Adlerian Therapy as it relates to Student Affairs Source: Theory & Practice of Counseling & Psychotherapy by Gerald Corey

1. Form
A
-­‐
Peter
‘Max’
Quinn
Critical
Evaluation
Format
CN528
Counseling
&
Development
Professor
Ciri
-­‐
November
21,
2011
Theory:
Adlerian
Theory
KEY
CONCEPTS
OF
Adlerian
Theory:
View
of
Human
Nature
/
Basic
Assumptions
Underlying
Adlerian
Theory
§ Behavior
is
purposeful
&
Goal-­‐directed
§ Consciousness
more
than
Unconsciousness
§ Choice
&
Responsibility
§ Meaning
in
Life
§ Striving
for
success,
completion
and
perfection
§ Driven
to
overcome
our
sense
of
inferiority
-­‐
Motivate
us
to
strive
for
mastery,
success
(superiority)
and
completion
§ The
Life
Goal
unifies
the
personality
and
becomes
the
source
of
human
motivation
§ Humans
have
the
capacity
to
interpret,
influence,
and
create
events
§ Genetics
and
heredity
are
not
as
important
as
what
we
choose
to
do
with
the
abilities
and
limitations
we
possess
§ Recognize
that
biological
&
environmental
conditions
limit
our
capacity
to
choose
and
to
create
§ Focus
on
reeducation
&
reshaping
of
society
§ Focus
on
internal
determinants
of
behavior
(values,
beliefs,
attitudes,
goals,
interested,
and
the
individual
perception
of
reality)
§ It
is
essential
to
understand
people
within
the
systems
that
they
live
Most
Important
concepts
of
Adlerian
Theory:
Subjective
Perception
of
Reality
§ View
the
world
from
the
students
subjective
frame
of
reference
-­‐
Basic
factor
explaining
behavior
§ Phenomenology
-­‐
The
individual
way
in
which
people
perceive
their
world
§ Subjective
Reality
-­‐
Individuals
perceptions,
thoughts,
feelings,
values,
beliefs,
convictions,
and
conclusions
§ Objective
reality
is
less
important
than
how
we
interpret
reality
and
the
meanings
we
attach
to
what
we
experience
Unity
&
Patterns
of
Human
Personality
§ Understanding
the
Whole-­‐Student
(Individual
Psychology)
o How
all
the
dimensions
of
a
person
are
interconnected
components,
and
how
all
of
these
components
are
unified
by
the
individuals
movement
toward
a
life
goal
§ Emphasis
on
unity
and
indivisibility
of
the
student
§ Holistic
Concept
-­‐
We
cannot
be
understood
in
parts,
but
all
aspects
of
ourselves
must
be
understood
in
relationship
§ Understanding
the
Whole-­‐Student
within
their
socially
embedded
contexts
of
family,
culture,
school,
and
work
§ We
are
social,
creative,
decision-­‐making
beings
who
act
with
purpose
and
cannot
be
fully
known
outside
the
contexts
that
have
meaning
in
our
lives
§ Human
personality
becomes
unified
through
development
of
a
life
goal
§ A
students
thoughts,
feelings,
beliefs,
convictions,
attitudes,
character,
and
actions
are
expressions
of
their
uniqueness,
and
all
reflect
a
plan
of
life
that
allows
for
movement
toward
a
self-­‐selected
life
goal
§ Student
is
an
integral
part
of
a
social
system
Behavior
as
purposeful
and
goal
oriented
§ All
human
behavior
has
a
purpose
§ Humans
set
goals
for
themselves,
and
behavior
becomes
unified
in
the
context
of
these
goals
§ We
can
only
think,
feel,
and
act
in
relation
to
our
perception
of
our
goal
§ Students
can
only
be
fully
understood
in
light
of
knowing
the
purposes
and
goals
toward
which
they
are
striving
§ Interested
in
future
without
minimizing
the
importance
of
past
influences
§ Decisions
are
based
on
the
students
experiences,
on
the
present
situation
and
on
the
direction
in
which
they
are
moving
§ Fictional
Finalism
-­‐
Imagined
central
goal
that
guides
a
students
behavior
(Striving
toward
superiority
or
perfection)
§ Guiding
Self-­‐Ideal
-­‐
Students
image
of
a
goal
of
perfection,
for
which
they
strive
to
achieve
in
any
given
situation
o Because
