Adlerian Group Counseling

The combination of key aspects of Adlerian psychology with socially developed, “systemic, and brief approaches based on the holistic model developed by Dreikurs.” (p.159)

ADLERIAN GROUP COUNSELINGRefresher:Alfred Adler believed that neurosis was the response of a person withdrawing from life’s required responsibilities. *Their symptoms protect them from the feelings of failure. *Was a believer in the social nature of people

Adlerian view of the Person

Is “socioteleological”- Views people as being primarily motivated by social forces & we are aiming at attaining certain goals.

Believed we create our own idiosyncratic view of self, life, & others from which we develop our goals (both long and short term).

*This drives our behavior and influences our development.

Our search for significance ties in w/ our feelings of inferiority in comparison w/ others.

*This pushes us to become better or even chase after perfection

Adlerian view of the Person Emphasizes self-determination & consciousness as the

foundation of our personality.

We are not victims of fate, but can control our destiny towards our set goals (within limits).

Our movement towards our goals and our future are more important than what has happened in our past.

Adlerian Group Therapy

A growth model: Stressed personal responsibility, aiming for superiority, and value in searching for life’s meaning.

Viewed primarily as an educational process

* “Helping people learn better ways to meet the challenges of life's tasks, providing direction, helping people change their mistaken notions, and offering encouragement to those who are discouraged.” (p.160)

Holistic

Focuses on understanding the entire person in their social constructs of family, school, & work.

“Individuals are always more than the sum of their parts.” (p.160)

To fully understand a person, one must examine how they socially interact.

*A group setting is a great place to do this. People often assume the roles they play in their family/life in a group setting

*This can allow the person to experiment w/ how they interact w/ others & allow for their mistaken goals to be altered.

Phenomenologically Oriented

Objective reality holds less importance than our subjective reality.

It’s how we interpret reality that causes us to attach meaning through our experiences.

Community Feeling & Social Interest

“We are primarily motivated by a desire to belong.” (p. 162)

We have a strong desire to feel bonded with others, and only after this is accomplished can we have courage at facing life’s demands.

3 Main tasks we ALL must master to be happy/healthy:

1. Building friendships (Social task)

2. Establishing Intimacy (Love/marriage task)

3. Contributing to society (Occupational task)

Community Feeling & Social Interest

Having dysfunction in any of the stages is often a sign of a psychological disorder.

All of the areas can be addressed/discussed/worked on during group.

The group focus is on members incorrect assumptions that hold them to feelings of inadequacy, thus from being connected with others

*Therefore, pre-screening in groups is usually NOT performed-doing so would only reinforce a person’s imperfections & continue to cause further alienation!

Inferiority/Superiority

Inferiority is not viewed as a negative- it is what pushes us to want to do better.

Both are crucial for group work. Leaders: Do not try to eliminate feelings of inferiority,

rather use it to explore w/ members their basis of inferiority feelings.

Explore members current ways of dealing w/ their feelings of inferiority & insignificance.

Can lead to working w/ early feelings of inferiority & past failed experiences

*This allows members to view these in a new way & to put a new ending to a difficult time.

Style of Life In trying to reach our goals that hold personal

meaning- our behavior is influenced in what we believe about ourselves, others, & the world.

*How we see the world in which we live attributes to our private logic.

Adlerian group counselors work w/ members living patterns & logic that is used to support them & is a means to help create a more socially fulfilled life.

Role & Functions of the Group Leader:

They serve as models for group members who learn from what their leader does during group more than from what they say.

Personal attributes of the leader:

*Presence *Self0confidence *Acceptance

*Caring *Ability to listen for purposes & motives

*Demonstrate courage to be imperfect

*Willing to take risks *Sense of humor

*Winning to model *Collaborative spirit

*Belief in the group process

*Clear sense of personal identity, beliefs, & feelings

*Awareness of basic conditions needed for members growth.

Roles of Group Leader:

Facilitate group process-lead each group as if it were the last.

Create a structure that promotes:

*open interaction *Involvement *Confrontation

*Nonjudgmental acceptance *Commitment Leaders are active in group process-especially at

the beginning

*Establish structure by helping members define personal goals.

*Perform psychological assessments

*Offer interpretation

*Guide group assessment

*Build a feeling of community within the group.

Adlerian Group Stages:Stage 1 of 4

ESTABLISING & MAINTAINING COHESIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH MEMBERS

Based on cooperation & mutual respect Allows a foundation for cohesiveness & connection

Developing this strong therapeutic relationship is key to successful outcomes

Establishing relationships cont…

Members are encouraged to be active in group process, they are responsible for their participation.

