Adlerian therapy is a humanistic, goal oriented, psychoeducational model which focuses on an individual’s success, connectedness with others, and contributions to society. The good life according to Adler would be achieved when the individual felt significant and like he or she belonged. Only then would the individual reach optimal human development. Adlerian theory portends it is human nature to act in a connected and cooperative way when one feels encouraged, which leads to feelings of being capable and appreciated.
However, when an individual feels discouraged, he is more likely to behave in ways that are unhealthy, such as competing, withdrawing, or giving up. Adlerian theory holds seven critical ideas. The first idea is the unity of the individual. This means the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and behaviors of an individual can be understood in the framework of that individual’s style or pattern of dealing with life. There is no internal conflict – all of these aspects of personality point in the same direction. Next is the concept of goal orientation.
The forward movement of life creates the desire to move toward a goal of significance, superiority, or success. When a person is mentally healthy, this goal is a realistic one which is socially significant or allows the individual to rise above personal difficulties. If the individual is mentally unhealthy, the goal may be unrealistic in its reach for significance or superiority. This goal orientation appears to come from a desire to compensate for the childhood feeling of inferiority. It involves a choice of a goal which would ppear to provide security and success in the future. The depth of insecurity in childhood may determine the height of the goal and thus determine behavior patterns. The third concept is the concept of self-determination and uniqueness. The goal also is derived from the creativity of the individual. Some influence may be held by heredity and culture, but the goal itself is unique to the person. Most often, individuals are not completely aware of the goal. A psychotherapist may use birth order, coping patterns, and memories to gain insight in order to interpret a possible goal.
Fourth, the Adlerian therapist considers an individual’s social context. The individual is considered to be both his or her own system, but also a part of a larger whole, including his family, community, and all of humanity. In this social context one must consider three life tasks – occupation, love and sex, and relationships with others – as social challenges. The way the individual responds to the first social system, his or her family, influences the way the individual sees the world and how he or she approaches life. The fifth construct is the feeling of community.
Adlerians believe each human can learn to live peacefully in society, but this innate potential must be purposefully developed. This does not mean they must conform, but socially “improve” in order to create genuine security within society. Cultural resistance or even rebellion serve to remodel and create new, unique niches for individuals within their society. Sixth is the concept of mental health; meaning a feeling of connectedness and willingness to develop oneself. When these qualities are lacking, a person may continue to feel inferior or may develop an attitude of superiority.
As a consequence, the unconscious goal may be quite self-centered and may take advantage of others. A fully developed feeling of connectedness and willingness to contribute will create a feeling of equality with others and a goal that is higher than oneself and is of benefit to others. Last is the way Adlerians offer treatment. In all modes of therapy – individual, brief, couple, and family – clients are encouraged to overcome their feelings of inferiority and insecurity. This allows clients to experience deeper feelings of connectedness and to aim their efforts in a way that is more appropriate and beneficial to society.
Through dialogue, the therapist challenges mistaken assumptions, harmful attitudes, behaviors, and feelings regarding themselves and their worlds. During this process the therapist is constantly encouraging toward the client, creating a possibility for the client to believe things could be different and building confidence. This ultimately leads to the client feeling more capable and more desiring of a life of social cooperation and contribution. In other words, the purpose for therapy is to replace goals focused on the self with goals focused on contribution to society.
My religious tradition is Christianity. In Christianity, the good life is to live a life that points people back to God. Our purpose is to live in such a way that others see a difference in the way we approach life and realize it is because we belong to Christ. We are also to tell others directly about Christ and His redemption, inviting them to come to know Him and His salvation. Those words, however, will not often be effective without living lives of service to Christ and to others. Man is created by God in God’s own image.
Man is given a free will to make choices about his life, behavior, and attitudes. Because of this free will, man chooses to act in ways that do not honor God. This is called sin. Sin makes us imperfect and unrighteous before God and as a result, we must be forgiven before we can live with Him in heaven. This requires an acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice and a turning over of ourselves to His lordship. When an individual chooses this path, he becomes a new creature now influenced and driven by the will of God instead of his own will. This “becoming” takes a lifetime, and is never fully realized on Earth.
As a result of God’s will and its influence on the Christian, the Christian makes different choices. He begins to think and behave in a way that serves others before himself. His goals are not to further himself or to make himself more materially comfortable, but they are to act as Christ would act. This is developed by spending time in prayer, worship, and reading the Bible, as well as spending time in cooperate worship and bible study as part of a church or group. Alderian theory, in some ways, aligns well with the Christian ideal.
Adler would say we are born feeling inferior and insecure. Christianity says we are born with a nature prone to sin and this makes us inferior to God’s standard and insecure as to our future. In both, an individual must conquer this insecurity in order to live the good life. Adler would encourage and challenge his clients when their thoughts, feelings, or actions about the world were mistaken. Christianity encourages believers to discover their identity in Christ as children of God, created by God and called by Him to a higher purpose.
The net result in both is a life in which the individual is fulfilled through life lived in service to others over self. Both also believe all people are able to be “redeemed” to the good life. These two constructs also differ in many areas. Adlerian theory believes there is no internal division between a person’s thoughts, feelings, desires, and actions. Christianity says a person is divided between the desires of his flesh, or sin nature, and the desire to become more like Christ. Adlerians believe a person’s ultimate goal comes from himself.
Christianity teaches a person’s ultimate calling is from God. Alderians believe a person’s feeling of genuine security comes from a sense of belonging and embeddedness within society. Christians believe true security comes from the acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice and Lordship. Finally, Adlerian theory attributes a desire to serve others vs. self as a sign of mental health. Christians would say it is a sign of becoming more like Christ and choosing to die to the self and the sin nature.
