Summary of Adlerian Therapy

Named after Alfred Adler, Adlerian theory primarily emphasizes birth order, individual life styles, social interests, and concepts pertaining to inferiority and superiority as principle components of personality. For Adler, psychological health is determined by the level of social contribution beneficial to the greater community. To the degree, that one integrates and furthers the social context, thus the measurement of his or her mental health. Social contribution is increased through the reduction of mistaken beliefs, which frequently lead to maladaptive feelings of inferiority or superiority. This goal of combating false beliefs is attained through an understanding of family constellations, early memories, and dreams.

For psychologists, translating the goals of Adlerian theory into a therapeutic process has resulted in an approach to counseling that varies widely among practitioners. These goals are to bring about an increased social interest, modify self-destructive behavior, and solve problems more efficiently. To reach these aspirations in a clinical setting, psychotherapy provides a choice to counselors as a base for identifying and addressing incorrect thoughts and belief patterns. This influence of psychotherapy owes its’ origin to Sigmund Freud, an indirect contributor to Adlerian therapy.

Initial sessions provide Adlerian therapists with an opportunity to observe and assess clients in order to gauge their family dynamics, present lifestyle, and early childhood experiences. These assessments may be formal or informal using questionnaires or direct inquiry. Further to this, therapists also rely on dreams and the interpretive meaning for the client’s current situation and struggles.

Several practical techniques are used in Adlerian Therapy.

Early recollection- a technique in which a person’s earliest memories are assumed to reveal the individuals primary interest in life.

Paradoxical Intention- therapist encourages their clients to exaggerate, practice, or performs the symptoms or behaviors or thoughts without guilt and allows clients to pause for a moment and consider other ways of responding.

Push Button- encourages realizing they have choices in responding or reacting to stimuli in their lives.

Acting as if- requests the client to presume the successful result of a not yet attempted action.

Spitting in the clients’ soup- the counselor to make certain behaviors less attractive to the client. Once a particular behavior is seen as repulsive, it is less likely to recur.

The Question- tests the client in order to identify the existence of a psychological problem through the use of deliberately constructed questions by the counselor. If the client makes a connection between the answer to the question and another problem altogether, the therapist then presumes the root of the illness is to avoid the problem connected by the client.

FUNCTIONS OF THE THERAPIST

Adlerian therapist often functions as educators who attempt to build on strengths the client already demonstrates. Encouragement is critical as the therapist work establishes and maintains an accepting, caring, cooperative relationship with the client. The work of the therapy is viewed as collaborative, where the client and the councilor are partners, working toward mutually agreed-upon and clearly identified goals. In short, Ad;lerian councilors energy is invested not in analysis, but in encouragement.

GOALS OF THE THERAPY

Adlerian Therapy seeks to decrease a sense of inferiority in clients and help them encase their social interest. By helping people to contribute, by altering faulty motivations that underlie even acceptable behavior, by encouraging equality, adlerians seek to change the lifestyles, the perceptions, and the goals of their clients.



Facilitators:

Guitang, Vanessa
Madarang, Karen Joice
Simpliciano, Kristal Joy
Roxas, Sonny Jay