Similarities Between Adlerian Theory And Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

1. How do therapists using each of these perspectives view the client and client's problem?

This therapy was named after Alfred Adler. Some of the main components of a person that are taken into consideration by the therapy include concepts of inferiority, superiority held by a person, social interests, likes and dislikes, lifestyles, priorities and birth order. These are some of the components of an individual's personality that make him or her unique.

It is my goal to become a school counselor in a local high school. As a school counselor, it is also important to try and understand the different experiences that children go through in order to get through to them. After studying the different counseling theories, I have discovered that each theory is valid and there are ideas and techniques that I would use out of each of them. However, there are some theories more than others that I would use to guide me daily as a school counselor. Modern day counseling is equipped with a wide variety of therapies, techniques and approaches. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast three approaches of therapy. Also in this essay the views of the person and the Therapeutic process will be

Following this study Watkins (1992) analyzed the research activity with Adlerian theory appearing in the Journal of Individual Psychology during the years 1982 to 1990. 103 studies appeared during this nine-year period. This was a significant increase over the previous 12 years that he had reported on earlier (Watkins, 1983). Although he did not attempt to evaluate the quality of the studies reported, Watkins (1992) does conclude by stating that the research into Adler's theory is still on the increase and suggests it is a vital theory that lends itself to empirical inquiry. Since 1990, the reported research has continued to grow with the Journal of Individual Psychology publishing additional studies on marriage, children, substance abuse, class room management, behavioral problems in children and youth, and offenders. A number of other professional journals have included research articles on Adlerian theory as well.

Alfred Adler was born in 1870 in Austria and developed his own theory on Individual Psychology in 1912. Adler’s theory is closely related to Humanistic Psychology. Influenced by Freud, Smuts and Vaihinger, Adler based his theory on the client’s ability to live as a fully functioning adult in society. Adler’s holistic theory views each person as unified. Adler discussed birth order personality traits. Adler’s theory also discussed the roles therapists should take and the techniques that should be used in Individual Psychology therapy sessions.

This paper identifies the three major counseling theories that have been the most influential in the development of my ideas on counseling. The major points of Person-Centered Therapy, Adlerian Therapy, and Behavioral Therapy are looked at in brief. Each theory is then shown how a school counselor can apply them into their work with students. While one theory does not work for every situation in the school setting, each theory brings something beneficial to the school counselor.

Alfred Adler the founder of Adlerian psychology/psychotherapy believed that it was of the upmost importance to become closely associated with a person’s birth order parents background upbringing and education not to mention their lifestyle. This theory also focusses on a person need to be or feel accepted and to flourish in life. Adler was big on exploring early childhood because he believed that “everyone develops a life by the age 5 or 6.the pan which Adler calls it the lifestyle guides individuals’ enter lives” Murdock, N. L. (2009, pg111). Theories of counseling and psychotherapy: a case approach. Boston: Pearson”.

Adlerian, Cognitive Behavioral, and Solution Focused Brief Therapy are three major theories that are used today. All three theories have things that make them similar as well as different.

Alfred Adler was the founder of Adlerian Counseling. He was born in 1870 in the country of Austria. who gave his theory the name Individual Psychology, because he wanted people to see that his theory and methods were designed to help clients help themselves. He believed that everyone had and internal need to be a part of society, and a desire to contribute to that society. That everyone strives for perfection, and everyone initially feels inferior to everyone else. He believed that when that feeling is not overcome, inferiority complexes develop, and if a person tries to overcompensate for inferiority, the develop superiority complex.

Cognitive theories are believed to centralize around the idea that a thought is the cause for emotions. Cognitive theory has directly influenced the development of other cognitively based therapies that provide a more in-depth and concentrated approach to the presenting problems of a client. Specifically, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one division of the cognitive theory that focuses on the link between cognitions (thoughts) and the behaviors presented due to the cognitions. Therapies using cognitive theory implement several techniques that are proven effective in treating mental disorders throughout various settings. This paper describes the author’s experience and approach to counseling in relation to specific cognitive theories, as well as the ways in which specific theories will be implemented in to the educational setting.

Creating goals and striving to obtain those goals, Adler believed that human beings were social creatures by nature. Having healthy values that affect what goals individuals strive for, is what Adler thought was good mental health. Believing inferiority complexes affected self-esteem, it was the belief of Adler that an adverse effect would present in an individual's health and mental state. Dynamics of compensation and power go well beyond sexuality, and gender and politics are far more important than the libido. Adler was a socialist and a realist who emphasized the role of empathy in individuals.

Understand, interpret, direct. This statement is an oversimplification of sorts, but defines the essence of Adlerian psychotherapy. From this minimal overview of Adlerian theory, we can begin to elaborate and explore the intricacies of individual psychology. Adlerians are concerned with understanding the unique and private beliefs and strategies of the individual (private logic and mistaken notions) that we create in childhood, and which serve as a reference for attitudes, private views of self, others and the world, and behavior (lifestyle). Therapeutic work with clients involves short-term and intensive work to increase social interest, to encourage a greater sense of responsibility for behavior, and to support behavioral change.

In 1902, Alfred Adler was invited by Freud to become his group to discuss new ideas in psychology after seeing him publicly defend some of his own ideas. Adler was an active member as well as vocal using this group as a forum to develop and debate his emerging ideas of the human condition (Fall, Holden, & Marquis, 2004). Five years later, he developed his first theoretical work entitled, Organic Inferiority and Its Psychical Compensation. In the following years, Adler became the president of the International Psycho-analytic Society and began to openly disagree with Freud’s perspectives of

The main difference between the Adlerian approach and the Psychoanalytic approach deals with the stance the therapist takes. In the Psychoanalytic approach , the therapist sits back and gives the client the right to express himself without any resistance. Since transference is a big issue with this approach, and the client can develop projections toward the therapist(Corey, 2013, pg. 481), so it is important for the therapist to remain neutral. Transference interpretation helps our clients by enabling them to see broad patterns of fantasies, interactions and object relations that they had never put together before(Howes, 2010). This approach goes against the philosophy of counseling because the therapist take a back seat, while the client takes the wheel and counseling should be more about an integrative approach. On the other hand the Psychoanalytic approach is based on mutual respect and the importance of goals. Focus is on identifying, exploring and disclosing mistaken goals and faulty assumptions within the persons lifestyle(Corey, 2013, pg. 481), and this approach shows the importance of a therapist who uses more guidance to identify those objectives.

Compared to psychoanalysts of Victorian Era, Alfred Adler looked at psychology from a more holistic, humanistic and positive perspective. He was convinced that the main focus should be shifted from biological needs, drives and instincts to individual differences, experience, interaction and social environment. Adler placed great emphasis on sibling and peer group relationships, social interest and achieving perfection. He also introduced the terms inferiority and superiority complex, so commonly used nowadays, to the world.