In this video, we will introduce counseling theory, specifically individual psychology. We will look at the core concepts of individual psychology, including the most important concept: lifestyle, as well as the formation and development of lifestyle from the perspective of individual psychology. Additionally, we will explore the properties, processes, and evaluation of individual psychology.

First, let's briefly examine the overview of individual psychology. Individual psychology was first developed by Alfred Adler and has continued to expand and evolve since then. Individual psychology can be seen as a complex theory that is both artificial and positive. The various components that make individual psychology appear complex are partly created by Adler, but also borrowed from other theories. Adler emphasized the importance of context, specifically family and society. He did not view individuals as separate from their family or societal context.

The deeply ingrained thought in individualism is that individuals strive for success, and in that process, they develop intense complexes, such as the inferiority complex. This is related to the experiences that Adler went through in his childhood. Adler believed that feelings of inferiority could be transformed, and once transformed, they could serve as motivational factors that help individuals succeed. He saw that while inferiority can generally be a good thing, excessive use of it can lead to problems. Adler placed significant emphasis on birth order, examining how being the first child, the middle child, or the youngest affects an individual's personality. He suggested that this birth order is connected to feelings of inferiority and family context. However, there is currently no evidence-based result proving that birth order influences personality. Of course, the lack of empirical evidence does not invalidate the value of individual psychology.

There is no research that has been conducted in a quantitative manner, but this lack of evidence is one aspect of this theory. Psychotherapy or counseling based on individual psychology explores childhood experiences and memories. It examines what strategies individuals used to adapt and achieve personal success within their families during their childhood. Various cognitive techniques are employed in this process. For example, there are push-button techniques and paradoxical interventions, as well as techniques that encourage individuals to act as if they were their mothers. Another important concept in individual psychology is lifestyle, which is connected to an individual's personality and birth order. Lifestyle is formed through childhood experiences and interactions with family during that time. Additionally, the concept of social interest refers to an inherent desire for cooperation and how this desire is expressed. Therefore, psychotherapy based on individual psychology is...

In counseling and psychotherapy, lifestyle and social interest changes are often set as part of the counseling goals. Alfred Adler, the founder of individual psychology, was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1870. Adler became connected with Freud when he joined the Wednesday night discussion group led by Freud in 1902, but he left Freud in 1911. During the ten years they worked together, Freud regarded Adler as his protégé and successor, even appointing him as the president of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society. Adler respected Freud for his contributions, especially in dream analysis. However, ultimately, the two parted ways. One of the main reasons for their separation was that Freud viewed Adler as his disciple or follower, while Adler had already published his own early-stage theories before meeting Freud.

자신의 기반을 어느 정도 갖춘 상태였기 때문에 프로이트의 제자나 추종자로 취급받는 것을 거부했습니다. 그러나 아들러에 따르면 프로이트는 계속해서 아들러를 제자라고 명칭했으며, 결국 아들러는 프로이트를 교활하거나 협조꾼이라고 말할 지경에 이르렀습니다. 그러나 그들이 갈라선 더 근본적인 이유는 두 번째 이유 때문인데, 인간 행동의 기본적이고 주요한 동기에 대해 서로 다른 견해를 가졌기 때문입니다. 프로이트는 이것을 쾌락과 성이라고 보았고, 아들러는 대인관계와 관련된 사회적인 것이라고 생각했습니다. 사회운동가로서 그는 사회 변화가 인류의 건강을 증진시키는 데 필요하다고 역설하면서 1차 세계 대전 이후 사회 변화의 전형을 제시했습니다. 그는 아동지도 클리닉을 설립하여 아동들의 행동을 어떻게 이해할 것인가에 대해 교사들과 일반인들을 가르쳤습니다. 아들러는 나치 때문에 1929년에…

After seeking asylum in the United States, it is said that interest in his individual psychology had already been well established there. Therefore, Adler accepted a professorship at Columbia University and passionately pursued teaching. However, on his way to give a lecture in Scotland, he died of a heart attack at six o'clock. Overall, Adler's individual psychology focuses on human growth based on an optimistic view of humanity. Now, let's explore some key concepts of individual psychology. The first is lifestyle. Adler defined lifestyle as the way a child adapts to their surrounding environment, resulting from a combination of their previous environment and their own creative efforts. It includes the plans one makes for their life and their cognitive and behavioral patterns toward the world. While explaining lifestyle, Adler emphasized individual creativity, noting that individuals are influenced by their environment, genetics, and sibling relationships.

