Theory Critique Research Paper

ADLERIAN THERAPY
Concepts of Theory
View of Human Nature
Alfred Adler took an opposing view of human nature to Freud, pushing against Freudian theory that
human nature is essentially hedonistic which leads to negative consequences and instead affirming that
whilst people have aggressive and destructive capabilities, people also have unselfish needs, “to contribute
to, care and provide for others, and to promote the betterment of humankind,” (Oberst & Stewart, 2014).
More specifically, Adlerian theory suggests that human behavior is purposeful and goal directed, coming
from a place of directedness rather than out of primal animalistic urges (Corey, 2013). Adler’s concept of
humanity was that people are basically self-determined and they forge their personalities from the meaning
they give to their life experiences further emphasizing the importance of individual responsibility to “create
their own lives by using their creative power,” (Jones-Smith, 2014).
Furthermore, unlike Freud who separated the person into id, ego and superego, Adler’s view of human
nature is holistic and phenomenological in orientation, emphasizing the importance of early childhood
experiences and the social context in which human behavior is developed (Corey, 2013; Jones-Smith,
2014). From this we can concede that Alderian theory has a primarily positive and forward moving view of
human nature that believes humanity to be striving towards self-improvement and self-fulfillment whilst
contributing to the common good of society.
The basic assumptions of any theory create the foundation upon which the rest of the theory,
conceptualization and interventions are based. First, we will begin with the concept of holism. Many
theories conceptually break the person into various parts, such as the conscious vs the unconscious, the id,
ego and superego or various self-states. Adlerian take a different approach and utilize holism to understand
the total person. It is also important to note that the name “Individual Psychology” does not refer to our
notion of the word individual, but a translation from the German word individual, which refers to indivisibility-
we can’t break the person into various parts.
Instead, Adlerians focus on what the person is doing rather than asking what various parts of the person
are doing. For an Adlerian the function of a part of a person is only important as they are a part of the
whole. This theoretical distinction of focusing on the person as a whole, integrated being inserts the
element of responsibility. We reconcile the experience of ambivalence, uncertainty and even some
symptoms as the result of conflicting goals rather than a conflict between various parts of the self. For
example, I could have a goal to loose five pounds before summer, but when offered a tasty treat I may
accept it because my desire to indulge in the treat may seem more prominent for me in the moment. I
experienced conflict in the moment, the cognition of “I know I shouldn’t” is an indication of the conflict.
However, I ultimately made a choice and let one goal, or one set of values outweigh another goal or set of
values. Adlerian therapists work to empower and encourage our clients so they can be more aware of the
movement they make in their lives through the choices they make.
 Adlerian theory also focuses on soft-determinism. Rather than having a deterministic orientation
which would be rooted in causality, Adlerians acknowledge there are true ceilings and floors to our
capabilities and to the possibilities in life, but we also acknowledge the individual has the ability to choose
how to respond or make use of the choices available to him or her. We can’t do everything, but we can do
more things than we often give our self credit for. Adler suggested we write the script of our lives, and
asserted the notion of the creative self. Consider the metaphor of each person being dealt a hand of cards
in life. Adlerians acknowledge you may not be able to control the hand you’re dealt but you can control how
you play your hand. Freedom of choice is central to Adlerians which is why we focus on empowerment and
encouragement in our interventions with clients. Adlerian theory is a field theory. Kurt Leubin came up with
field theory, he said for every person there is a field in which he or she operates, and Adler adopted field
theory and said you can only understand the person within the context. Every person is constantly reacting
to and responding to his environment. We take in information about what is happening around us, we
perceive it, and then we attach meaning to it and we respond. So for Adlerians we can explain some
variation of behavior based on the context. Someone may behave very differently at a party on Saturday
night when compared to how they behave at work on Monday morning. Adlerians would want to explore
what was happening in those environments and how the person made meaning of it. Adlerians believe
people are motivated by self-created goals. We believe people want to strive toward what they seek in life;
from a felt minus toward a perceived plus. Many of our goals can be so engrained we may not be aware of
everything we are striving towards.
The Therapeutic Process
Goals of Counseling
The goals of Adlerian therapy are centered on assisting clients develop healthy lifestyles by
overcoming feelings of inferiority (Chan, 2015; Oberst & Stewart, 2014). Oberst & Stewart (2014) propose
that Adlerian psychotherapy has four major goals, (1) establishing and maintaining a good client-therapist
relationship, (2) uncovering the client’s dynamics, which include his or her lifestyle goals, the dynamics of
his or her family constellations, childhood illnesses, and the basic mistakes included in his or her lifestyle,
(3) developing interpretations that culminate in client insight, and (4) reorienting the client. Throughout
counseling, clients are provided by the counselor with opportunities to see things differently but it is each
individual’s responsibility to decide whether to accept or reject the alternative perspectives being offered
(Corey, 2013). In this way Alderian counselors have a somewhat educational approach in which they inform
and assist their clients in the shaping of their worldview. Mosak and Maniacci (2011) suggest several
