Alfred Adler INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGY

2 Alfred Adler 1902Joined Freud's discussion group on neurotics 1910Co-founder with Freud Journal of Psychoanalyses 1912Separates from Freud and founds the Society for Individual Psychology

3 Freud and Adler Agreements 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

4 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

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

6 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

7 Life Tasks 1. Societyability to share with others 2. Workmaking a contribution to others 3. Sexachieving intimacy 4. Spiritualpersonal meaning in life, relation with cosmos 5. Coping with oneself self-acceptance

8 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)

9 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)

10 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

11 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

12 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)

13 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

14 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.

15 Stages of Therapy I. Establishing the relationship II. Assessment: Exploring the individual’s dynamics III. Gaining insight IV. Reorientation

16 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

17 II. Assessment (1) Goal:  Explore client’s life-style  Identify content of clients’ private logic

18 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)

19 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

20 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

21 IV. Reorientation Action oriented phase to help clients put insights into practice and get the courage to make changes in their lives. Techniques: ImmediacyActing as-if Paradoxical IntentionPush-button technique Spitting on the soupTask setting Catching oneself

22 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

23 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

24 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

25 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 26

27 Neo-Freudian Minimized role of psycho-sexual stages Culture, spirituality, society also influence personality and behavior Personality development occurs through the life-span