Group environment provides opportunity to work on issues of trust & strengthen leader/member relationship.

Allows members to witness positive changes in their peers, showing the process of group works.

Members & leaders work together toward mutually agreed-upon goals

Analysis & Assessment (Exploring the Individuals Dynamics) Stage 2

Aims at: Understanding members lifestyle & seeing how it’s affecting their current functioning in life’s many tasks.

Leader can explore how members are functioning in work/social settings & feelings about themselves and their gender role identities.

Leaders can use many different assessment techniques such as: *Family Constellations & their roles within

them.

*Birth order *Relationship difficulties *Dreams

*Artwork *EARLY RECOLLECTIONS

Early Recollections (ER’s) What a person remembers happening before age 10. Can be grouped together to form a better

understanding of how we feel & view ourselves, the world, life goals, our motivations, beliefs, & values.

Can help us learn about our:

*Mistaken notions *guiding goals *Present attitudes

*Social interests *Possible future behavior

Leader can ask: “Think back to when you were younger than 10, & tell the group about a specific event you remember happening.” “One time, I _____”

Life Style Investigation Explores member’s family background & life

story

*Reveals patterns of Basic Mistakes (5 types)”

1. Overgeneralizations

2. Misperceptions of life & its demands

3. False/Impossible goals of security

4. Minimization/Denial of ones basic worth

5. Faulty values

Live Style Investigation cont… To help gather this info, both an objective &

subjective interview are given (subjective 1st)

*Ex of question that can be used: “What would change in your life if you could have a pill that would make you completely well?”

How the person answers this type of question is important-Helps uncover if their difficulties are organic or psychological.

The life style analysis is an ongoing process & helps clients & counselor develop a counseling plan.

Awareness & Insight:Stage 3

Views insight as a special form of awareness. Helps build a foundation for change- but is a means to an end, not an end in itself!

Adlerian’s believe change occurs through present-centered awareness

*Members must recognize they have options/choices in regard to their perceptions & behaviors.

Awareness & Insight cont… In groups, awareness is elevated due to

feedback & support of others members. This stage is concerned w/ helping members

understand why they function the way they do As members experience resistance in

themselves, they can watch the others go through the same thing.

Members & leaders offer interpretation of underlying motives for peoples present behavior.

Awareness & Insight cont… The interpretations are never forced & are offered

gently

*Ex: “Could it be that ___”

*”It seems to me that ____” *”Perhaps _____”

The goal of interpretations is for members to gain a deeper awareness of their own role in the creation of their problems, how they are maintaining their problem, & ways to improve their situation.

Reorientation & ReeducationState 4 Group leaders & members work together to change

incorrect beliefs about self, life, others, & to consider different beliefs, behaviors, & attitudes.

Adlerian groups are characterized by how they try to reorient poor living patterns & teach a better understanding of principles that lead to healthy interactions

*And to teach individual how to be more effective at handling life’s tasks.

Reorientation & Reeducation Cont… The groups challenge & encourage members to take

risks & make changes. Change is propelled by the discovery of hope! Encouragement is essential-by both other members &

group leader

*The greatest encouragement comes from feeling that the members have found a place in the group!

This is the action phase-new decisions are made & goals are modified.

Members need to set tasks for themselves to change & do something specific about their troubles.

Rationale for a Group Approach Based on the idea that problems of individuals are

largely social in nature. Allows for a social context where individual can form a

sense of belonging, social connectedness, & community.

Members learn that their struggles are interpersonal, their behavior has social meaning, & their goals are best understood in a social framework.

Applications: Brief Group Therapy Adlerian group counseling works well w/ brief

interventions & short-term formats. Criteria:

*Time Limitation *Focus on desired outcomes

*Counselor directiveness *Symptoms as solutions

*Assignment of behavioral tasks

Self-selected goals are formulated once the group begins & becomes the focus

Members decide how they want to use their time Works well in a school setting Works well w/ multicultural Populations (It emphasizes

understanding individual within their social context).

Contributions & Strengths The use of early recollections

It’s integrative in nature

Allows for inventiveness among the leaders & for them to develop a personal therapeutic style.

Limitations Leaders of more structured groups may find

using early recollections & finding connections to their current problems difficult.

Group leaders NEED to be well trained or they can make significant mistakes!

Reference

Corey, G. (2008). Theory & practice of group counseling (7th ed.).

Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole.