Alfred Adler

1870 - 1937

INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGY

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Alfred Adler

1902 Joined Freud's discussion group on neurotics

1910 Co-founder with Freud Journal of Psychoanalyses

1912 Separates from Freud and founds the Society for Individual

Psychology

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Freud and AdlerAgreements Disagreements

Symptoms have a purpose

Dreams are meaningful Influence of early life on

later life

Theory of instincts Biological determinism Role of transference in

therapy

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View of Human Nature

Holistic and social view of humans

Humans are Social beings Self-determined, decision-makers

The main motivation for behavior is social connectedness and striving for significance

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Striving for Significance

Compensate for weaknesses Attain a unique identity Achieve a sense of belonging Security Competence (vs. sense of inferiority)

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Phenomenological Approach

Adlerian’s attempt to view the world from the client’s subjective frame of reference How life is in reality, is less important than

the individual’s perceptions Emphasizes recollections and interpretations of

life events

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Life Tasks

1. Society ability to share with others

2. Work making a contribution to others

3. Sex achieving intimacy

4. Spiritual personal meaning in life, relation with cosmos

5. Coping with oneself self-acceptance

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Family Constellation

Primary social environment where the child, through exploration and observation, learns what gains approval and how to achieve significance (sense of

competence and acceptance)

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Life Style

Conclusions about the self, others, and the environment based on subjective experiences with parents and siblings.

Conceptualized as a cognitive structure or map from which we apprehend reality and interpret experience (Piaget’s schemas; internalized objects)

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Life Style

It is largely out of awareness and includes convictions about: Self-concept Who I am Self-ideal Who should I be to be significant The World around What others demand of me Ethical beliefs Sense of right and wrong

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Psychologically Healthy Individuals

Have developed social interest Commit self to life-tasks w/o excuses Have a sense of belonging Have positive self-esteem and feel

acceptable Are able to accept their imperfections

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Concept of Psychopathology

Discouragement Acting as if one is inferior Avoid life tasks

Symptoms function as excuses for avoiding life-tasks and save face (secondary-gain)

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Adlerian Therapy

Cooperative and educational enterprise Goals -- Help clients:

Change faulty thinking and mistaken assumptions/goals (included in their lifestyle)

Increase social interest (if needed) Decrease inferiority complex

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Faulty Thinking and Mistaken Assumptions (Private Logic)

Overgeneralizations: Life is dangerous; people are mean

False or impossible goals of security I must please everybody

Misperceptions of life demands To succeed you must be perfect

Denial of self-worth Faulty values

I must succeed no matter what.

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Stages of Therapy

I. Establishing the relationship

II. Assessment: Exploring the individual’s dynamics

III. Gaining insight

IV. Reorientation

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I. Establishing the Relationship

Listen to and engage with client to form a collaborative relationship (trust)

Attend to subjective experience of client Explore of client’s concerns Set general goals

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II. Assessment (1)

Goal: Explore client’s life-style Identify content of clients’ private logic

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II. Assessment (2)

Interventions/ Techniques: The Life Assessment Questionnaire:

Experiences in family constellation Early recollections (content and associated affect)

Ask about client’s #1 priority in life The Question

What would be different in your life if you (were not nervous all the time, did not have recurrent head aches, fears about germs)

Purpose: examine secondary gain of symptom (e.g. psychosomatic symptoms)

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III. Gaining Insight; Goals

Help clients become aware of errors in private logic (lifestyle) & how it affects engagement with the life-tasks: Explore faulty perceptions, mistaken beliefs,

and values developed in family of origin Bring to awareness client's goals and beliefs and

how they motivate their behaviors Understand their own role in creating

problems Gain awareness of responsibility for actions

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III. Gaining Insight: Techniques

Interpretation Focus on purposes and consequences of

problem behaviors (symptoms) Connect how past experiences faulty logic -

current problems Confrontation – Challenge clients with:

Discrepancies in their conduct Rationalizations for mistaken beliefs, private

goals, and unproductive behavior

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IV. Reorientation

Action oriented phase to help clients put insights into practice and get the courage to make changes in their lives.

Techniques: Immediacy Acting as-if

Paradoxical Intention Push-button technique

Spitting on the soup Task setting

Catching oneself

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IV. Reorientation: Techniques 1/2 Immediacy (parallel process)

attending to behaviors occurring in the therapy relation to help clients explore their motivations and behaviors

Paradoxical intention prescribe the symptom

Spitting in the soup identify secondary gain of a given behavior or symptom

Catching oneself to help gain control of behaviors one wants to change

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IV. Reorientation: Techniques 2/2 Acting as-if

Rehearse desired behaviors Push button technique

Imagine pleasant and unpleasant situations and attend to feelings generated

Task setting Step-wise process of behavior change to assure

success, foster feelings of encouragement, and increase self-esteem

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Encouragement

Encouragement is the most powerful method available for changing a person’s beliefs Helps build self-confidence and stimulates courage Discouragement is the basic condition that

prevents people from functioning Courage develops when people

Become aware of their strengths Feel that they belong Have hope for their lives

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Adler’s Contributions Precursor of cognitive-based therapies and the

existential approach Emphasis on educational and preventive aspects of

psychology – Adler’s ideas have been applied to marriage counseling,

family counseling and group work. Influential in the training of counselors for schools

and community health services Emphasis on human’s ability to change and focus

on positive aspects and strengths of patients

Limitations

Adler’s writings were difficult to apply directly to develop counseling interventions

Applications of his theory have been formulated by his followers

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Neo-Freudian

Minimized role of psycho-sexual stages Culture, spirituality, society also influence

personality and behavior Personality development occurs through

the life-span