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Adlerian Therapy

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Adlerian Theory Alfred Alder, a contemporary of Freud, chose to distance himself from Freud and his theories of human behavior. Alder developed his own approach to therapy based on his belief that people’s behaviors and skills are a result of their experiences and emotions. This belief led to the development of the Adlerian Theory, also known as Individual Psychology (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014).
Core Constructs of Adlerian Theory
Adler believed that people have a self-image that guides their decisions, and that their self-image is a direct result of their childhood. Adler also believed that people are socially motivated and that a person’s actions are purposeful and aimed at meeting goals (Seligman & Reichenberg, 2014). Adler also felt that birth order and family constellation impacted a person’s self-image. It was Adler’s belief that helping people understand their own private logic and how it impacts their lifestyle choices will help the client to reframe their faulty perceptions of themselves and in turn, make improved lifestyle choices.
Adlerian Theory in Action In our video vignette, Dr. Carlson is continuing to learn about Gina’s lifestyle. Dr. Carlson asks Gina to describe herself in order to understand how she sees herself. Gina states that she is determined. Dr. Carlson asks her what she is determined to do, and she responds she is determined to be happy and for her children to be happy. By asking what she is determined to do, Dr. Carlson is able to address what her overall goals are. Dr. Carlson also restates the qualities she used to describe herself and asked which of her parents she was like. When using the Adlerian theory, it is important to look back at our childhood to see how it impacts our current lifestyle. She viewed her father as unsupportive of her mother which could impact her as an adult. At the end of the vignette,

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