Counseling Philosophy
My theoretical approach to counseling is rooted in Adlerian theory. Adlerian theory uses a non-pathological and holistic approach, focusing on people’s strengths and resources. I believe that people strive to contribute socially and have the skills and courage to overcome obstacles to attain their goals. I strive to provide encouragement in the therapy process, helping clients overcome feelings of discouragement and increase feelings of belonging and social interest. Social interest gives people the courage and right attitude to meet life’s difficulties and tasks in a useful way.
I believe in helping clients gain insight of the purpose of their behavior and how they cope and function within life’s tasks and challenges. Adlerian counselors guide clients through four phases of therapy to facilitate change: (a) establishing a relationship, (b) assessment, (c) insight (interpretation), and (d) reorientation (reeducation). I strive to create a strong therapeutic relationship with each client that is built on trust, genuineness, understanding, and being fully present.
It is important to have an understanding of cultural influences when providing services to diverse clients. Our culture and experience(s) shape who we are and how we function in our environment. I strive to build upon clients’ strengths and empower their ability to manage their problems. In order to empower my clients I must be aware and explore any systemic or cultural barriers that may provide discourse in the attainment of wellness. I also believe in providing psycho-education and becoming a teacher to my clients when possible. Education empowers people to solve their problems independently. This educational perspective provides an opportunity for me to help all people and not just those who have current challenges that are hindering wellness.
I believe in helping clients gain insight of the purpose of their behavior and how they cope and function within life’s tasks and challenges. Adlerian counselors guide clients through four phases of therapy to facilitate change: (a) establishing a relationship, (b) assessment, (c) insight (interpretation), and (d) reorientation (reeducation). I strive to create a strong therapeutic relationship with each client that is built on trust, genuineness, understanding, and being fully present.
It is important to have an understanding of cultural influences when providing services to diverse clients. Our culture and experience(s) shape who we are and how we function in our environment. I strive to build upon clients’ strengths and empower their ability to manage their problems. In order to empower my clients I must be aware and explore any systemic or cultural barriers that may provide discourse in the attainment of wellness. I also believe in providing psycho-education and becoming a teacher to my clients when possible. Education empowers people to solve their problems independently. This educational perspective provides an opportunity for me to help all people and not just those who have current challenges that are hindering wellness.
Individual Psychology
The Adlerian approach to counseling is grounded in Individual Psychology. Adler stressed a strength-based holistic approach to viewing people, believing that people strive to contribute socially and have the skills and courage to overcome obstacles to attain their goals. Adlerians strive to provide encouragement in the therapy process, helping clients overcome feelings of discouragement. Counselors seek to understand people’s style of life and any mistaken beliefs that may be influencing how they see themselves, others, and the world. Adlerian counselors foster change by helping clients gain insight of the purpose of their behavior and how they cope, function, and participate within their community, work, and family.
Adler described human behavior as teleological, or purposeful and goal directed. A basic assumption of Individual Psychology is that people’s thoughts, feelings, and actions are all directed toward a perceived goal. This goal is always changing and is influenced by an individual’s perception of his or her experiences from childhood. People begin to form a subjective final goal that guides their movement in life and mastery in life's tasks. These tasks include work, social relationships, intimacy, self-acceptance, and spirituality. Inferiority feelings develop from failure to meet life’s tasks. As a trained counselor educator, I adhere to the values of ASERVIC (Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling), which embraces the belief that spiritual, ethical, and religious values are essential to one’s overall development. I am committed to integrating these values into the education and counseling process. My professional lens is through Adlerian theory and the notion that the development of lifestyle prepares people to meet the challenges of life. Adlerians define these challenges as the tasks of work, social relationships, self, intimacy, and spirituality. The spirituality task involves having a relationship with a higher power, the world, and the meaning one prescribes to life. In my work, I help others in the development of their spirituality and the ability to infuse these beliefs and values into their lifestyle. This process is different for everybody but staying on this path moves people toward holistic wellness and a connectedness to oneself, others, and the world around them.
The lifestyle is a set of subjective beliefs that creates one’s private logic (private thoughts, beliefs, convictions). These beliefs are created in childhood and influence how people view the world, others, and self. People form a subjective final goal that guides their movement in life. People with healthy lifestyle patterns strive to reach their goals in socially useful and cooperative ways. People who are discouraged often pursue their goals in unhealthy ways.
Adlerian counselors help clients gain insight into the purpose of their behavior and how they cope with life’s tasks. Adler believed that people are creative beings and when life provides difficulties that they cannot handle they become discouraged. The ultimate goal in Adlerian therapy is to foster social interest. By fostering social interest people become prepared to meet the major tasks in life. Social interest gives people the courage and right attitude to meet life’s difficulties and tasks in a useful way. Through encouragement, counselors help clients gain insight of the purpose of their behavior and how they cope and function within life’s tasks and challenges.
Adler described human behavior as teleological, or purposeful and goal directed. A basic assumption of Individual Psychology is that people’s thoughts, feelings, and actions are all directed toward a perceived goal. This goal is always changing and is influenced by an individual’s perception of his or her experiences from childhood. People begin to form a subjective final goal that guides their movement in life and mastery in life's tasks. These tasks include work, social relationships, intimacy, self-acceptance, and spirituality. Inferiority feelings develop from failure to meet life’s tasks. As a trained counselor educator, I adhere to the values of ASERVIC (Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling), which embraces the belief that spiritual, ethical, and religious values are essential to one’s overall development. I am committed to integrating these values into the education and counseling process. My professional lens is through Adlerian theory and the notion that the development of lifestyle prepares people to meet the challenges of life. Adlerians define these challenges as the tasks of work, social relationships, self, intimacy, and spirituality. The spirituality task involves having a relationship with a higher power, the world, and the meaning one prescribes to life. In my work, I help others in the development of their spirituality and the ability to infuse these beliefs and values into their lifestyle. This process is different for everybody but staying on this path moves people toward holistic wellness and a connectedness to oneself, others, and the world around them.
The lifestyle is a set of subjective beliefs that creates one’s private logic (private thoughts, beliefs, convictions). These beliefs are created in childhood and influence how people view the world, others, and self. People form a subjective final goal that guides their movement in life. People with healthy lifestyle patterns strive to reach their goals in socially useful and cooperative ways. People who are discouraged often pursue their goals in unhealthy ways.
Adlerian counselors help clients gain insight into the purpose of their behavior and how they cope with life’s tasks. Adler believed that people are creative beings and when life provides difficulties that they cannot handle they become discouraged. The ultimate goal in Adlerian therapy is to foster social interest. By fostering social interest people become prepared to meet the major tasks in life. Social interest gives people the courage and right attitude to meet life’s difficulties and tasks in a useful way. Through encouragement, counselors help clients gain insight of the purpose of their behavior and how they cope and function within life’s tasks and challenges.
For Adlerian scholars, the goal of encouragement is not simply to change behavior but to instill courage and confidence to change; therefore, Adlerian practitioners assert that their focus is more on modifying individuals' motivation than on modifying behavior (Sweeney, 2009).
Sweeney, T. J. (2009). Adlerian counseling and psychotherapy: A practitioner's approach. Taylor & Francis.
Sweeney, T. J. (2009). Adlerian counseling and psychotherapy: A practitioner's approach. Taylor & Francis.
