Adlerian Therapy Theories, Tools and Techniques PDF

COUNSELING THEORIES, TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES BY: MS. MAKI R. CAINGLET 10/10/24 1  "The greatest task for any person is to find meaning in...

COUNSELING THEORIES, TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES BY: MS. MAKI R. CAINGLET 10/10/24 1  "The greatest task for any person is to find meaning in their life." 10/10/24 2  ADLERIAN PSYCHOTHERAPY 10/10/24 3 View of Human Nature People are basically self-determined and that they forge their personalities from the meaning they give to their life experiences. People create their own lives by using their creative power It is the individual who must ultimately be responsible for making good use of his abilities People are motivated by their present perceptions and by their present expectations of the future. 10/10/24 4 View of Human Nature People do not determine meanings by situations, but they determine themselves by the meanings they give to situations. People create their own personalities, and they can change their personality by developing new attitudes His view is essentially optimistic, holistic, and phenomenological in orientation 10/10/24 5  Theory of Personality 1. Social Interest Refers to the individual’s sense of being part of the human community and their attitudes toward others. An individual’s ability to empathize with others Social interest provides us with a basically positive outlook on life and an interest in developing the welfare of others 10/10/24 6  Theory of Personality 2. Masculine Protest Alfred Adler created the term masculine protest to describe the behavior of women who reject traditional feminine roles in favor of more masculine ones. And one big reason that women (and men, too) reject roles is because they want to gain power and feel more dominant in a situation. The desire to be a “real man”, a desire to be superior, to strive to be perfect. Men carefully hide their feminine traits through exaggerated masculine wishes and efforts 10/10/24 7 Theory of Personality 3. Lifestyle Behavior is lawfully organized and that each person develops a generalized pattern of responses to most situations Habitual pattern of behavior unique to each person Considered as the major key of our behavior Includes our goals, opinions of ourselves and the world, and he habitual behaviors we use for achieving desired outcomes 10/10/24 8  Theory of Personality 4. Goal-directed and purposeful behavior All behavior is purposeful and goal directed As counselors we must first understand our client’s goals. When counselors help clients analyze their goals, they are taking important steps to helping them lead more productive lives 10/10/24 9 Theory of Personality 5. Feelings of Inferiority All human beings begin their psychological life with feelings of inferiority It is the presentation of the person to himself and others that he is not strong enough to solve a given problem in a socially useful way It is more than a sense of inadequacy Its is inevitable, universal, and normal 10/10/24 10 Theory of Personality 6. Striving for Superiority Used to explain our drive to master external obstacles, to gain power and status, and to arrive at a positive state Positive striving for perfection 10/10/24 11 Theory of Personality 7. Fictional Finalism Can help us deal more effectively with reality, or they may block our attempts to accept reality. Fictional goals develop during early childhood, and they exist primarily at the unconscious level of awareness throughout one’s life. Our fictional goals influence the way we think, and act throughout our lives. 10/10/24 12 Theory of Personality 8. Family Constellation Describes the composition of a family and one’s position within that system It is not what we are that determines our behavior, but rather, it is what we think we are that has the most impact on us. 10/10/24 13  Theory of Personality 9. Birth Order First born: “reigning monarch”, given undivided attention Best understands the significance of power and the exercise of it Conservative in outlook, nostalgically look at the past, highly organized, responsible, conscientious One feels a sense of responsibility and takes care of others. 10/10/24 14 Theory of Personality Second Born Grows up knowing that he or she has to share parental time and attention Optimistic, competitive, and ambitious Strives in directions different from the first born 10/10/24 15  Theory of Personality Middle Child They are in a difficult and unfair position They are ambitious and develop a strong social interest Unfavorable outcomes they are rebellious and envious, they often experience difficulty being a follower 10/10/24 16 Theory of Personality Youngest Child Tends to be pampered within the family constellation May excel over all others o establish their place within the family Competitive orientation and become high achievers 10/10/24 17 Theory of Personality Only Child Not likely to develop a competitive spirit Develops exaggerated views of their own importance May develop rich imaginations Likely to be deficient in social interest 10/10/24 18 10/10/24 19 10/10/24 20 The Therapeutic Process Usually time-limited, supportive therapy focused on specific problems Designed to bring about moderate insight, attitude change, and behavioral change May focus on parenting, marital relationships, and career choice and development Overall goal: to help a person develop from a partially functioning person into a person who lives life more cooperatively, more courageously. And with a greater sense of contribution to his community. 10/10/24 21 Goals of Therapy Establishing and maintaining a good client-therapist relationship Uncovering the client’s dynamics, which include his lifestyle, goals, family constellation, childhood illnesses , basic mistakes included in his lifestyle Developing interpretations that culminate in client insight Reorienting the client Three entrance gates to an individual’s mental life:  Birth order position in the family of origin  First childhood memory  Dreams 10/10/24 22 Role of the Therapist  Establish friendly relationship between equals  Encourage clients to use their talents to help others--- to develop a social interest  Counselors tend to be active and talkative in therapy  Confront clients with their basic mistakes, misplaced goals, and self-defeating behaviors.  Encourage clients to develop new alternatives for reaching their revised goals  Take a non-pathological view of clients’ difficulties  Avoid labeling clients with the traditional medical model’s diagnoses. Instead help clients better understand themselves and to modify their life’s stories. 