The Adlerian Theory Essay

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.

Kidd's additional stage to the model is one of exploration with the purpose of finding out more about the client in further detail. This approach can result in a more informed interaction with scope for a client action plan of greater relevance and personalisation. It allows for the counselling element of the model to be incorporated, paying particular attention to the quality of the relationship between client and practitioner in a person-centred approach. The extra stage in this model, arguably, states to:

I believe counseling is a collaborative partnership between client and counselor. Furthermore, this collaborative partnership is built from trust and acceptance of both client and counselor. I hope in conjunction with clients to understand the issues and concerns so to help them tap into their wisdom, creativity, and strengths to meet their current challenges. I believe in a comprehensive perspective through which clients can better comprehend themselves in the framework that our thinking about events can lead to emotional and behavioral upset. Moreover, counselors are to provide a safe environment for clients to explore their challenges and identify ways to move differently in overcoming these challenges.

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.

Adlerian theory, also known as individual psychology, was developed by Alfred Adler in the twentieth century (Hess, Magnuson, & Beeler, 2012). He had been conceptualizing and finalizing his theory until about 1931 (Dunn, 1971). This was approximately around the same time Freud was working and becoming popular (Dunn, 1971). Adler is known as the father of the humanistic movement and created his theory in resistance to psychoanalysis and Freudian thinking (Dunn, 1971). Individual psychology asserts that the “whole is greater than the sum of its parts” (Dunn, 1971). More specifically, people cannot be understood without understanding them in a social context (Dunn, 1971; Hess, Magnuson, & Beeler, 2012). Further, behavior cannot be understood in fragments, but needs to be understood in context of the whole person (who is understood within their social

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”.

The role of a group leader using Adlerian theory or reality theory have several commonalities between them. It is suggested that group leaders use humor and model appropriate behavior for their group members as well as encouraging confrontation as a means for personal growth (Gladding, 2016, pp. 333-334, 338). Additionally, both theories recommend group leaders having a high level of differentiation of self (pp. 334, 338). In Adlerian theory “the insight phase involves helping individuals understand why they made the choices they did in the past” (p. 338); whereas, in reality theory leaders “must assist group members in understanding the scope of the group process and the need to apply what they have learned in the group to their own daily lives” (p. 334). Furthermore, “effective [Adlerian] leaders use group dynamics to help groups help themselves” (p. 338) while reality theory stresses “fostering the process of self-evaluation in their group members” (p. 334).

How to Speak How to Listen by Mortimer Adler discusses the best techniques to use while in an argument. According to Adler, ethos signifies one’s character. Ethos is present when one is trying to have a character that is fitting for the purpose at hand. Ethos includes making yourself attractive to the audience and proving to them that you are credible. An example of having ethos has a lot to do with how I would present myself to the audience. In order for them to believe that I am credible, I must look the part, that includes cleanliness, looking put together, and healthy. If the audience sees that you can take care of yourself, then they have a higher chance of believing that you can take care of them and their situation. Using ethos can also include presenting the audience with a personal story. This will fill them in with background information about myself and let them know how my character played out during whatever situation I spoke about. The situation would have to be similar to the one the audience is facing, in order for them to draw parallels and better understand how I would handle that particular event.

Lillian’s case can be very well handle using the Adlerian theory. Alfred Adler proposed that all behaviors are teleological, people are motivated by social interest, by striving toward life goals, by inferiority and superiority as well as by dealing with life tasks. Therefore, according to this approach, scrutinizing Lillian’s social interest and inferiority complex can suggest how she developed her specific lifestyle and help explore “general dissatisfaction with her life,” as she reported. Additionally, Adlerians believe that humans have a capacity to interpret, influence and create events. Putting this in practice, Lillian is also capable for creating her own life events and helping her become conscious of that can lead to higher self-worth and a sense of power to control her life.

The Adlerian counselor tries to fill the role of an encouraging friend and confidant. The counselor’s first step is to create an environment that allows the client to feel good about themselves: to feel respected, supported, and genuinely cared for. Once this environment is established, the client becomes open and ready to address personal issues, to establish goals, and to understand family relationships. The counselor encourages the client to examine the private logic or philosophy on which the client’s lifestyle is based. The counselor helps the client discover how the client’s private logic is at odds with the objectives she wants to accomplish. Once the client identifies desired changes, the counselor encourages the client to think about

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.

The dichotomy between Alfred Adler and Carl Jung is as complex as Adler's Lifestyle assessment. Jung concentrated his focus on a hypothetical model of the individual psyche that worked towards integration and unity. He believed that we share common levels of psychic experiences (Feist, 2009, p. 108) called the “collective consciousness, where symbols, archetypes, exaggerated concepts, and religious experiences are allegories for the path of the individual psyche in each of us. For example, water, in religion, usually signifies some sought of spiritual source. So, it is reasonable to think that since our world and environment is mainly comprised of water and that water has great significance in religion we are affected by everything around

The Adlerian theory of consulting is geared toward the complex components of an individual’s psychology, by identifying traits and common behaviors that are not beneficial to the individual, while developing alternative techniques. Adlerian consulting will foster a new vantage point toward themselves, as well as daily interactions with others. Enhancing their strengths and building upon their weaknesses with efficient and effective education, focused on strategies’, coping mechanisms, problem solving, critical thinking and teamwork. The results of applying this theory as a consultant, will promote personal growth for individuals, encouraging them to attain their full potential. Organizations will benefit with a staff that shares camaraderie,

Social embeddedness. One of the most important concepts of Adlerian therapy is the focus on the social importance of humanity. Adler viewed people as social

Alfred Adler, one of the three founding fathers of modern psychology, was himself stuck in the purgatory of inferiority due his place in sibling competition in his own “family constellation”.