Adlerian Therapy 1
Running Head: Adlerian Therapy
Adlerian Therapy: An Introduction
Humans are motivated by social interest, by striving toward goals, and by dealing with the tasks of life. Emphasis is on the individuals’ positive capacities to live in society cooperatively. People have the capacity to interpret, influence, and create events. Each person at an early age creates a unique style of life, which tends to remain relatively constant throughout life.
Key Concepts Adlerian therapy stresses the unity of personality, the need to view people from their subjective perspective, and the importance of life goals that give direction to behavior (Ferguson, 1984, p.6). People are motivated by social interest and by finding goals to give life meaning. Other key concepts include striving for significance and superiority, developing a unique lifestyle, and understanding the family constellation. Therapy is a matter of providing encouragement and assisting clients in changing their cognitive perspective.
Goals of Therapy The goal of Adlerian therapy is to challenge the client’s basic premises and life goals, to offer encouragement so individuals can develop socially, and to develop the client’s sense of belonging.
Treatment Approach Adlerian therapy focuses on challenging clients’ mistaken notions and faulty assumptions, which helps them to learn to live more fully. Working cooperatively with clients, the Adlerian therapist tries to provide encouragement so that clients can develop socially useful goals (Corey & Corey, 2007, p. 130). Some specific goals include fostering social interest, helping clients overcome feelings of discouragement, changing faulty motivation, changing mistaken assumptions, and helping clients to feel a sense of social equality. The client/therapist relationship is based on mutual respect and equality (Ferguson, 1984, p.29). Both the therapist and client are active. The focus is on examining the
Adlerian Therapy: An Introduction
Humans are motivated by social interest, by striving toward goals, and by dealing with the tasks of life. Emphasis is on the individuals’ positive capacities to live in society cooperatively. People have the capacity to interpret, influence, and create events. Each person at an early age creates a unique style of life, which tends to remain relatively constant throughout life.
Key Concepts Adlerian therapy stresses the unity of personality, the need to view people from their subjective perspective, and the importance of life goals that give direction to behavior (Ferguson, 1984, p.6). People are motivated by social interest and by finding goals to give life meaning. Other key concepts include striving for significance and superiority, developing a unique lifestyle, and understanding the family constellation. Therapy is a matter of providing encouragement and assisting clients in changing their cognitive perspective.
Goals of Therapy The goal of Adlerian therapy is to challenge the client’s basic premises and life goals, to offer encouragement so individuals can develop socially, and to develop the client’s sense of belonging.
Treatment Approach Adlerian therapy focuses on challenging clients’ mistaken notions and faulty assumptions, which helps them to learn to live more fully. Working cooperatively with clients, the Adlerian therapist tries to provide encouragement so that clients can develop socially useful goals (Corey & Corey, 2007, p. 130). Some specific goals include fostering social interest, helping clients overcome feelings of discouragement, changing faulty motivation, changing mistaken assumptions, and helping clients to feel a sense of social equality. The client/therapist relationship is based on mutual respect and equality (Ferguson, 1984, p.29). Both the therapist and client are active. The focus is on examining the
References: Corey. M., and Corey, G., Becoming a Helper. Thomson Books. 2007 Ferguson, E. Adlerian Theory: An Introduction. Chicago. Adler School of Professional Psychology. 1984 Seligman, L. Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy. Pearson Prentice Hall. 2006