Adlerian Therapy
What is Adlerian Theory?
Adlerian Theory is a positive approach that provides encouragement. It has been updated over the years, adding ways to work with children, teens, parents, etc. The Adlerian approach also works well in helping with mental disorders such as anxiety and conduct disorders.
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.
How it works
Adlerian counselors educate patients by evaluating them in a way that looks back in time for specific causes that make clients behave in a certain manner. The counselor is warm, friendly, understanding, and empathetic. Counselors focus mostly on the mind, body, and soul, with a goal of overcoming problems by readjusting lifestyles. They want to gain the client's trust. Without trust, counseling will not work.
In therapy, the counselor analyzes and assesses the client. The counselor looks at his or her lifestyle by digging deep into early memories, dreams, and other events that have occurred in a person's life that may contribute to their current lifestyle.Typically they gather as much family history as possible to get an idea of how the client's history relates to current actions. Adlerian Theory believes that early memories and recurring dreams play a significant role in a client's lifestyle and the choices they make. A counselor will also look at client priorities.
Once the counselor assesses the client, they then will provide insight and implement techniques that will help the client become more aware. The counselor will give honest feedback of how to deal with life and will help the client learn how to modify their behavior. They may assign homework or tasks, induce healthy confrontation, or 'push buttons,' so to speak.
Who was Adler?
Alfred Adler was born in Austria in 1870. He was a very sick child who also witnessed the death of his younger brother. This brought him to want to study medicine. Initially, he was part of Sigmund Freud's group and together they took part in a journal endeavor. However, Alfred Adler started to disagree with Freud's theories and decided to part ways with Freud, developing his own theories. Alfred Adler started in child psychology and started to offer what is known as the first ever family counseling. This is where he developed his theories about birth order and how early childhood played a significant role in how a child develops. After he died suddenly in 1937, his followers continued to explore his well-known theories and today the Adlerian Theory is still practiced by many.