educational goals that aid this part of therapy such as, fostering social interest, overcoming
discouragement, how to change a lifestyle, changing faulty motivations and helping people to become more
socially interested.
Role and Function of the Counselor
Fall, Holden & Marquis, (2011) state that an effective Adlerian counselor is an educator,
collaborator, and encourager in the therapeutic relationship. The counselor assumes the role of educator to
teach the client about social interest and the self directed, purposeful nature of behavior, the role of teacher
and collaborator become intertwined in that the counselor educates the client on important aspects of
therapy but avoids taking full responsibility for change, instead collaborating with them to take personal
responsibility and to work equally if not harder than the counselor (Fall, Holden & Marquis, 2011). The
counselor functions as an encourager to help the client’s out of discouragement and into facing their
problems and tasks of life with renewed interest. Adler (1983) believed that within these three roles,
therapists function at their best when they attempt to see things from their client’s viewpoint, seek to
understand the purpose of their client’s behavior, and illuminate the current and desired style of life for the
client. Adler claimed that the simple act of being interested in the client’s understanding of the world,
identifying motives and pointing out patterns in an atmosphere of encouragement would produce change
(Adler, 1930).
A practical function of the therapist in Adlerian therapy is to make a comprehensive assessment of
the client’s functioning, often through an extended and in depth intake questionnaire on the client’s family
constellation to give a picture of the individual’s early social world (Corey, 2013). The counselor also uses
early recollections as an assessment procedure, identifying specific events before the age of ten and their
accompanying emotions and recalled interpretations (Corey, 2013). These functions assist the therapist in
putting together an adequate lifestyle assessment in which they are able to understand the goals and
motivations for their client.
The Helping Process
The helping process itself is focused upon the quality of the egalitarian therapeutic relationship, a
relationship among equals that is founded on cooperation, mutual respect, trust, collaboration and a strong
alignment of goals (Corey, 2013). The Adlerian process does not understand client’s to be sick, or use
diagnostic labels, rather, it understands them to be on a continuum of discouragement in which the
counselor can encourage them that change is possible and that through the helping process the client can
begin to see that they have resources and options to draw on in dealing with their life tasks (Corey, 2013).
Counseling Techniques
There are four phases to Adlerian therapy that stand as the major technique or procedure which
therapists employ to treat their clients. Adlerians do not understand these phases to be linear in nature but
more of a spiral learning theory in which various phases may be revisited as needed throughout the
counseling process.
Phase 1: Establish the relationship. In the first phase of Adlerian counseling the counselor builds a
foundation for an egalitarian therapeutic alliance. This relationship stands in stark contrast to the Freudian
model in that Adler encouraged therapists to construct an open and cooperative environment in which the
client can openly challenge and question their therapist (Fall, Holden & Marquis, 2011). Just as Adler
believed that human behavior is formed in the social context of childhood, so too will behavior be changed
in the social context of the therapeutic relationship.
Phase 2: Investigating style of life. In this phase, Adlerian therapists make their comprehensive
assessment of clients’ functioning using an extensive interview questionnaire to gather information about
the client’s family constellations and lifestyles. This phase is also where counselors will employ early
recollections as an assessment technique, asking the client’s to disclose their earliest memories, the age at
which the event took place, and the feelings associated with the memory (Jones-Smith, 2014). Adler
believed that we select memories that coincide with our basic beliefs about our lifestyle and social context
that help us make sense of the world around us. Adler also encouraged the analysis of dreams within this
phase of therapy, theorizing that the more problems you have the more dreams you will have (Jones-Smith,
2014). Dream analysis involves examining different parts of a dream and analyzing what problems or
inferiorities they could represent and using them as a tool to prepare clients to solve their current problems
(Mosak, 2005).
Phase 3: Client insight and self-understanding. The third phase of Adlerian counseling is used to
make interpretations of the various assessments taken in phase two as a means to promote and encourage
self understanding and insight in the client (Corey, 2013; Sweeney, 2009). Adlerian interpretations are
made in the context of the egalitarian relationship and are therefore not intended to be authoritative, rather
they are presented as suggestions for the client to take responsibility to accept or reject and during this
phase the counselor assists the client in becoming aware of the limitations and possibilities associated with
different lifestyles (Corey, 2013).
Phase 4: Reorientation and reeducation. Reorientation is the phase in which clients demonstrate
and model back to the counselor their new found insight, not merely understanding their own lifestyle but
translating their understanding into action in which their lifestyle is more likely to meet the goals of social
interest (Fall, Holden & Marquis, 2011). Reorientation involves a change in awareness that happens within
therapy sessions and is then translated into life outside of therapy (Corey, 2013). To assist with this phase
of reorientation, Adlerian therapists have created and utilized a variety of counseling techniques to facilitate
the process, such as; task setting with homework, giving advice, guided imagery, confrontation, and
ongoing encouragement (Fall, Holden & Marquis, 2011).