of
our
subjective
final
goal,
we
have
the
creative
power
to
choose
what
we
will
accept
as
truth,
how
we
will
behave,
and
how
we
will
interpret
events

2. Striving
for
Significance
&
Superiority
§ Striving
for
perfection
and
coping
with
inferiority
by
seeking
mastery
are
innate
§ The
goal
of
success
pulls
people
forward
toward
master
and
enables
them
to
overcome
obstacles
§ “Superiority”
as
defined
by
Adler
=
Moving
from
a
perceived
lower
position
to
a
perceived
higher
position
§ Students
cope
with
feelings
of
helplessness
by
striving
for
competence,
mastery,
&
perfection
(weakness
to
strength)
Lifestyle
§ An
individuals
core
beliefs
and
assumptions
guide
each
person’s
movement
through
life
and
organize
their
reality,
giving
meaning
to
life
events
§ Connecting
themes
and
rules
of
interaction
that
unify
all
our
actions
§ Our
perceptions
regarding
self,
others,
and
the
world
§ Includes
an
individuals
characteristic
way
of
thinking,
acting,
feeling,
living,
and
striving
toward
long-­‐term
goals
§ Style
of
Life
-­‐
Accounts
for
why
all
of
our
behaviors
fit
together
to
provide
consistency
to
our
actions
§ People
are
viewed
as
adopting
a
proactive,
rather
than
reactive,
approach
to
their
social
environment
§ Events
in
the
environment
influence
the
development
of
personality,
such
events
are
not
the
causes
of
what
people
become
§ Experiences
in
themselves
are
not
decisive
factors;
rather,
it
is
our
interpretation
of
these
events
that
shape
personality
§ Faulty
interpretations
may
lead
to
mistaken
notions
in
our
private
logic,
which
significantly
influences
present
behavior
§ Once
we
become
aware
of
the
patterns
and
continuity
of
our
lives,
we
are
in
a
position
to
modify
those
faulty
assumptions
and
make
basic
changes
§ Consciously
create
a
new
style
of
life
Social
Interest
&
Community
Feeling
§ Individuals
awareness
of
being
part
of
the
human
community
and
to
individuals
attitudes
in
dealing
with
the
socil
world
§ Social
Interest
-­‐
An
action
line
of
one’s
community
feeling,
and
it
involves
the
individuals
positive
attitude
toward
other
people
in
the
world
-­‐
The
capacity
to
cooperate
and
contribute
§ Social
Interest
requires
that
we
have
enough
contact
with
the
present
to
make
a
move
toward
a
meaningful
future,
that
we
are
willing
to
give
and
take,
and
that
we
develop
our
capacity
for
contributing
to
the
welfare
of
others
§ “To
see
with
the
eyes
of
another,
to
hear
with
the
ears
of
another,
to
feel
with
the
heart
of
another”
§ Central
indicator
of
mental
health
§ Life
Tasks:
Building
Friendships
(social
task),
Establishing
intimacy
(Love-­‐Marriage
task),
Contributing
to
society
(occupational
task),
Getting
along
with
ourselves
(self-­‐acceptance),
Developing
our
spiritual
dimension
(including
values,
meaning,
life
goals,
and
our
relationship
with
the
universe,
or
cosmos)
o Requires
the
development
of
psychological
capacities
for
friendship
and
belonging,
for
contribution
and
self-­‐
worth,
and
for
cooperation
Therapeutic
Process:
Most
important
Therapeutic
Goals
• Collaborative
arrangement
between
professional
&
student
• Forming
a
relationship
based
on
mutual
respect;
a
holistic
psychological
investigation
or
life-­‐style
assessment;
and
disclosing
mistaken
goals
and
family
assumptions
within
the
student’s
style
of
living
• Re-­‐education
of
the
student
toward
the
useful
side
of
life
• Develop
the
students
sense
of
belonging
and
to
assist
in
the
adoption
of
behaviors
and
processes
characterized
by
community
feeling
and
social
interest
• Increase
students’
self-­‐awareness
and
challenging
and
modifying
their
fundamental
premises,
life
goals,
and
basic
concepts.
