child and adolescent counseling chapter 11

The Family Constellation• One goal of counseling is to construct a picture of the family dynamics and the child’s place in the family constellation • Ordinal position in the family is a

Chapter 11

Individual Psychology

One of the most beautiful gifts in the world is the gift of encouragement W hen someone encourages you, that person helps you over a threshold you

might otherwise never have crossed on your own.

John O’Donohue

Chapter Objectives

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

•Outline the development of individual psychology and Adler

•Explain the theory of individual psychology

•Discuss the counseling relationship and goals in Adlerian counseling

•Describe assessment, process, and techniques

•Demonstrate some therapeutic techniques

•Clarify the effectiveness of Adlerian counseling

•Discuss Adlerian play therapy

Alfred Adler

• Born in 1870 in Vienna, Austria

• Received medical degree

• Was a member of Freud’s discussion group

• Emphasized human nature as being fundamentally social

• Moved to U.S in 1935; died in 1937

Individual Psychology

• German word Individualpsychologie

meaning “psychology of the whole that cannot be divided”

• Basically a psychology that is

concerned both with individuals as

they are in themselves and in their

relationships with others

Nature of People

• People develop a sense of inferiority

because they are born completely helpless and remain that way for childhood

• Human behavior falls on a continuum

between concepts of masculinity,

representing strength and power and

femininity, symbolizing weakness and

inferiority

Nature of People

• Need for Success: People seek power and prestige and

strive for goals related to social approval

• Goals of Behavior: All behavior is goal directed.

• Lifestyle: Pattern of behavior that will predominate

throughout a person’s life

• Social Interest: A person’s amount of social interest is a

good barometer of mental health

• Family Environment: Three environmental factors affect the

development of a child’s personality: family constellation,

family atmosphere, and the prevalent methods of training

The Family Constellation

• One goal of counseling is to construct a

picture of the family dynamics and the child’s place in the family constellation

• Ordinal position in the family is a key to the lifestyle pattern being developed by the child and may have a significant effect on how that child perceives reality

Family Atmosphere

• Adlerians stress the importance of the

family atmosphere in the development of the child

• Family constellation is the description of how family members interact

• Family atmosphere is the style of coping with life that the family has modeled

Family Atmosphere Profiles

Theory of Counseling

Adler’s four ties create reality and meaning in people’s lives:

1 People are on earth to ensure the continuance of

the human species.

2 Our survival depends on our need to cooperate with

our fellow human beings.

3 Human beings each live in two sexes the

masculine, powerful side of our nature and the feminine, weaker side of our nature.

4 Human problems can be grouped into three

categories: social, occupational, and sexual.

The Well-Adjusted Child Exhibits

the Following Qualities:

Theory of Counseling

• Two fundamental styles of life: direct and

indirect approaches through strength and power or through weakness

• Focus of counseling is harnessing the drive

to compensate for weakness so that

positive, constructive behavior results

• Adler believed that people are pulled by

their goals and priorities

Counseling Method

• No distinction between conscious and

unconscious material

• Frequently analyze inferiority feelings

• Questions similar to lifestyle interviews

• Examine the academic, extracurricular and social adjustments

• Primary goal is to point out to the client the

overcompensation and defensive patterns being used to solve problems and to find more

successful ways

Counseling Method

• Counselor’s job is to re-educate children who

have developed mistaken ideas about some

concepts of their lives

• Counselor and child are equal partners in the

Counseling Process

Phase I Examine formative years of the person.

Phase II Collect early recollections from the

child’s past.

Phase III Illustrate what they are doing and the

principles under which they operate.

Phase IV Reorientation toward living through

encouragement process.

with as many details as possible,

including reaction at the time

• Three to six of those help show pattern

in lifestyle

Goals of Misbehavior

• As children grow and interact, they

gradually develop methods for

achieving their goal of belonging

• Several factors such as family

constellation, family atmosphere and the child’s reactions to these are

critical in the development of coherent patterns of behaviors and attitudes

• Socially and personally effective

• By contrast, discouraged child pursuing

mistaken goals

• Adults can teach themselves and children

about these mistaken goals and help

children find other ways to meet their goal

of belonging

Interventions for Four Goals

• Four goals intended to help adults understand that how they feel about what the child is

doing most clearly explains the child’s

mistaken goals (attention, power, revenge,

and withdrawal)

• Steps outlined for determining goal, learning corrective response and child’s reaction to the correction follow

“Four-goal Technique”

1 Observe the child’s behavior in detail.

2 Be psychologically sensitive to one’s own

reaction to the behavior.

3 Confront the child with the goal of the

behavior.

4 Note the recognition reflex.

5 Apply appropriate corrective procedures.

Purpose of Your Misbehavior

When you get into trouble for what you do, is it because you….

_want people to notice you?

_want people to do more for you?

_want to be special?

_want some affection?

_want to be the boss?

_want to be in charge?

_want people to do what you want?

_want people to stop telling you what to do?

_want power?

_want to get even?

_feel like you have treated unfairly?

_want people to see what it feels like to hurt?

_want people to know you don’t like what they have done?

_want to be left alone because you can’t do it anyway?

_want to be left alone because you might fail?

_want people to stop asking you to do things?

Purpose of Misbehavior

Attention Getting

• Client: “Life is only good when I’m the center of the attention.”

• Counselor: “Does being disruptive make you noticeable?”

Power Struggle

• Client: “Life is only good when I get my way.”

• Counselor: “Could it be that you want to have it your way? Be the boss?

Revenge

• Client: “The best way to handle my feelings is to hurt you.”

• Counselor: “Could it be that you want to hurt them because they hurt you?”

Display of Inadequacy

• Client: “Best way to get out of work is to mess up everything.”