In Adlerian therapy, the relationship between the client and counselor requires mutual trust and respect in
order to maximize clinical success.  Client and therapist should have similar goals to reach this end.  When
client goals do not match therapist goals, the Adlerian counselor will work to educate as to the more
appropriate goals.  To accomplish this, some Adlerian therapists have their clients sign a contract detailing
the goals of their counseling process. The clear synchronization of goals in early treatment provides the
framework for a healthy relationship between client and counselor, upon which the remainder of counseling
objectives are built.

Overall, Adlerian therapy focuses on applications in individual psychology with intent to provide prevention
services designed to assist during growth.  This educational focus is utilized with teachers and parent to
identify the importance of social interaction and the development of social interests.  Further, parents are
taught the importance of family relationships and the legacy that is passed between generations through
birth order and individual personality. 
In the use of group work, Adlerian therapy works to develop group cohesion, which mirrors healthy
functioning in social settings.  Members of the group are able to develop a sense of belonging and
community that may be unavailable in their present situation.  Due to the flexibility and integrative nature of
this theory, individuals, families, and groups are helped with the tools of this approach.  Contrasting this
however, Adlerian therapy has its limitations, as it does not provide immediate solutions to client problems
with more of a long-term focus.  With less of a simplistic approach, this therapy is suited more for
individuals who are prepared to take the time to understand family of origin issues.
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.  Immediacy asks the client to communicate
events at the present moment.  By focusing on the immediate here and now, clients are reoriented into a
position conducive to a greater understanding of their situation.  The technique of encouragement helps to
build rapport between therapist and client.  Counselors also use encouragement to assess client lifestyle to
provide tools for overcoming inferiority and low self-concept.   Acting as if requests the client to presume
the successful result of a not yet attempted action. 
Another technique, spitting in the client’s soup, requires 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.  Finally, Adlerian therapists often assign homework as a means
to assist clients in solving problems outside the counseling session.