• Provide
information,
teaching,
guiding,
and
offering
encouragement
to
discouraged
students
• Foster
social
interests
• Help
students
overcome
feelings
of
discouragement
and
inferiority
• Modify
students’
views
and
goals
(changing
their
lifestyle)
• Changing
faulty
motivation
• Encouraging
the
student
to
recognize
equality
among
people
• Helping
students
to
become
contributing
members
of
society
Functions
and
Role
of
the
Student
Affairs
Professional
• Operate
on
the
assumption
that
students
will
feel
and
behave
better
if
they
discover
and
correct
their
mistakes
• Look
for
major
mistakes
in
thinking
and
valuing
such
as
mistrust,
selfishness,
unrealistic
ambitions,
and
lack
of
confidence

3. • Assist
students
in
better
understanding,
challenging,
and
changing
their
life
story
• Make
comprehensive
assessment
of
the
students’
functioning
The
student’s
role
in
the
Therapeutic
process
• To
understand
their
lifestyle
and
why
they
resist
changing
it
• Understand
errors
in
their
thinking
and
the
purposes
o
their
behaviors
• Become
un-­‐fearful
of
learning
new
behaviors
and
correcting
old
patterns
• Understand
their
Private
Logic
-­‐
The
concepts
about
self,
others,
and
life
that
constitute
the
philosophy
on
which
their
lifestyle
is
based.
• Understand
convictions
&
beliefs
that
get
in
the
way
of
social
interest
and
how
to
facilitate
useful,
constructive
belonging
Techniques
and
Procedures
of
Adlerian
Theory:
-­‐Techniques
and
methods
to
incorporate
into
counseling
practice
in
Student
Affairs:
Phase
1:
Establish
the
Relationship
§ Collaboratively
establish
a
sense
of
deep
caring,
involvement,
and
professional
relationship
§ Person-­‐to-­‐person
contact
§ Help
students
to
become
aware
of
their
assets
and
strengths
§ Listen,
respond,
demonstrate
respect,
exhibit
faith,
hope,
and
caring
towards
students
§ Provide
support
(antecdote
to
despair
and
discouragement)
§ Pay
attention
to
the
subjective
experiences
of
the
student
§ Provide
a
wide-­‐angle
perspective
that
will
eventually
help
the
student
view
their
world
differently
Phase
2:
Explore
the
Individuals
Psychological
Dynamics
§ Get
a
deeper
understanding
of
the
students
lifestyle
§ Focus
on
students
social
and
cultural
context
§ Assist
with
overcoming
the
‘Five
basic
mistakes’:
1. Overgeneralizations
-­‐
“There
is
no
fairness
in
the
world”
2. False
of
impossible
goals
of
security
-­‐
“I
must
please
everyone
if
I
am
to
feel
loved”
3. Misperceptions
of
life
and
life’s
demands
-­‐
“Life
is
so
very
difficult
for
me”
4. Minimization
of
denial
of
one’s
basic
worth
-­‐
“I’m
basically
stupid
so
why
would
anyone
like
me”
5. Faulty
Values
-­‐
“I
must
get
to
the
top,
regardless
of
who
gets
hurt
in
the
process”
§ Help
students
to
identify
common
fears:
Imperfect,
being
vulnerable,
being
disapproved
of,
and
suffering
from
past
regrets
Phase
3:
Encourage
Self
Understanding
&
Insight
§ Insight
-­‐
Understanding
translated
into
constructive
action
-­‐
Foundation
for
change
o Understanding
of
the
motivations
that
operate
in
a
students
life
§ Self-­‐Understanding
-­‐
Only
possible
when
hidden
purposes
and
goals
of
behavior
are
made
conscious
§ Interpretation
-­‐
Students
underlying
motives
for
behaving
the
way
tey
do
in
the
here
and
now
o Creating
awareness
of
ones
direction
in
life,
ones
goals
and
purposes,
ones
private
logic
and
how
it
works
and
ones
current
behavior
o “It
seems
to
me
that…
o “Could
it
be
that…
o “This
is
how
it
appears
to
me….
