Adlerian Psychology and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Similarities and Distinctions

1. Adlerian Psychology and Cognitive-Behavioral TherapySimilarities and Distinctions John Sommers-Flanagan, Ph.D. University of Montana On behalf of Adler.edu – April 4, 2019 Email: john.sf@mso.umt.edu Website: https://johnsommersflanagan.com/

2. Hello From Montana • My earliest recollection (1962) • My earliest recollection of Individual Psychology and Adlerian Therapy (J. Carlson, 1993)

3. From SF & SF (2018, p. 59) • We often wonder about Alfred Adler. • Who was this man whose theories and approach predate and contribute substantially to ego psychology (Chapter 2), the cognitive therapies (Chapter 8), reality therapy (Chapter 9), feminist therapy (Chapter 10), and constructive perspectives (Chapter 11)? How did he develop—over 100 years ago—influential and diverse ideas that are foundational to so many different approaches to therapy, and so thoroughly infused into contemporary culture? His beliefs were so advanced that he seems an anomaly: He’s like a man from the future who landed in the middle of Freud’s inner circle in Vienna.

4. Today’s Agenda (from CBT) • Missing Adler • Fundamental principles of CB-theory • Where do they fit in Individual Psychology • Case Vignette #1: Pushbutton • Case Vignette #2: Early (Emotional) Recollections • Discussion and conclusions

5. Missing Adler • Albert Ellis, not typically one to lavish praise on anyone, wrote a tribute to Alfred Adler, in which he referred to him as the “true father of modern psychotherapy” (Ellis, 1970, p. 11). • Similarly, Ellenberger (1970) wrote, “It would not be easy to find another author from which so much has been borrowed from all sides without acknowledgement, than Adler” (p. 645).

6. A CBT + IP Venn Diagram

7. Basic Principles

8. Basic Principles (cont)

9. Two Case Vignettes • These cases illustrate two technical strategies that I made up (from Mosak and others and CBT) • Let’s contemplate these cases together. Are they more Adlerian Therapy or more CBT, or can we even make this distinction?

10. Case Vignette #1: Pushbutton • For a video example of the Three-Step Emotional Change (Pushbutton) Trick, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITWhMYANC5c • Dudley – a 10-year-old referred for symptoms of defiance

11. The Three-Step Pushbutton (cont) • First – Form the therapeutic relationship • Then – Lifestyle assessment . . . Interpretation and insight . . . Reorientation • Step 1: Feel the feeling • Step 2: Think a new thought (or do something different) • Step 3: Spread the good mood • Step 4: 

12. The Three-Step Pushbutton (cont) • Questions for reflection. • In what way is this case consistent with Adlerian Therapy? • In what way is this case consistent with CBT? • How useful and important is it to make distinctions between these approaches?

13. Case Vignette #2: Early (Emotional) Recollections • Misty, a 19-year-old college freshman [J. G. Watkins, a hypnoanalytic psychotherapist (1971)] • Form the therapeutic relationship – We engaged in goal alignment (EBRFs: see https://johnsommersflanagan.com/2017/09/01/evidence-based-relationship-factors-in-counseling-and-psychotherapy/)

14. Early (Emotional) Recollections • Lifestyle assessment (Emotional focusing – anger – and an early anger recollection) • Take me back to a time when . . . Long ago . . . You felt anger like that before. • Listen to the stories

15. Early (Emotional) Recollections • Interpretation and insight (Shaming and/or Abandonment/rejection; these are the “triggers” that activate the basic mistakes) • Reorientation (Interpretation and insight lay the motivational foundation for change. Now we do the work together.)

16. Early (Emotional) Recollections (cont) • Questions for reflection. • In what way is this case consistent with Adlerian Therapy? • In what way is this case consistent with CBT? • How useful and important is it to make distinctions between these approaches?

17. Distinctions • A bi-directional bridge between science and practice vs. a more open system involving a bi-directional bridge between theory and science and practice and other phenomena • Broadly, we develop core beliefs: These beliefs affect our past, present, and future vs. the style of life [Maybe history is better leverage than CBT folks allow for]

18. Distinctions II • How about? • Encouragment • Social interest or the big G • Inferiority/superiority • All these are operating in CBT, whether we acknowledge them or not

19. Distinctions III • How about the pan-theoretical cure? • Counterconditioning • Mary Cover Jones: “We associated the fear-object with a craving-object, and replaced the fear by a positive response.” Look around. • What are Adlerians’ pairing with distress??

20. Today’s Concluding Reflections • What will you remember? • What do you want to explore further? • You know about Adlerpedia. Please check out Johnsommersflanagan.com for free material on Adler: https://johnsommersflanagan.com/tag/adler/

21. JSF Books with a Little Adler

22. Final Questions • Questions for me?