Evolution of Adlerian Theory and Practice

For more than twenty years I have studied and re-studied Adler's original writings, and have compared them to other and "newer" theories in psychology. Generally, I find that Adler has grasped a "totality" of the human condition unequalled by any other theoretician. He embraces a vision of the human being in the widest social context, including the perspectives of the past and future. I find many other theories that seem parallel to fragments of Adler's theory lacking in the unique totality that he provides.

For the past five years, with the generous help of Kurt Adler, I have been managing and editing the Adlerian Translation Project. It has been quite extraordinary to read a steady flow of translated journal articles and unpublished manuscripts. Unlike any other author, Adler consistently penetrates to the core of the human mind and heart.

Our most recent project, a re-translation of The Neurotic Constitution (adding all the new material from the fourth edition) has provided continually profound insights into psychopathology. One unique quality that emerges is a consistent impression of "the whole" of Adler's model, no matter which paragraph one reads (like the structure of a hologram, wherein each piece is a small reflection of the entire image).

I, like my mentor, Sophia de Vries, believe that Adler's theory is complete, like a work of art. I have yet to see anyone "improve" it, although it is possible to elaborate on various aspects of his theory as long as the totality is retained. (Although Adler suggested an ideal for personality development, Abraham Maslow described optimal functioning more comprehensively. Adler, however, provided the therapeutic tools for realizing this goal.) In my teaching and writing, I have explored elaborations of: creative power; dissolving a style of life; childhood developmental scheme; levels of functioning; and private logic.

The evolution of Adlerian psychology will more likely take place in its practice. Adler's writings do not document the technique of psychotherapy in a step-by-step manner because he conceived it as a creative process. A few of his followers have contributed insights into the host of strategies and techniques that can be generated from his theory. Anthony Bruck mastered the art of brief therapy and created a set of graphics for teaching Adlerian theory. Sophia de Vries adapted and refined the Socratic method for promoting cognitive insight and change. Working together, we developed a twelve-stage therapeutic model to guide and evaluate the progress of treatment. I have explored the use of eidetic & guided imagery for providing "missing developmental experiences."

It has been difficult to gain a full appreciation of Adler's remarkable contribution, since so much of his work has been out of print, partly translated, or untranslated. We intend to publish The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler once we have completed the massive job of translating and editing. It will then be possible for anyone to fully access and evaluate Adler's theory.

In your message, you expressed your perspective that "current cognitve-behavioral/constructivist/narrativist approaches to therapy are an evolution of Adler's observations" and that "current theory stands on Adler's shoulders." It would be helpful if you could be more specific and illustrate your point with examples.

Replies:

commonalities between Adler and constructivist cognitive psychotherapy, by Peter Gambino, 1/10/97 Adding Cognitive Science to Adlerian Theory, by Carol Oster, 1/13/97 Adding Other Sciences, by Henry Stein, 1/29/97

| Behavior OnLine Home Page | Disclaimer |

Copyright © 1996-2004 Behavior OnLine, Inc. All rights reserved.