§ Come
to
understand
motivations,
the
ways
in
which
these
motivations
are
now
contributing
to
the
maintenance
of
the
problem,
and
what
the
student(s)
can
do
to
correct
the
situation
Phase
4:
Reorientation
&
Reeducation
§ Putting
insights
into
practice
§ Helping
students
discover
a
new
and
more
functional
perspective
§ Encourage
and
challenge
students
to
develop
the
courage
to
take
risks
and
make
changes
in
their
life
§ Reorientation
-­‐
Shifting
rules
of
interaction,
process,
and
motivation
o Facilitated
through
changes
in
awareness
(put
into
practice)
§ Reeducation
-­‐
Teach,
guide,
provide
information
(resources),
and
offer
encouragement
to
students
§ Reorientate
students
toward
the
“Useful
side
of
life”
-­‐
A
sense
of
belonging
and
being
valued,
having
an
interest
in
others
and
their
welfare,
courage,
the
acceptance
of
imperfection,
confidence,
a
sense
of
humor,
a
willingness
to
contribute,
and
an
outgoing
friendliness

4. Encouragement
Process:
§ Courage
develops
when
students
become
aware
of
their
strengths,
when
they
feel
they
belong
and
are
not
alone,
and
when
they
have
a
sense
of
hope
and
can
see
new
possibilities
for
themselves
and
their
daily
living
§ Showing
faith
in
students
§ Expecting
them
to
assume
responsibility
for
their
lives
§ Valuing
students
for
who
they
are
§ Acknowledging
that
life
can
be
difficult,
yet
it
is
critical
to
instill
a
sense
of
faith
in
students
that
they
can
make
changes
in
their
life,
their
school,
and
the
world
§ Fundamental
attitude,
rather
than
a
technique
§ Help
students
to
recognize
or
accept
their
positive
qualities,
strengths,
&
internal
&
external
resources
Change
&
he
Search
for
New
Possibilities
§ Allow
students
to
“catch”
themselves
in
the
process
of
repeating
old
patterns
that
have
lead
to
ineffective
behavior
§ Students
must
commit
to
change
-­‐
Willing
to
set
tasks
for
themselves
in
everyday
life
and
do
something
specific
about
their
problems
o Transfer
new
insights
into
concrete
actions
Making
a
Difference
§ Seek
to
make
a
difference
in
the
lives
of
students
§ Manifest
a
change
in
behavior,
attitude,
or
perception
§ Focus
on
motivation
modification
more
than
behavior
change
and
encourage
students
to
make
holistic
changes
on
the
useful
side
of
living
-­‐Strength
of
Adlerian
theory
from
a
diversity
perspective:
§ Focus
on
the
importance
of
the
cultural
context
of
the
student
§ Emphasis
is
on
health
as
opposed
to
pathology
§ Show
a
holistic
perspective
on
life
§ Value
the
understanding
of
individuals
in
terms
of
their
core
goals
and
purposes
§ Exercise
freedom
within
the
context
of
societal
constraints
§ Focus
on
prevention
and
the
development
of
a
proactive
approach
in
dealing
with
problems
§ Focus
on
their
student
in
a
social
context
§ Encourage
students
to
define
themselves
within
their
social
environments
§ Discuss
the
effects
of
age,
ethnicity,
lifestyle,
and
gender
differences
§ Be
flexible
§ Understand
the
student
in
a
familial
and
sociocultural
context
-­‐Evaluation
of
the
Adlerian
Theory
I
see
this
approach
able
to
be
used
throughout
most
interactions
with
students.
As
the
textbook
concludes,
“The
basic
goal
of
the
Adlerian
approach
is
to
help
[students]
identify
and
change
their
mistaken
beliefs
about
self,
others,
and
life
and
thus
participate
more
fully
in
a
social
world.”
This
synopsis
speaks
volumes
to
the
work
Student
Affairs
practitioners
do.
We
help
students
develop,
grow,
and
work
through
problems.
As
educators,
we
help
them
develop
themselves
-­‐
the
Whole-­‐Student
-­‐
and
foster
their
relationship
and
view
of
the
institution
we
are
collectively
apart
of.
In
my
evaluation,
thus
far,
the
Adlerian
approach
is
the
most
applicable
to
Student
Affairs
practice.
-­‐What
do
you
consider
the
most
significant
contribution
of
this
approach?
Adlerian
therapists,
like
Student
Affairs
practitioners,
“are
resourceful
and
flexible
in
drawing
on
many
methods,
which
can
be
applied
to
a
diverse
range
of
[students]
in
a
variety
of
settings.”
The
framework
Adler
created
allows
professionals
to
take
aspects
of
his
theory
that
apply
to
the
student
at
hand
and
“forget
the
rest”,
whereas;
Freud
for
example,
required
that
systemic
steps
be
taken
to
achieve
progress.
Adlerian
theory
focuses
on
the
importance
of
recognizing
a
students
life
goals,
putting
them
in
their
own
unique
social
context
and
help
them
to
navigate
through
their
mistakes
in
a
hope
to
allow
them
to
grow
and
develop
while
attaining
the
goals
they
have
set
for
themselves.
-­‐What
is
the
most
significant
limitation?
According
to
Corey,
the
lack
of
empirical
testing
and
comparative
analysis
is
the
most
significant
limitation.
I
don’t
see
many
limitations
of
this
theory,
however,
validity
and
reliability
are
essential
for
success
of
any
experiment
or
theory.