• Counselor: “You feel helpless and do not know what to do?”

ATTENTION GETTING

Corrections of Misbehavior and

Attention Getting

ADULT’S REACTION

-ADULT”S CORRECTIVE PROCEDURES

• Gives attention when child is not making a bid for it

• Ignores misbehaving child

-ADULT”S INTERPRETATIONS OF CHILD”S GOAL TO HIM/HER

• All questions must be asked in a friendly non-judgmental way and NOT at times of conflict

“Could be that you want me to notice you?”

POWER STRUGGLE

Corrections of Misbehavior and

Power Struggling

ADULT’S REACTION

-• Feels threatened

-THE PROBLEM GOAL AND FAULTY LOGIC

• Wants to be the boss

-ADULT”S CORRECTIVE PROCEDURES

• Withdraw from the conflict

“Take your sail out of their wind”

-ADULT”S INTERPRETATIONS OF CHILD”S GOAL TO HIM/HER

• All questions must be asked in a friendly non-judgmental way and NOT at times of conflict

“Could be that you want to be the boss?”

Corrections of Misbehavior and

Revenge

ADULT’S REACTION

-• Feels deeply hurt

-THE PROBLEM GOAL AND FAULTY LOGIC

• Wants to get even

-ADULT”S INTERPRETATIONS OF CHILD”S GOAL TO HIM/HER

• All questions must be asked in a friendly non-judgmental way and NOT at times of conflict

“Could be that you to get even?”

DISPLAY OF INADEQUACY

Corrections of Misbehavior and

Display of Inadequacy

ADULT’S REACTION

-• Feels hopeless

-THE PROBLEM GOAL AND FAULTY LOGIC

• Wants to be left alone

-ADULT”S CORRECTIVE PROCEDURES

• Lots of encouragement

-ADULT”S INTERPRETATIONS OF CHILD”S GOAL TO HIM/HER

• All questions must be asked in a friendly non-judgmental way and NOT

at times of conflict

“Could be that you want to be left alone?”

• Misbehaving children are discouraged children

trying to find their place

• They are acting on the faulty logic their

misbehavior will give them the acceptance they want

• First goal, attention, minor discouragement; fourth goal, inadequacy, deep discouragement

• Corrective procedures may range from

encouragement to logical consequence

Encouragement (reinforcement) Praise Bribery

Occurs before child

completes or starts task

Occurs after child performs behavior or completes task

Occurs during child’s misbehavior

behavior

“I have faith in you.” “I’m

proud of you.” “I know

you can do it: let me help

you get started.”

“Good job.” “I liked the way you handled that.”

“You played a good game.”

“If you quiet down, I’ll give you a candy bar.”

“I’ll buy you a surprise if you stop fighting.” “Stop bothering me and you won’t have to help with the dishes.”

Determine the natural/logical

consequences: a consequence relates directly to what would

happen if others did not interfere.

Logical Consequences versus

Punishment

Logical Consequences Punishment

express the reality of the rules

established by social order express the power of personal authority rather than social reality related directly to the misbehavior rarely related to the misbehavior.

cancel out the practice of adults making

moral judgments Punishment, replete with all the accompanying lecturing, nagging, and

insulting, inevitably involves moral judgment.

have a here and now effect deals with the past.

are such that the adult can maintain the

pleasant voice of a friendly by-stander Punishment has a tendency to disturb the relationship of the person to the

situation and to the person in authority.

Punishment Logical Consequences

Rebellion, desire for revenge, lack

of self-discipline, sneakiness,

irresponsibility

1 Emphasis on reality of social order

“I trust you to respect the rights of others.”

Cooperation, respect for self and others, self- discipline,

Resentment, desire for revenge, fear, confusion, rebellion

2 Logically related to misbehavior:

sensible

“I trust you to make

responsible choices.”

Learning from experience

3 Implies moral

acceptable.”

Feelings of hurt, guilt, desire to get even

3 Treats person with dignity, separates deed from doer

“You are a worthwhile person.”

Senses he/she

is acceptable even though behavior is not

Punishment Logical Consequences

4 Emphasis on

prior behavior “You’ll never learn.” “I can

never count on you.”

Feels unacceptable, feels that can’t make good decisions

4 Concerned with present and future behavior

“You are able to take care of yourself.”

Becomes evaluating, self- directing

Fear, rebellion, guilt feelings, desire to “get back”

5 Voice communi- cates respect and good will

‘I don’t like what you are doing, but I still love you.”

Feels secure about parent’s love and support

6 Demands of

don’t matter.”

“You can’t be trusted to make wise decisions.”

Rebellion, defiant compliance

6 Presents

deciding.”

Reasonable decisions, increased resourcefulness

• Logical consequences are not appropriate for clients who display inadequacy Do not criticize, pity or give up Encourage and concentrate on what the client can do.

• Punishment does not work Hitting, denying

privileges and criticizing teach that power is

important It is negative, discipline is not.

• Rewards are something given to someone in an inferior role.

Adlerian Play Therapy

• Begin by assuming referred children are discouraged children

• They have negative convictions about themselves and the world

• Goal is the reduction of this

discouragement

• Therefore, choose play techniques to

provide encouragement

Adlerian Play Therapy

Phase 1: Establish a democratic, empathic

relationship

Phase 2: Explore child’s lifestyle, highlight

beliefs, attitudes, goals, emotions and motives

Phase 3: Interpret the lifestyle, faulty convictions

and self-defeating goals and behaviors

Phase 4: Help the child use the insight and

convert it into action

Benefits of Adlerian/Individual

Counseling

• Cultural groups favoring a family, group, and/or community emphasis in counseling will find individual psychology to be

comfortable and compatible in examining their lives and behavior patterns for

possible change.

• Parent Education