10/10/24 23 Phases of Therapy 1. Establishing the Therapeutic Relationship Use humor and small talk to establish therapeutic alliance Help the client become a more cooperative person Therapist offers genuine warmth, empathy, acceptance and understanding Remain neutral in order to discuss possible improvements in their situations 10/10/24 24 Phases of Therapy 2. Uncovering the Client’s Dynamics a. Assessment and Diagnosis Assess the client’s lifestyle Assess and interpret the client’s early recollections b. Analysis of Client’s Basic Mistakes (5 basic mistakes) Overgeneralizations: “People are no good” False or impossible goals of security: “I must please everyone, if I am to be loved” Misperceptions of life and life’s demands: “I never get any breaks” Minimization or denial of one’s worth: “I’m stupid” Faulty values: “I must be first, regardless of who gets hurt in the process” 10/10/24 25 Phases of Therapy c. Early Recollections as an Assessment Technique We select memories that coincide with our basic beliefs about ourselves and the rest of the world Earliest memories provide the therapist with an understanding of our mistaken beliefs, social interests, and future actions 10/10/24 26 Phases of Therapy d. Analysis of Client’s Dreams Dreams were a way of dealing with our insecurities Help us try out strategies for overcoming our limitations Can serve as bridge to what we want More problems you have, the more dreams you are likely to have Adlerian dream work involves examining the parts of a dream and analyzing what problems or inferiorities they might represent 10/10/24 27 Phases of Therapy Dreaming is purposive. Dreams prepare clients to solve their current problems or to overcome their present circumstances by rehearsing them for potential future actions Common dream symbols: Flying (moving or striving from below to above) Falling (moving or striving from above to below) Being chased ( an expression of inferiority or weakness in relation to others) Being unclothed in public ( fear of disclosure or being found out) 10/10/24 28 Phases of Therapy e. Integration and Summary of Adlerian Uncovering and Assessment Client’s subjective experience and life story; family constellation and developmental data, early recollections, personal strengths, basic mistakes and coping strategies 10/10/24 29 Phases of Therapy 3. Client Insight and Self-Understanding Insight: client’s understanding of the purposive nature of his behavior and the mistaken beliefs that sustained it. Self-understanding results when therapists help clients make conscious hidden lifestyles and goals 10/10/24 30 Phases of Therapy 4. Reorientation To help the client gain or regain the courage to face life’s challenges-to put insight into action and to redirect goals Client is encouraged to develop more social interest in others Client has learned to feel and function better 10/10/24 31 Therapy Techniques Time limits must be set with clients Sessions with children usually last for 30 minutes Adults: 45 to 50 minutes Homework assignments are usually made near the end of the therapy session 10/10/24 32  A. Offering Encouragement  It is both a principle and a technique that pervades all of Adlerian therapy  Encouragement is necessary for children’s healthy development  Used in working with clients when they express faith and belief in them  Therapist does the following:  Values the client as he or she is  Demonstrates faith in the client  Tries to build a positive self-concept within the client  Gives the client recognition for his or her efforts  Concentrates on the strengths and assets of the client 10/10/24 33 B. Asking the Question (Miracle Question in Solution Focused) Asking the client to imagine and discuss a possible world where problems are being removed and issues are being addressed Example: “If you woke up tomorrow, and a miracle happened so that the problem you had with communicating with your spouse went away, what would be different?” 10/10/24 34  C. Acting “As If” This technique involves asking the client to act “as if” they were already the person they wish to become or “as if” they had already overcome a specific challenge. This allows clients to experience different behaviors, emotions, and outcomes, facilitating change. 10/10/24 35 D. Using the Push-Button This technique is used to highlight how individuals have control over their reactions and feelings. Clients are encouraged to visualize having two buttons: a negative (e.g., anger) and a positive (e.g., calm). Through practice, they learn to “press” the positive button in situations where they typically might react negatively. 10/10/24 36 E. Catching Oneself Permits clients to become aware of their self- destructive behaviors or thoughts without feeling guilty about them Clients are told to “catch themselves” when they are just about ready to revert back to their old ways and to substitute the new behavior. The goal is to help clients change maladaptive old habits 10/10/24 37 F. The Midas Technique Exaggerating the client’s neurotic demands. 10/10/24 38 G. Pleasing Someone Designed to increase clients’ social interest Therapist suggests that the client do something nice or someone else Therapist might recommend that a client volunteer his or her service and have no expectation of a reward other than that which comes from serving another person The technique of pleasing someone helps put the client back into society 10/10/24 39 H. Socratic Questioning Leading an individual to insight through a series of questions Makes the client responsible for his or her own conclusions 10/10/24 40 I. Goal Setting Therapists give homework assignments to give clients practice with a behavior. The client finds threatening situations less and less frightening. 10/10/24 41 J. Creating Images Therapists guide clients through vividly imagined experiences. This can help individuals confront fears, visualize successful outcomes, or experience situations from a new perspective. 10/10/24 42  K. Brainstorming Brainstorms with clients’ alternatives beliefs and convictions. Example:”I never get what I want”; “Sometimes I get what I want”. 10/10/24 43  L. “Spitting the in the client’s soup” This metaphorical technique makes the client’s self-defeating behaviors unpalatable by highlighting the negative consequences. For instance, if a client procrastinates, the therapist might underscore the anxiety, missed opportunities, or disappointments that arise from this behavior. 10/10/24 44 M. Paradoxical Intention This technique is used for clients stuck in a behavior pattern. The therapist might instruct them to intensify or deliberately engage in the undesired behavior. The intent is for the client to become more aware of the behavior’s absurdity or irrationality, leading them to challenge and change it. 10/10/24 45 References: Corey, Gerald (2023). Counseling and Psychotherapy: Theory and Practice, 2th Edition. Cengage Learning. Photo credits from Google Images 10/10/24 46