INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOLOGY AND

SOCIAL INTEREST IDIOGRAPHIC APPROACH

ADLERIAN THERAPY

THEORETICAL PRINCIPLES  It is the study of individuals over

 Social and community feelings
the study of groups.
are constructive.
 Individual psychology is all about
 Humans are naturally
the psychology of the single,
interdependent.
STIRVING FOR SUPERIORITY unique, whole individual. General
 Carlson and Englar-Carlson
information is only minimally
(2017) Gemeinschaftsgefühl: a
helpful in the work with an
community of equals creating
individual who have a specific
and maintaining social feelings
 It occurs when individuals strive for a diagnosis.
and interests.
perceived “plus” in themselves and their lives.  Idiographic versus nomothetic.
 Watts (2003): “The ultimate
 Ansbacher (1997) it all comes from the
goal for psychotherapy is the
striving for completeness and it is all a part of
development of the client’s
life in general. Any form of life strives to reach
social interest”
its completeness.
SOFT DETERMINISM
 Adler: excessive striving for self-interest is
PHENOMENOLOGY unhealthy; it translates into striving for
superiority rather than for a social interest (all
neurosis was linked to vanity).  It is the idea that multiple interactive
 Compensation is the effort to improve factors influence behavior. It is the midpoint
 Adler: consciousness is subjective
oneself in areas perceived as weak. Adler: between deterministic, cause-and-effect
and unique to each individual.
people often compensate for their real or thinking and nondeterminism (no causal
(Subjective internal perceptions
perceived inadequacies. connections).
over external reality).
 In an ideal situation, individuals strive to:  Adler did not emphasize causal
 Private logic refers to the
-overcome their deficiencies determinants of human behavior.
idiosyncratic reasoning that
-with an attitude of social interest  Human behavior is a function of a multiple
individuals use to invent and justify
-to complete or perfect themselves interactive forces (contributing factor)
their style of life or personality. It is
subjective and unique.

Name: Iam Valdez Espinoza

 STYLE OF LIFE (AKA LIFESTYLE): THE They are assumptions about demands that come from life.
TASKS OF LIFE
ADLERIAN PERSONALITY Adler believed individuals face three interrelated life tasks:

 It is an individual’s way of seeing 1. WORK OR OCCUPATION 2. SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP 3. LOVE AND MARRIAGE
and interacting with the world,
the self, and the future. It shapes
how people think about Adler believed the best way to Adler: each partner must be
everything. It is subjective, address it was by solving the It is also referred to as the interested the partner than in
created, conscious, and second life task (social need to belong. Not meeting the self. This is the bases on
unconscious. In contemporary relationship) through this life challenge can result in which love and marriage can be
terms it is a cognitive schema or “friendship, social feeling and personal distress and/or successful. Equality is only
map. cooperation”. misbehavior. The negative possible if both partners have
 Fictional finalism (or goals) consequences of “not this attitude.
represents future-oriented goals When people are unable to belonging” are: (a) decreased
that pull an individual’s present work cooperatively, divide cognitive functioning, (b)
behavior toward the future. Later labor responsibilities, and increased stress levels 6. PARENTING AND FAMILY
Adler used the term guiding self- maintain friendly relations, (cortisol), and (c) increased (DINKMEYER AND SPERRY)
ideal or subjective final goal they struggle with work. preoccupations with social
instead of fictional. stimuli.
 Lifestyle is more or less stable and  The relationship between
4. SELF (MOSAK AND Social belonging is more alike
lead people to behave parents and children should
MANIACCI) among individuals who balance be democratic-authoritative.
consistently over time. Past
social and self interest (it  Parents should be
present, and future reflect
includes empathy, compassion
continuity.  Mosak and Maniacci (1999) responsive to their children’s
and valuing of others) needs and yet firm in setting
 Adler identified the following described four dimensions:
lifestyles types: -Survival of the self limits and boundaries.
-Ruling type -Body image  Discipline is designed to help
-Getting type -Opinion  Mosak and Maniacci (1999) teach children problem-
-Avoiding type -evaluation described five issues solving.
-Driving type related to spirituality:  Parents should encourage
-Controlling type -Relationship to God their children.
5. SPIRITUALITY (MOSAK -Religion  Parents should work to
-Victimized type
-Being good type AND MANIACCI) -Relationship to the understand the reason of
--Socially useful type universe their children’s misbehavior.
-Metaphysical issues  Punishment is avoided.
-Meaning of life
  It is defined as lacking courage to face challenges inherent in the
DISCOURAGEMENT
basic life tasks. Clients become discouraged when they struggle
THEORY OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY to face life tasks. They feel inferior or unable to address the life
AND CHANGE tasks and symptoms arise. Symptoms have a purpose; they are a
ENCOURAGEMENT
maladaptive effort to address life tasks.
 Carlson and colleagues (2006) described three inferiority levels:
1. Objective inferiority
 Wong (2015) it is an affirmation through language or other symbolic 2. Inferiority feelings
representations to instill courage, perseverance, confidence, inspiration, or 3. Inferiority complexes
hope in a person within the context of addressing a challenging situation or
realizing a potential.
 There are two general approaches to encouragement in therapy and parenting
THE PRACTICE OF ADLERIAN
education:
THERAPY
-The “You can do it” Approach
-The Reflective Approach

