The Analysis of The Adlerian Models - Essay Example

Adlerian Theory and Models of Counseling Adlerian Theory and Models of Counseling There are a number of ways through which Alfred Adler is believed to have contributed to the field of psychology. In his work in psychology, Alfred Adler’s main contribution touches on the personality of human beings. The most notable contribution was the explanation of the connection between the personality of an individual and their birth order, the influence that pampering and neglecting children might have on their growth, the idea of human self-perfection, and the notion that each individual should be considered to be and treated as a whole person. With all these contributions, the psychological concept that is in most cases touched on is the notion of superiority complex. Under psychology, there are a number of factors that are believed to affect personality development of human beings. In psychology, the term personality is always used in reference to an individual’s mood, beliefs, and behaviors. The difference in the personalities of human beings is believed to be because of a number of things that tend to shape this aspect of the lives of human beings in diverse ways (Carlson, Watts & Maniacci, 2006). Some of the factors that are known to affect the personality of human beings are genetic factor. When talking about genetic factors one should consider factors like talent, temperament, and cognitive capabilities. Temperament is always used in reference to the manner in which an individual human being reacts to stimuli. Different people show different rates at which they react to things like discomfort, sight, or sound. The difference in these abilities can lead to the difference in the personality of human beings. In order to understand the way human beings behave psychologists always do so by paying attention to the environment and nature of upbringing that the individuals had as they grow up. As much as there are a number of environmental factors that can affect the personality of human beings, it are upbringing that is considered to be of the highest influence on the behavior of human beings. However, it is believed that the kind of care giving that a person gets during their childhood can be influenced by their genetic traits. For instance, a caregiver will have a hard time giving care to a child who is not responsive to soothing. This might affect the caregiver’s attitude, which will eventually affect the personality development process for the individual. Individuals who are subjected to neglect and abuse are likely to have their personality affected by such occurrences. As much as genetic factors can influence the personality of human beings, it is clearly evident that environmental factors are of the highest influence on the personality of human beings. This can be seen in the way certain personalities are always associated with individuals who grow up in certain environments (Watts, 2003). For instance, there are certain traits that are always associated with people who grow up in the wealthy neighborhood and those that are associated with those that grow up in less wealthy neighborhoods. In the same way, differences can always be seen in the personalities of people who grow up in cultured families and those who grow up in less cultured families. Psychologists in counseling clients often use the Adlerian models. One way through which this can take place is by letting the clients narrate the stories of their lives. This will require the psychologist to be a good listener and show empathy during the process. As the psychologist listen to the story they should be keen enough to note the clients’ approaches to life and coping. It is critical for the psychologist to seek a clear view of the client’s position so that they can have a good understanding of their client’s experience. The listening will help the psychologist to know the key issues in the client’s life that might have had an influence on the client’s personality. The therapist should ensure that the client narrates details of the memories that they have on the details of their lives up to the time when they were six years old. Details of an individual’s early life can give a psychologist to have a better understanding of various aspects of the client’s personality (Neukrug, 2011). These details can help in synthesizing of an individual’s current view. A client’s early life memories can also be used in assessing their strengths and weaknesses. The result of such practice is that the psychologist will be able to connect the individual’s previous experience to their behaviors and traits. This can be very effective in personality therapy in psychology. Adlerian theory can be used in the case at hand, which involves African American who had reports having problems that anxiety and depression are related. The client complains about feeling as if he is living in isolation. The client also has a problem in maintaining his social relationships, stating that people find him creepy and intense in relationships. The client is the youngest in a family of four children and is the only male child in the family. The client has the earliest memory of his life is an incident when his father came home had come home after losing his job and told him that he was dumb. Looking at this case it can be noted that the client in question has a problem with his confidence. Having the earliest memory of him being told by his father that he was dumping it is evident that he must have a problem of lacking confidence. If a person goes through such an experience while at that early stage of their life, they are likely to grow up questioning their own abilities. The fact that he is the last and the only male child in his family might also have an influence on the way he interacts with other people. In such a case, the best way to help such a client is to work on his confidence, something that will make it easier for him to interact with other people without having to feel anxious or isolated. References Carlson, J., Watts, R. E., & Maniacci, M. (2006). Adlerian therapy: Theory and practice. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Neukrug, E. (2011). Counseling theory and practice. Australia: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning. Watts, R. E. (2003). Adlerian, cognitive, and constructivist therapies: An integrative dialogue. New York: Springer Pub. Read More