Adlerian Therapy

Adler’s Theory of Personality These four factors impact the development of personality. Lifestyle Social interest Birth order Inferiority and Superiority

Lifestyle The lifestyles are based on 1. Social interest caring for others and cooperating with others. 2. Energy Energy that an individuals has for dealing with his problems.

Four types of lifestyles the Socially Useful type a person with high social interest and energy may like to help others. the Ruling type a person with little social interest but high energy may take a dominating approach to society. the Getting type A person with little social interest and energy may wait for others to satisfy their needs the Avoiding type A person with low social interest and energy may avoid failure by avoiding involvement with friends, occupation, and family.

Social Interest Social interest: a sense of empathy toward others. Social interest is taught in the parent-child relationship. Community feeling: a sense of social connectedness Many problems are related to the fear of not being accepted by the groups we value. Then, anxiety is the result.

Birth Order Oldest child: receives more attention Second of only two: behaves as if in a race Middle: often feels squeezed out Youngest: the baby Only child: does not learn to share with others How birth order impacts our development of personality?

Inferiority and Superiority The striving for superiority is natural. Superiority is to inflate one’s self-importance in order to overcome inferiority feelings. People may try to present themselves as strong and capable when they actually feel not as capable as others.

View of Human Nature Stress choice and responsibility, meaning in life, and the striving for competence or perfection. Focus on inferiority feelings---motivated to become successful (superiority) Focus on subjective experiences

Therapeutic Goals Building a Collaborative relationship Cultivate a sense of belonging Encouragement is the most powerful method for a person to change Changing the patterns of basic mistakes (private logic, self-defeating behaviors)

Therapist’s function and role Identify the patterns of basic mistakes Lack of confidence, mistrust, unrealistic ambition Conduct an assessment Gather information through family constellation, early recollections, or lifestyle assessment Focus on clients’ interpretation of experiences Develop alternative options

Client’s Experience in Therapy Are not aware of the basic mistake Help to discover the motivation of basic mistake Do not know how to act differently Fear of letting go the old patterns for unpredictable new alternative options Cling to old patterns although they are maladaptive

Relationship b/w Therapist & Client Cooperation, mutual trust, respect Making a contract with clients Write down the details of what they want What is preventing them from reaching goals How to change unproductive behavior into constructive behavior How to make use of their strengths

Therapeutic Techniques & Procedures 1. Establishing the relationship Deeply care and involve Identify personal issues Increase the awareness of strengths Focus on subjective experiences and core patterns (basic mistake or private logic)

Therapeutic Techniques & Procedures 2. Exploring the individual’s dynamics Client tells his or her story; clients as expert through Family dynamics and Constellation (relationships among siblings, parents, friends, and teachers) Early Recollections (memories clients recall) Dream (childhood or current dreams) Basic mistake or private logic and its motivation Personality priorities

Basic Mistake (Private Logic) Overgeneralizations I can never do anything right. False or Impossible goals of security I’ll never succeed Misperceptions of life and life’s demands Life is too hard. I never get a break. Minimization or denial of one’s basic worth I am stupid. No one likes me. Faulty values Take advantage of others before they take advantage of you

Personality priorities (see handout) Superiority (or significance) Control Comfort Pleasing

Therapeutic Techniques & Procedures 3. Encouraging self-understanding and insight Insight: an understanding of motivations that operate in a client’s life Disclosure and interpretations: techniques that facilitate the process of gaining insight.

Therapeutic Techniques & Procedures 4. Helping with reorientation Putting insights into practice Increasing a sense of belonging Decreasing withdrawal from self-protection

Therapeutic Techniques & Procedures 4. Helping with reorientation Encouragement No intervention is more important than encouragement Help clients identify self-defeating patterns Make use of assets, strengths, and resources Search for new possibilities Making a difference

From multicultural perspectives: contributions Social equality, sensitive to cultural and gender issues Focusing on a person in a social context Social interests, sense of belonging, cooperation (instead of competition) Focusing on family Subjective experience (unique world of a person)

From multicultural perspectives: limitations Self as the locus of change may be problematic for some clients Detailed explorations of one’s early family experiences may violate some cultural values Some clients may expect therapists to provide them with solutions to the problems

Summary and evaluation: contributions Integrative, short-term, psycho-educational focus, and combining system and cognitive perspective Forerunner of existential and subjective approach of psychology

Summary and evaluation: Limitations Too simplistic Limited research support Limited for clients who seek immediate solutions, have little interest in exploring early childhood experiences, and who do not have an understanding of the purpose of exploring the past