Adlerian therapy is frequently criticized for its lack of depth.  Seen by many as somewhat superficial, it
lacks the constitution necessary to fully deal with the vast array of psychological issues clients bring to the
counseling room.  While its flexibility is wide in scope, its fortitude is frail, and many see it as a therapy that
is akin to one who dabbles in everything but masters in nothing.  Through its emphasis on birth orders and
early recollection, untestable assumptions are made that many psychologists see as placing undue weight
on concepts not critical to human growth.

In Adlerian therapy, the relationship between the client and counselor requires mutual trust and respect in
order to maximize clinical success.  Client and therapist should have similar goals to reach this end.  When
client goals do not match therapist goals, the Adlerian counselor will work to educate as to the more
appropriate goals.  To accomplish this, some Adlerian therapists have their clients sign a contract detailing
the goals of their counseling process. The clear synchronization of goals in early treatment provides the
framework for a healthy relationship between client and counselor, upon which the remainder of counseling
objectives are built.

The Adlerian perspective of therapy primary therapeutic views is: questioning a clients’ wrong concept of
flawed statements, giving support so clients useful can live up to the expectations required in their
community. The relationship that originates between the client and therapist evolves around the following
key aspects: is founded on mutual admiration, both parties are proactive; the individual aware that they are
liable of their actions and its emphasis is centered on the individuals’ daily life. The therapeutic methods
used are: attending, support, confrontation, paradoxical intention, summarizing, and interpretation of early
recollection, suggestion, and homework assignments.

The benefit of using the Adlerian Theory is that it is very adaptive and can be used with almost anyone at
any time. It teaches people that they control their own fate. The emphasis of this theory focuses on
personality, birth order, individual life choices, and social interests.
The greatest strength of the Adlerian therapy style is its focus on a holistic return to community. By keeping
healthy reorientation into society as a goal for personal and individual improvement, Adlerian theory allows
for a realistic approach to therapy. This is not performed in a vacuum, assuming the person will only deal
with themselves after therapy. It maintains a strong focus on how the individuals receiving therapy can alter
their perceptions and grow their personal strengths to better fit into their own communities. It is this desire
to support the individual person's innate sense of belonging that is its main strength.
Another important strength of this therapy is its use of encouragement and empowerment. The person
undergoing the therapy is empowered through positive encouragement to become a successful member of
his or her community. The idea is that in changing the way you look at and responds to the community, you
can become a part of that same community and fulfill a deep-seated need to belong.
Adlerian therapy is flexible. It highlights feelings of anxiety and inferiority which can be explored through
many different styles of therapy, such as play, art, and talk therapies. It can also be used in group and
couple's therapy scenarios. This, in turn, makes Adlerian therapy appropriate for any age group.
Its goals are sustainable in that they encourage insight and personal growth even after therapy has
finished. This promotes confidence and self-worth, which leads a person to interact naturally in society and
build interactive, healthy relationships within his or her own community.
Adlerian Therapy Limitations
While it is definitely a strong and even effective form of therapy for a lot of people, Adlerian therapy does
have its limitations. One such limitation is its emphasis on early childhood memories and events. If a
person is resistant to exploring these memories, Adlerian therapy cannot be successful.
What aspects do you like the least?
Adlerian therapy takes time, and the approach may not be best suited to individuals who are seeking
a briefer form of therapy or quick solutions to their concerns. In addition, a  large part of this approach
is the exploration of early childhood events, and individuals who do not wish to explore family history
or material may not find this approach ideal. Another critique of the approach is its potential decrease
in efficacy with people who may be less insightful and/or challenged by concerns that impact their
ability to function. 
While Adlerian therapy has been supported by some research, more testing will likely provide more
extensive evidence backing the benefits of the approach. 
Just like many other theories the Adlerian theory has limitations and weaknesses as well asits
strengths.One downside to this theory is that it is lacking in a firm, supportive researchbase.There have not
been many empirical studies that clearly show the effectiveness of theAdlerian theory.The Adlerian
approach is vague about some of its terms and concepts.Although others have attempted to clarify this
approach, there are still some Adlerian ideasremain unclear.Adler was also vague on how to work with
clients.Yet another factor that maybe looked at as a drawback to Adlerian technique is that it may be too
optimistic when it comesto human nature.Also a possible limitation of the Adlerian approach focuses on
some of itsbasic principles, such as the concept with individuals whose cultural context purports a
linealsocial relationship.At last, because the Adlerian approach relies strongly on verbal erudition,logic and
insight, it may be limited in its ability to help individuals who are not intellectuallybright.