There is a creative power that integrates experiences into each person's lifestyle, and the way individuals strive for goals that align with their lifestyles is unique to each person. Therefore, even identical twins, who share the same environment and genetic traits, use different creative abilities to develop distinct lifestyles and life goals. Furthermore, lifestyles are formed before the age of six and tend not to change easily without intentional intervention. There are two main motivations that significantly influence the formation of lifestyles. The first is the desire for importance, which relates to the need for validation compared to others. The second is social interest. Regarding the need for validation, children may perceive the world as chaotic and hostile through experiences of being empowered or experiencing consensus. Additionally, the sense of inferiority that everyone is born with can be exacerbated by the surrounding adults.

확대됩니다. 이러한 아동의 라이프스타일은 사회적 공원보다는 개인적 우월감을 더 지향하게 됩니다. 또한, 다른 사람들이 나를 상처 입히기 전에 내가 먼저 그들을 물리쳐야 한다는 생각과 그 생각에 일치되는 행동은 주어진 환경에서 살아남기 위한 방식이 됩니다. 아들러는 사회적 관심은 누구에게나 선천적으로 잠재되어 있지만, 두 가지 요소 때문에 사회적 관심이 감소될 수 있다고 합니다. 첫 번째는 신체적 장애이고, 두 번째는 환경적 영향, 즉 잘못된 양육이나 성차별, 인종차별, 계급 차별 등의 외적 요인이 그것입니다. 성, 인종 또는 계급의 기반에서 타인으로부터 부정적인 반응을 경험한 아이들이 선택할 가능성이 있는 생존 방식은 넘버원이 되는 것입니다. 또한, 부모가 애지중지하여 버릇없이 키우거나 반대로 방임하거나 하는 아동은 사회 관계에 대해서 왜곡된 태도를 가지게 됩니다. 그래서 아들러는 한 개인에게 무슨...

To understand what is happening, it is necessary to consider an individual's attitude towards those around them. The third key concept is the feeling of inferiority. Humans strive for improvement through the perception of being inferior and ignorant; therefore, Adler explained that the feeling of inferiority is a normal part of life for human existence. However, he also defined mocking children as a criminal act, emphasizing the negative and destructive effects of constantly pointing out children's feelings of inferiority. The inferiority complex, which we commonly know and use, refers to this normal feeling of inferiority. Although Adler is referred to as the father of the inferiority complex and superiority complex, he was reluctant to use the term complex himself because it is undeniably associated with Freud.

It is a term that evokes certain associations, so I didn't want to attach a word that would remind me of Freud's concepts of inferiority and superiority, which I studied. Therefore, I ultimately defined the inferiority complex as an abnormal definition of inferiority. The complex of superiority is a false sense of superiority characterized by a lack of social interest. When one has a superiority complex, they may appear to have no feelings of inferiority on the surface, but in reality, they display boastfulness and aggression stemming from a desire to overcome their inferiority complex. For example, actions like lying, stealing, introducing others, or engaging in forbidden behaviors can stem from a superiority complex, making one feel powerful. One ironic aspect related to the superiority complex is the expression of one's own powerlessness and weakness, as seen in depression, and the impact of the deaths of those around them.

