. o This approach is particularly prominent among mental health professionals, including Adlerian therapists, who utilize encouragement as a powerful tool to facilitate success and growth in their clients. o By focusing on strengths and highlighting positive aspects of an individual's life, they aim to instill confidence and empower their clients to make positive changes. Modern-Day Adlerians work across various fields and professions, but they share a common belief in the importance of fostering a sense of belonging and using encouragement as a means to support individuals in their personal and professional lives Institutions and Societies ● dedicated to expanding Adler's theories and promoting the application of Adlerian principles exist worldwide. ● These organizations provide resources, training, and professional development opportunities for mental health professionals interested in incorporating Adlerian psychology into their practice. The North American Society of Adlerian Psychology (NASAP) ● Founded in 1952 in United States ● mission is to foster and promote the research, knowledge, training, teaching, and application of Adlerian Psychology, maintaining its principles and encouraging its growth. ● NASAP thrives today as a society for a broad spectrum of individuals in the fields of education, psychology, psychiatry, counseling, coaching, social work, pastoral care, business, and family education. Adlerian Society UK Institute for Individual Psychology (ASIIP) ● Founded after his first visit to Oxford in 1923, a group was formed in London called ‘the Gower Street Club of Individual Psychology’, which later became known as ‘the Adler Society’. ● Medical members broke away due to political bias and formed the Medical Society for Individual Psychology or also known today as Adlerian Society UK Institute for Individual Psychology ● Mission is to support the members of the society to use, share and advance the principles of Individual Psychology ● The Adlerian Society promotes the understanding, application and development of Individual Psychology and Adlerian Counseling in the UK: through public lectures, workshops, conferences and professional training International Adlerian Associations United States ● Alfred Adler Institutes of San Francisco and Northwestern Washington ● South Carolina Society of Adlerian Psychology ● Western Pennsylvania Society of Adlerian Psychology ● Alfred Adler Institute of Munich, Germany Ireland ● Adlerian Network of Ireland Israel ● Alfred Adler Institute of Israel Canada ● Adlerian Psychology Association of B.C. ● Saskatoon Adlerian Society ● Adler Professional Schools, Toronto, Ontario ● Adlerian Counseling & Consulting Group Inc. Italy ● Centro Italiano Studi Adleriani ● Istituto di Psicologia Individuale Alfred Adler Europe ICASSI – International Committee for Adlerian Summer Schools and Institutes Switzerland ● Alfred Adler Institute in Zurich, Switzerland – ● Slovenská adlerovská spoločnosť Austria ● Austrian Society for Individual Psychology France ● La Société Française de Psychologie Adlérienne Germany ● Alfred Adler Institute in Dusseldorf, Germany Japan ● Japanese Society of Adlerian Psychology UK ● Cambridge Adlerian Society ● Adlerian Society of Wales Uruguay ● Center of Adlerian Studies ISSUES/CRITICISMS IN ADLERIAN THERAPY What are the Critiques of Adlerian Psychology? ● theory relies heavily on subjective interpretations of individuals' behavior and experiences, which can lack empirical evidence and scientific rigor. o This subjectivity can be seen in concepts such as "fictional goal" and "style of life," which some argue are difficult to define and measure objectively. ● Adler's emphasis on the role of family dynamics and childhood experiences in shaping behavior may overlook other significant factors. o Critics argue that biological, genetic, and neurological factors also play important roles in human behavior and should not be overshadowed by family dynamics alone. ● Some psychologists question the effectiveness of Adlerian techniques in treating mental health issues. Argue that more research is needed to assess the effectiveness of Adlerian therapy in addressing serious mental health concerns. o While the approach focuses on personal growth, self-confidence, and collaboration, it may not always provide adequate strategies for individuals struggling with severe mental illnesses. ● Lack of diversity and cultural sensitivity. o Critics argue that the approach's focus on the individual may neglect the broader socio-cultural context in which individuals live. o It is crucial to consider the unique experiences and cultural backgrounds of clients to ensure effective and culturally sensitive therapy.