What are some specific aspects of this approach that you would want to incorporate in your own counseling
style? Why?
This is part of the first step in using Adlerian therapy in counseling, which focuses on trying to develop an
intimate personal and empathetic relationship with the client. The reason for this if this relationship dynamic
does not exist then the client can have fears of being exposed for who they really are, being made fun of by
the therapist, and having the counselor disapprove of them. However, when this personal relationship with the
counselor does exist it allows communication to be open more and allows the therapist to communicate in a
way that is genuine and accepting of the client and it allows the client to be able to trust the counselor and not
have the fears that they are going to be ridiculed in therapy or that the therapist is going disapprove of
them. …
In my opinion, what distinguishes Adlerian practitioners from other counselors is the emphasis on the
purposefulness of behavior. This isn’t necessarily a true technique that one needs to rehearse or practice,
like learning how to collect early recollections. Rather, it is a philosophy about the root of the problems
clients present with in counseling. We, as Adlerians, do not focus on the symptoms and behaviors that a
client experiences, but rather on what underlying purpose those symptoms serve in that client’s life. The
only way for a client to truly understand the problem and bring about lasting change is to see the deeper
meaning of the situation. So, as the client narrates his or her story, the counselor is listening for the
purpose behind the symptom — the “benefit” the client experiences in continuing the behavior.
For instance, a client discussing a struggle with anxiety states, “I would love to go on a date with this
person, but every time I get the chance to ask, I get nauseous and feel like I’m going to be sick, so then I
don’t ask.” An Adlerian counselor will explore and listen for the reason behind the symptom. In this
instance, it may be that feeling nauseous keeps the client safe from possible rejection. Through the course
of a therapy session or sessions, a counselor can use questions and other methods to help the client gain
insight into the purpose of the symptom. The counselor might ask the client, “What purpose does the
nausea have?” or “If your stomach could talk to you about dating, what would it say?”
Adlerian therapy is useful in any type of psychological disorder or mental illness. Adlerian therapy may be
used in combination with other therapeutic approaches such as insightful counselling, music therapy or art
therapy as it best suits the needs of the individuals involved. An Adlerian approach can be employed with
children, adolescents, adults, individuals, couples, families and business organizations.
Contextualization of Theory and Biblical Faith
Consistencies with a Biblical/Theological Framework
One of the major consistencies with Adlerian theory and a biblical/theological framework is the
understanding that humans are to be understood as relational beings, designed to be in both vertical and
horizontal relationships with God and others in order to flourish and find fullness of life. We see this
modeled most easily in Genesis 2:18, “It is not good for man to be alone,” in the narrative in which God
creates Eve to be in relationship to Adam in the creational ecosystem before the Fall. Furthermore this
impulse towards social interest and meaningful relationships is affirmed in how the relational life of the
community is a vested interest of God in his giving of the law in Deuteronomy and Leviticus to guide family
and social relationships through structures of law, purity and cleanliness, revealing God’s heart for how
individuals should contribute and be in relationship to one another in community. This understanding of
humankind as ultimately relational and an appreciation for social interest can also be seen in Ephesians
4:1-2 in which Paul shares,
“I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been
called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort
to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
In some ways, this passage summarizes a Christian view of social interest in which we encourage
individuals to live according to the greater purpose and calling of God in healthy relationship to one another
and most importantly to God Himself, something that is consistent with an Adlerian understanding of
healthy social interest and life tasks.
An Adlerian approach also believes that religion is ultimately a positive thing in an individual’s life
as it encourages people in their social interest and encourages them to look beyond individualistic values to
contribute to the whole, in this way religion can be understood as part of the forward movement that
Alderians see humans striving towards. This longing to contribute to something greater than oneself is
affirmed in Ecclesiastes 3:11 which shares that God has placed, “eternity in their hearts,” showing that we
were made for more than this present time and do in fact have a longing toward something greater than
ourselves. A life without religion or meaningful relationship to God would perhaps be indicative of a
discouraged life in Adlerian theory, something which Romans 1:18-32 would affirm when it shares that,
“Those who ignore and deny God condemn themselves to destruction,” suggesting that a life lived in
isolation from relationship with God and religion is a source of breakdown.

