Adlerian Therapy

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Adlerian Therapy
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• Adlerian Therapy introduced by Alfred Adler
• Similar to Freuds belief that personalities are
  formed in early years, by age 6
• Adlerian Theory emphasizes the Social nature of
  the individual

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Adlerian Theory

• Adler believed that an individuals
  psychological health can be measured by the
  contribution that individuals make to their
  community and to society (Sharf, 2002, p.119).

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Social Interest

• Adler believed the mother-child bond was the
  first and most significant relationship in the
  development of social interest.
• Any dysfunction in a mother-child or father-child
  relationship can bring about a lack of social
  interest in a child.

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Style of Life

• Adler defined lifestyle as how an individual
  creatively solves problems and achieves goals.
• Adler believed that a style of life is
  established in childhood.

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Adler describes 4 types of people

• Socially useful type high social interest and
  high degree of activity (amount of energy an
  individual displays for dealing with problems)
• Ruling type low social-interest yet ruling
  i.e. thieves, drug addicts
• Getting type low social interest looks to
  receive rather than give
• Avoiding type low social interest low
  activity levels may be looked upon as shy,
  lonely

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Inferiority and Superiority

• Throughout life, a child strives to become more
  independent and self-sufficient from inferiority
  to superiority.
• Three factors can hinder a childs development
  physical disabilities, pampering, and neglect.

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Inferiority and Superiority

• If an individual does not overcome feelings of
  inferiority, a person may develop inferiority
  complex.
• Adler described how individuals try to overcome
  this less than feeling by actually inflating
  ones self-importance in order to overcome these
  inferiority feelings.

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Birth order

• Adler believed that the place the child was in
  the family determined how the individual would
  develop a style of life and social interest.
• Exact birth order was not necessary, but the
  perceived role in the family was more important.

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Adlers Goals in Therapy and Counseling

• To increase social interest

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Assessment

• Evaluate Family Dynamics interactions with the
  family
• Early Recollections Adler believed that we
  remember events in our lives for a reason they
  had an impact on us in some way
• Dreams- especially childhood and recurrent dreams

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Basic Mistakes

• Adler believed that these flaws in thinking are
  due to some earlier events or experiences.

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Five Basic Mistakes

• Overgeneralizations- all, should, always
  He should like me.
• False or impossible goals of security I cant
  trust anyone.
• Misperceptions of lifes demands- Lifes too
  hard.
• Minimization or denial of ones worth- I dont
  matter.
• Faulty Values I have to steal because I have
  no money.

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Assets

• Adler believes that it is important to evaluate
  and illustrate to the client the good things that
  are working in their life. An example of assets
  could be a strong family, academic or vocational
  skills, special abilities/or talents.

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Insight and Interpretation

• Adler believed that it wasnt useful to point out
  psychological problems to the client (such as a
  lack of confidence).
• He believed rather in asking questions for the
  client to ponder. This way, the client would not
  become defensive or offended.
• Questions such as Have you thought of.. or Is
  it possible..?

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Reorientation Phase

• In therapy, insights from early recollections,
  family constellations, and dreams are analyzed.
• Patient now has insight and work can be done to
  develop goals, make changes in actions, and take
  risks in their lives (with therapists
  encouragement).

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Encouragement and Creativity

• Acting as if
• Catching Oneself
• The Question
• Spitting in the clients soup
• Avoiding the tar baby
• Push-Button technique
• Paradoxical intention

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Closing Process of Therapy

• Action-oriented approaches with goals and
  homework assigned to accomplish task
• Goals are assigned to help client with the five
  major tasks in life love, occupation, society,
  self-development, spiritual development

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Text Reference

• Sharf R. S.(2004). L. Gebo (Ed.), Theories of
  Psychotherapy and Counseling. Pacific Grove, CA
  Brooks/Cole.