adlerian therapy from a christian perspective

8/10/2019 Adlerian Therapy From a Christian Perspective

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Adlerian Therapy from a Christian Perspective

Adlerian Therapy

Named after Alfred Adler, Adlerian theory primarily emphasizes birth order,

individual life styles, social interests, and concepts pertaining to inferiority and

superiority as principle components of personality. For Adler, psychological health is

determined by the level of social contribution beneficial to the greater community. To

the degree, that one integrates and furthers the social context, thus the measurement of

his or her mental health. Social contribution is increased through the reduction of

mistaken beliefs, hich fre!uently lead to maladaptive feelings of inferiority or

superiority. This goal of combating false beliefs is attained through an understanding

of family constellations, early memories, and dreams.

For psychologists, translating the goals of Adlerian theory into a therapeutic

process has resulted in an approach to counseling that varies idely among

practitioners. These goals are to bring about an increased social interest, modify self"

destructive behavior, and solve problems more efficiently. To reach these aspirations

in a clinical setting, psychotherapy provides a choice to counselors as a base for

identifying and addressing incorrect thoughts and belief patterns. This influence of

psychotherapy oes its# origin to Sigmund Freud, an indirect contributor to Adlerian

therapy.

$nitial sessions provide Adlerian therapists ith an opportunity to observe and

assess clients in order to gauge their family dynamics, present lifestyle, and early

childhood experiences. These assessments may be formal or informal using

!uestionnaires or direct in!uiry. Further to this, therapists also rely on dreams and the

interpretive meaning for the client#s current situation and struggles.


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Several practical techni!ues are used in Adlerian therapy. Immediacyasks the

client to communicate events at the present moment. %y focusing on the immediate

here and no, clients are reoriented into a position conducive to a greater

understanding of their situation. The techni!ue of encouragementhelps to build

rapport beteen therapist and client. &ounselors also use encouragement to assess

client lifestyle to provide tools for overcoming inferiority and lo self"concept.

Acting as if re!uests the client to presume the successful result of a not yet attempted

action.

Another techni!ue,spitting in the clients soup, re!uires the counselor to make

certain behaviors less attractive to the client. 'nce a particular behavior is seen as

repulsive, it is less likely to recur. The questiontests the client in order to identify the

existence of a psychological problem through the use of deliberately constructed

!uestions by the counselor. $f the client makes a connection beteen the anser to

the !uestion and another problem altogether, the therapist then presumes the root of

the illness is to avoid the problem connected by the client. Finally, Adlerian therapists

often assign homeworkas a means to assist clients in solving problems outside the

counseling session.

$n Adlerian therapy, the relationship beteen the client and counselor re!uires

mutual trust and respect in order to maximize clinical success. &lient and therapist

should have similar goals to reach this end. (hen client goals do not match therapist

goals, the Adlerian counselor ill ork to educate as to the more appropriate goals.

To accomplish this, some Adlerian therapists have their clients sign a contract

detailing the goals of their counseling process. The clear synchronization of goals in


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early treatment provides the frameork for a healthy relationship beteen client and

counselor, upon hich the remainder of counseling ob)ectives are built.

Adlerian therapy is diverse, both in practice and in theory. This flexibility is

seen by many as one of its greatest strengths. %ecause of its emphasis on goals, the

social leanings of Adlerian therapy are greatly beneficial to couples, families, and

groups. Finally, the incorporation of psychoanalysis provides additional options to

the counselor, bringing to the session room a ide range of techni!ues to cover

numerous client issues.

Adlerian therapy is fre!uently criticized for its lack of depth. Seen by many as

somehat superficial, it lacks the constitution necessary to fully deal ith the vast

array of psychological issues clients bring to the counseling room. (hile its

flexibility is ide in scope, its fortitude is frail, and many see it as a therapy that is

akin to one ho dabbles in everything but masters in nothing. Through its emphasis

on birth orders and early recollection, untestable assumptions are made that many

psychologists see as placing undue eight on concepts not critical to human groth.

