Do You Know What Adlerian Therapy is?

Adlerian theory is a psychodynamic approach to individual psychology that was birthed from Freud's psychoanalytic theory. Dr. Alfred Adler was a student of Freud and parted ways with him as he questioned Freud's limited view on human development. Adlerian therapy is a cornerstone of psychotherapy and paved the way for other theorists and psychologists in the field of mental health. 

With Adlerian therapy, and other psychotherapies, your therapist will spend time building a relationship with you and creating an environment of warmth, empathy, and friendliness. At your first appointment, your therapist will review common practice policies and information, such as confidentiality. They will ask general questions about yourself and your life to establish a personal rapport based on trust. Relationships are built upon trust. Next, it is common to set goals with your therapist. They will also most likely conduct a psychological assessment(s) to better understand your background and experiences. As your sessions progress, you can expect to examine how your early life experiences might have contributed to your overall mental well-being now, especially in light of your current challenges and goals. Past + Present = Future. You must make sense and peace with your past to become more well-adjusted. 

There are four stages in Adlerian therapy: Creating a therapeutic relationship, assessment, insight, and reorientation. Although the client's goals may be different, the goals during Adlerian therapy involve understanding your life, assessing the root of the problems, discovering insights about your life, and creating sustainable strategies for moving forward. 

It is very common for your therapist to encourage you to draw your own conclusions about whichever theories or insights they offer.