1. Alfred Adler 1870 - 1937 INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGY

2. 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. 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. 4 View of Human Nature Holistic and social view of humans Humans are  Social beings who choose their goals, they are self- determined, decision-makers  All behavior is purposeful Freedom to choose implies values and meanings  Social interest is the most important value The main motivation for behavior is striving for significance Phenomenological approach

5. 5 Adler’s most significant and distinctive concept  Refers to an individual’s attitude toward and awareness of being a part of the human community  Mental health is measured by the degree to which we successfully share with others and are concerned with their welfare  Happiness and success are largely related to social connectedness Social Interest

6. 6 Striving for Significance Compensating for weaknesses Attaining a unique identity Achieving a sense of belonging Security Competence (vs. sense of inferiority)

7. 7 Phenomenological Approach Adlerians attempt to view the world from the client’s subjective frame of reference  How life is in reality, is less important than how the individual believes life to be  It is not the childhood experiences per se that are crucial, but our recollections and interpretations of these events

8. 8 Life presents challenges in the form of 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

9. 9 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).

10. 10 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

11. 11 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

12. 12 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

13. 13 Concept of Psychopathology Discouragement  Acting as if one is inferior  Avoid life tasks  Symptoms function as excuses for avoiding life-tasks and save face

14. 14 Purpose of Maladaptive Behaviors (Dinkmeyer) Behavior Call Attention Power Struggle Revenge Display Hopelessness Feeling Irritated Challenged Hurt Hopeless

15. 15 Adlerian Therapy Cooperative and educational enterprise Goals -- Help clients:  Change faulty thinking and mistaken assumptions  Increase social interest  Decrease inferiority complex  Overcome discouragement  Make changes in their lifestyle (mistakes, perceptions, goals)

16. 16 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: succeed no matter what.

17. 17 Stages of Therapy I. Establishing the Relationship II. Assessment: Exploring the Individual’s Dynamics III. Gaining Insight IV. Reorientation

18. 18 I. Establishing the Relationship Collaborative relationship Based on trust Attend to subjective experience of client Exploration of client’s issues Setting general goals Learning process

19. 19 II. Assessment To explore the clients’ life-style and how it affects life tasks Techniques  The Life Assessment: Topics Explore how initial concern(s) relates to life tasks Experiences in family constellation Early recollections (content and associated affect) Number one priority of client  The Question – examine secondary gain of symptom (What if…?) ( e.g. psychosomatic symptoms)

20. 20 III. Gaining Insight Help the client understand their life style and how it affects engagement in the life-tasks:  Explore faulty perceptions, mistaken beliefs, and values  Understand their own role in creating problems  Gain awareness of responsibility for actions

21. 21 III. Gaining Insight : Techniques Interpretation  Bring to awareness client's goals and beliefs and how they motivate their behaviors  Focus on purposes and consequences of behaviors Confrontation – Challenge clients with:  Discrepancies in clients conduct  Rationalizations for behavior, mistaken beliefs, private goals, and unproductive behavior

22. 22 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

23. 23 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

24. 24 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

25. 25 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

26. 26 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

27. Limitations Adler’s writings were difficult to apply directly to developing counseling interventions Applications of his theory have been formulated by his followers 27

28. 28 Neo-Freudian Minimized role of psycho-sexual stages Culture, spirituality, society also influence personality and behavior Personality development occurs through life-span