'verall, Adlerian therapy focuses on applications in individual psychology

ith intent to provide prevention services designed to assist during groth. This

educational focus is utilized ith teachers and parent to identify the importance of

social interaction and the development of social interests. Further, parents are taught

the importance of family relationships and the legacy that is passed beteen

generations through birth order and individual personality.

$n the use of group ork, Adlerian therapy orks to develop group cohesion,

hich mirrors healthy functioning in social settings. *embers of the group are able


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to develop a sense of belonging and community that may be unavailable in their

present situation. +ue to the flexibility and integrative nature of this theory,

individuals, families, and groups are helped ith the tools of this approach.

&ontrasting this hoever, Adlerian therapy has its limitations, as it does not provide

immediate solutions to client problems ith more of a long"term focus. (ith less of a

simplistic approach, this therapy is suited more for individuals ho are prepared to

take the time to understand family of origin issues.

Personal Evaluation

Adlerian thought has at its base, a socialistic ideology. The pervasiveness of

socialism in Adlerian theory oes itself to the inspirations of arl *arx- one of

Alfred Adler#s professed influences. A presupposition against capitalism, private

property, and ac!uired ealth as, $ believe, a driving force behind his theory.

%ecause no part of his theory that $ could determine/ conflicted ith socialist

philosophy, $ believe that Adler used this ideology as a basis hen forming his theory,

forcing his theory of personality to conform to his communist philosophy. %ecause of

this, $ do not acknoledge Adler#s theory as scientific in an empirical sense, but rather

a reflection of his personal vies. (hile his vies on the importance of birth order

are interesting and certainly original, $ do not see them as having a great deal of

merit. $f there is any effect that birth order has on an individual, $ believe it is due to

localized parenting factors at the microenvironment rather than some kind of

ob)ective truth about birth order at a macro level. %ecause $ am a true capitalist, $

hold little value for communistic thought and see it as a threat to my ay of life.

&hristianity is not compatible ith socialism. 0esus discarded the abundant

tithes of the pharisees and treasured the idos mites because she sacrificed, and


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gave from her heart. True &hristian giving must alays come from the individual.

Socialism institutes a secular government that takes by force, and redistributes. (hen

a government takes money by force and gives it to the poor, an individual should not

assume he has 1fed the poor1 by proxy. 2od ould rather an individual man give of

his on free ill to feed the poor, then a secular government taking money by force

from the man to feed the poor. 3very act of service in &hristianity re!uires the

individual heart. Socialism, by definition, purges the individual and replaces it ith

%ig 2overnment, and is therefore an antithesis to &hristianity. (hen the church of

Acts gave up all of its possessions, this as not socialism, because each individual

chose freely to give. 0esus 4imself said that even sinners take care of sinners, but that

doesn5t make a society 2odly. A perfectly humanistic society here all the poor are

fed and no one goes hungry is still in utter depravity and an enemy to 2od note that

plenty of people in this orld ho commit evil and despise 2od are ell fed/. 2od is

about individual souls, not about making sure no one is poor. 6emember it as 1%ig

2overnment1 that as brought don by 2od 4imself at the toer of %abel. %ecause

of this fundamental philosophy in my orld vie that utterly re)ects secular

socialism, $ therefore re)ect the foundations of Adler5s theories.

$n a more positive light, $ value his emphasis on family unity and group

cohesion. Adler understood the difference beteen developing individual self esteem

and fostering it ithin a group. $ am a strong believer in the strength that teamork

can impart on an individual#s self orth. To belong to a group and functioning

purposefully in that group is a strong motivator toards positive change. 'f course,

this re!uires that the agenda and mission of the group is conducive to groth and not

void of moral recognition. As beneficial and poerful as group dynamics can have on

an individual, e!ually dangerous is the possibility for mechanistic depravity as can be


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seen in the 7mob mentality8 that forms hen the morality of a group erodes hile its

cohesion remains.

adlerian therapy from a christian perspective

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