In what ways can you apply this approach to yourself “personally” as a basis for self-understanding and
practical use in daily life?
One of the greatest things Adler believed was giving people a sense of belonging I can apply this
approach personally as a basis for self- understanding and practical use in daily life by being at my best
selves when I feel connected and loved by those around me. This is especially important in my family units
that thrive on help from each in my family. When someone in my family feels like they are not appreciated,
whether it be a child or adult, they will act in ways that are not healthy. This can include withdrawing,
competing, or giving up altogether. Feeling discouraged will only further this behavior and will cause the
person to become isolated from my family.
Many times, parents will punish bad behavior. This discipline can effectively eliminate the poor
behavior, but without an understanding of where the behavior stems from can prevent the behavior from
being eliminated. Misunderstood children who act out may just feel left out. One theory Adler believed was
that birth order influenced these feelings. Early encounters with devaluation can also influence poor
behavior. By embracing the child fully in addition to discipline, the parent can see an improvement and I
can apply this in my work as a teacher and school guidance counselor.

The Adlerian theory also accepts the person as a whole individual instead of just as a collection of
behaviors, beliefs, and influences. In this practice, it is stressed to study the entire individual as this is what
will give us clues as to where growth can begin. If I were to focus on the bad behaviors, for example
merely, then I might feel that their other qualities don't have any value. But by highlighting the good
qualities and showing myself that I am valued; my negative behaviors and beliefs can slowly be replaced.
 People improve when they are made to feel valued. By placing value on the individual and accepting
them as a whole, they can begin to make positive changes in their lifestyle. The same applies to children.
Kids improve when they're made to feel valued and appreciated. By celebrating their accomplishments and
highlighting their talents, they will shy away from attempting to gain attention through poor behavior and I
can used it as a practical use in daily life.
As a school guidance counselor has many opportunities to apply Adlerian techniques in my work with
children. However, I can also play an important role in assisting teachers and others in the school to utilize
Adlerian techniques by providing in-service training that explains the goals of misbehavior technique,
natural and logical consequences, and the importance of social learning. Counselors can also promote a
democratic environment in the school by helping teachers create what called democratic classrooms.
School counselors can utilize these principles when they go into a classroom to do a guidance lesson and
can also help teachers establish and maintain this approach. Children are found to be more self-motivated
and more willing learners when they can participate in the development of democratic guidelines and when
their cooperation and input are acknowledged as extremely important. A sense of equality empowers
students to take responsibility and make choices about what they learn. Counselors and teachers
understand that they cannot force a child to learn. This model attempts to share the responsibility of
learning with children by allowing them the opportunity to contribute equally in their learning.

REFERENCES
https://ct.counseling.org/2012/07/individual-psychology-relevant-techniques-for-todays-counselor/