Adlerian Psychotherapy Prioritizing social interest History of Adlerian Theory

Adlerian Therapy Focus

• Importance of the feelings of self (ego) that arise form interactions & conflicts
• Sense of self (ego) central core of personality
• Start from Psychoanalysis
• Emphasis on lifestyle (5 life tasks)
• Social interaction
• Work
• Sex
• Spirituality
• Coping with ourselves
• Courage

Other Adlerian Concepts

• Organ Inferiority: everyone is born with some physical weakness, which motivates life choices
• Aggression Drive: reaction to perceived helplessness/inferiority lashing out against the inability to achieve or master

More Adlerian Concepts

• Masculine protest:
• Men: Become a “real man”, surpass the father
• Women: Gain equal status to men
• Perfection striving: people who are not neurotically bound to an inferiority complex spend their lives trying to meet their goals. “The life or a human soul is not a ‘being’ but a ‘becoming’”
• Elimination of their perceived flaws
• Gives motivation and focus
• Social Responsibility & Understanding
• Occupational task-career-self-worth
• Societal task-creating friendship-networks
• Love task-life partner
• Positive & Goal Oriented Humanity- people striving to overcome weaknesses to function productively-contributing to society

Therapeutic Phases and Stages

Phases	Stage #	Stage
Support	1	Empathy & Relationship
	2	Information
Encouragement	3	Clarification
	4	Encouragement