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Adlerian Psychology

The Practical Guide to Understanding Your Life Style & Creating Positive Change

Founded by Alfred Adler
Alfred Adler

Alfred Adler (1870-1937)

What is Adlerian Psychology?

Adlerian psychology, developed by Alfred Adler, is a holistic approach that emphasizes the importance of understanding individuals within their social context. Unlike Freud who focused on unconscious drives, Adler believed people are motivated by social interests and striving for significance.

Core Principle:

“The individual is understood holistically as a goal-oriented, creative, and meaning-making being.” – Alfred Adler

The 5 Pillars of Adlerian Theory

Goal Orientation

Behavior is purposeful and directed toward life goals

Social Interest

Feeling of community and concern for others

Inferiority & Compensation

Overcoming feelings of inadequacy

Lifestyle

Unique pattern of beliefs and behaviors

Birth Order

Family constellation influences personality

Understanding Your Lifestyle

Adler believed that by age 5-6, we develop a “lifestyle” – our unique way of striving for significance. This lifestyle includes our self-concept, worldview, and guiding fictional goals that shape all our behaviors.

Example:

A person who felt neglected as a child might develop a lifestyle focused on being “the helper” to gain significance through being needed by others.

How to Apply Adlerian Psychology

1. Analyze Early Memories

Adler considered early memories (before age 10) as “projections” of our current lifestyle. They reveal our fundamental beliefs about ourselves, others, and life.

Exercise:

  1. Write down your 3 earliest memories
  2. Identify the common theme or emotion
  3. Ask: “What does this reveal about how I see myself in relation to others?”

3. Understand Birth Order Influences

Adler identified characteristic traits associated with birth order positions. While not deterministic, these patterns can reveal our strategies for finding significance in the family system.

Position Common Traits Potential Challenges
Firstborn Responsible, leader, perfectionist Fear of losing position, anxiety
Middle Child Diplomatic, flexible, peacemaker Feeling overlooked, identity issues
Youngest Charming, creative, risk-taker Dependence, lack of discipline
Only Child Mature, intellectual, conscientious Difficulty sharing, high expectations

4. Practice Encouragement

Adler considered encouragement the most powerful tool for change. Unlike praise (which evaluates), encouragement focuses on effort, progress, and contribution.

Encouraging Statements:

  • “I noticed how hard you worked on that.”
  • “Your contribution made a difference.”
  • “I have faith in your ability to handle this.”
  • “What do you think about your progress?”

Self-Encouragement:

  • “I’m making progress step by step.”
  • “Mistakes help me learn and grow.”
  • “I choose to focus on what I can control.”
  • “I accept myself while working to improve.”

The Adlerian Change Process

4 Phases of Adlerian Therapy

1

Relationship Building

Establishing mutual trust and collaborative goals

2

Lifestyle Assessment

Exploring family constellation, early memories, dreams

3

Insight & Interpretation

Helping client understand their private logic

4

Reorientation

Encouraging new behaviors and attitudes

Try This Self-Reflection

Your Guiding Fictional Goal:

Complete these sentences to uncover your unconscious life goals:

  1. Life is…
  2. People are…
  3. To be significant, I must…
  4. My role in relationships is to…
  5. The way to get what I want is to…

Look for patterns in your answers – these reveal your lifestyle convictions.

Adlerian Psychology Today

Parenting

Adlerian parenting emphasizes encouragement, natural consequences, and democratic family councils.

Education

Used in classrooms to build community, cooperative learning, and growth mindset.

Counseling

Basis for many brief therapy approaches and career counseling methods.

Adlerian Psychology vs. Other Approaches

Approach Focus Adlerian Difference
Freudian Unconscious drives, childhood trauma Focus on conscious goals and social context
Cognitive-Behavioral Thought patterns and behaviors Adds lifestyle and social embeddedness
Humanistic Self-actualization, present moment More structured with assessment phase

Ready to Apply Adlerian Principles?

Take our guided assessment to discover your lifestyle pattern and get personalized recommendations.