Adlerian theory

Key Concepts:

1. Adler describes four styles of life:

-         Socially useful

-         Ruling type

-         Getting type

-         Avoiding type

2. Birth order and family position are of importance in understanding client.

Stages of Adlerian Therapy

Stage One: Empathy-Relationship Stage

Stage Two: Information Stage

Stage Three: Clarification Stage

Stage Four: Encouragement Stage

Stage Five: Interpretation and Recognition Stage

Stage Six: Knowing Stage

Stage Seven: Missing Experience Stage

Stage Eight: Doing Differently Stage

Stage Nine: Reinforcement Stage

Stage Ten: Community Feeling Stage

Stage Eleven: Goal-Redirection Stage

Stage Twelve: Support and Launching Stage

Therapeutic Techniques

The creative freedom inherent in Adlerian practice demands a variety of strategies that suit the uniqueness of each client and capture the spontaneous therapeutic opportunities the client hands to us in each session. Although the twelve stages represent a conceptual center line of treatment, essentially, a unique therapy is created for each client. The specific techniques used at any one time depend on the direction that seems currently accessible. Four main strategies characterize current Classical Adlerian therapeutic technique: assessment, Socratic questioning, guided and eidetic imagery, and role-playing [These strategies are rooted in the original Adlerian treatment style and are enriched by the contributions of Sophia de Vries, Alexander Müller, and Henry Stein].

The four phases of Adlerian therapy include:

1. assessment
2. socratic questioning
3. guided and eidetic imagery
4. role playing