STAGE 1: FORMING THE

THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP
GOAL ALIGNMENT FOCUSING ON POSITIVE

Focusing on client virtues, signature Therapists and clients have an

strengths, and other positive personal egalitarian relationship that
 Mosak (1995) identified common goals:
qualities is common. Therapists show includes empathic listening and
- Fostering client social interest or
interest in the whole person, both caring. They have an equal status.
community feeling.
problems and strengths. The goal is to Clients are encouraged to be active
- Helping clients overcome feelings of
establish an encouraging environment. participants in therapy and
inferiority and discouragement.
therapists are experts who teach
- Helping clients change their basic
and clients are active learners.
mistakes.
INITIAL LIFESTYLE
- Shifting client motivation from self-
INTERPRETATIONS
focused superiority to a community
focus.
- Helping clients feel as equals in their  Early interpretations can further therapist and client connection and begin deeper
relationships. problem analysis. Because it occurs early in counseling, early interpretations are more
- Helping clients become contributing collaborative guesses and should be phrased tentatively.
members to society.  An initial lifestyle interpretation prepares clients for engaging in an Adlerian approach.
  It is a distinct approach to obtaining pertinent information about
STAGE 2: LIFESTYLE THE FAMILY CONSTELLATION childhood experiences. Topics covered include descriptions of each
ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS INTERVIEW family member and how they interacted with one another, how the
client viewed different family members.
 The psychological birth order is a strong contributor to style of life.

EARLIEST RECOLLECTIONS
THE QUESTION  The question can undercover the purpose of client symptoms. It can
help determinate if clients are obtaining special treatment or secondary
gain for having problems.
 It is a projective technique for understanding client lifestyle and  “How would your life be different if you were well?” or similar questions
guiding self-ideal. always involve a search for underlying purpose.
 The memory or projection is an active expression of the client’s
living lifestyle and shaped to correspond with the client’s current
thoughts, feelings, and attitudes.
 Mosak (1995) described five examples of basic mistakes:
-Overgeneralization STAGE 4: REORIENTATION
-False or impossible goal
-Misperceptions of life and life’s demands
-Denial of one’s basic worth THE FUTURE CREATING NEW IMAGES
-Faulty values AUTOBIOGRAPY

ACTING AS IF TASK SETTING AND

INDIRECT SUGGESTION
STAGE 3: INTERPRETATION AND
INSIGHT
REFLECTING AS IF PARADOXICAL
STRATEGIES

 There is a strong link between insight, motivation, and

THE PUSH-BUTTON ADVISE, SUGGESTION,
action. Insight stimulates motivation, which stimulates
TECHNIQUE AND DIRECTION
action.
 Insight without action is not a true insight, but a sign
that clients are playing at therapy, rather than taking it SPITTING IN THE SOUP ADLERIAN PLAY
seriously. THERAPY