Psychotherapy and Counselling
My work focuses on how we formed our belief system or ‘how we believe our life ‘should be.’ These beliefs are learnt from our very early experiences mostly within our family or other relational ‘significant’ interactions. From these experiences we form coping strategies of how to survive, fit in and be significant. When at times the strategies don’t work we tend to try harder at what we already know which may entrench us in our difficulty. If the coping strategies work that’s wonderful if not sometimes just a small change or understanding of what we are doing can make a significant difference and enable us to move forward in a positive way.
A major, significant, influence of my training has been Adlerian Individual Psychology; this continues to focus my understanding and creates a way forward for my work and my personal thoughts and views.
Adlerian Individual Psychology (AIP)
Adler, with his creative mind and scientific background, was able to see all problems as social problems. Individual Psychology allows no room for blame; it makes us responsible for our own choices and the way we decide to deal with their consequences. We are self-determining and creative; we are goal orientated even though we may be unaware of what those goals are, and Adler saw each of us as a unique unity. Once we recognise our goals we can see the purpose of our behaviour.
For Adler the answer to life’s problems lies in ‘social interest’ – a feeling of connectedness with the whole of humanity and ourselves is a must if we are to contribute fully to society. “It is the individual who is not interested in his fellow human beings who has the greatest difficulties in life and causes the greatest injury to himself and others.” (Alfred Adler)
“You can’t stop the waves, you can learn to surf!” Kabat-Zin
All the work I do is firmly based on Individual Psychology (integrated with other models/theories) because; in almost all cases it works. People can gain insight into the mistaken notions they created in childhood about themselves and others and, in a very short time, they can take positive steps to regain the enabling power that they gave away when they were then too young to know the implications it would have on the rest of their lives.
I hope that you will find some of the optimistic thoughts expressed by Adler as useful as I have and that you will understand, as he did, that we can all choose to change and grow. |