Extreme expressions of grief can be interpreted by those around as a sign of superiority, suggesting that they must take care of the individual. Fourthly, there is a concept called basic tasks, which refers to three fundamental tasks that a healthy individual must accomplish within the community. These tasks involve love for the community. Even tasks that seem personal, such as work and love, are actually related to communal life. The reason is that a person cannot love without a desire to contribute to the improvement of others, and through this, they contribute to society to some extent. Adler added two life tasks to the three basic tasks. The first is to discover that one is valuable. According to individual psychology, humans believe they have dualities within themselves, such as good and evil, moral and immoral, laziness and strength, and they continuously wage an internal war where one side wins or loses, which prevents them from focusing on their own values.

However, such duality is fake. Moreover, if we live in a society that does not emphasize personal values, we will not be able to have confidence in our own values. Adler emphasized that discovering what one lacks in values is also a part of life and work. The second aspect is finding one's position in the universe. This leads to existential thoughts about developing human characteristics and the meaning of life. Next, I will introduce the formation and development process of lifestyle. Children form their initial lifestyles by interpreting how the people around them perceive the world and how they solve problems. If they make incorrect interpretations, they may develop a lifestyle goal of achieving a false sense of success. To achieve this false success, they might become preoccupied with defeating others or taking care of themselves. Individual psychology is influenced by birth order and family.

I will explain how atmosphere, parental modeling, and gender can influence the formation of an individual's lifestyle. First, regarding birth order, the position of a child within the family plays a significant role in lifestyle development. The firstborn child often receives exclusive attention from the parents and may act like a monarch, but when a younger sibling is born, they experience a loss of status. As they take on the responsibility of caring for the younger sibling, they come to realize the importance of power and authority, which may lead them to pursue these traits later in life. The second child, often referred to as the forgotten child, spends their life trying to catch up to the firstborn. They may strive to become the most outstanding member of the family or, conversely, give up and become disheartened. The middle child often feels caught between siblings, experiencing a sense of being overlooked.

Having the feeling of not being able to enjoy the benefits provided to other siblings, one may feel like Goliath. Conflicts often arise more with older siblings than with younger ones. The youngest child may monopolize love but lacks trust, which prevents them from building confidence. This can lead to an extreme focus on power or, conversely, to a fearful and indecisive personality. An only child may either struggle to socialize well with others or, due to excessive protection from parents, become self-centered and lead a socially unfulfilling life. Regarding family values that influence lifestyle and the modeling of sick parents, Adler emphasizes the role parents should play. The mother's role is to teach the child cooperation calmly and rationally, to interact with the surrounding world and her husband, and to provide the child with experiences of trustworthy individuals. The father's role is to prove himself as a good partner to his wife and child.

The influence of the father appears to be more powerful in the later lives of children than that of the mother. The role of parents is to teach social awareness, and the relationship between parents provides the child with perspectives on partnership and heterosexual attributes. Therefore, through collaboration, parents should serve as role models. Next, we will discuss the impact of gender on the formation and development of lifestyles. Adler condemned the bias against gender, emphasizing its effects on the development of girls. For instance, he explained that wishing to change into a male or submitting oneself to inferior situations while being obedient, as well as pursuing masculine goals in the context of lesbian narratives, are negative influences stemming from exposure to gender bias. In individual psychology, let’s consider how dysfunction is defined. First, a healthy individual acknowledges their imperfections.

Accepting the normal state of life and having the courage to acknowledge one's imperfections, one confronts problems head-on and resolves them in a socially constructive manner. Additionally, one contributes to the community and seeks socially useful work with their partner. The psychological dysfunction of unhealthy individuals, when viewed in terms of life's usefulness, leads to a loss of courage and the choice of self-protection as a defense mechanism against feelings of inferiority and loss of courage. In other words, the lifestyle of unhealthy individuals aims to protect self-esteem by pursuing goals that promote personal superiority, thus safeguarding themselves. Because social interest is inadequately developed, they resolve issues in a self-centered manner. Dysfunction manifests as a safety device for self-protection, with conscious safety devices including excuses, attacks, total avoidance, and excessive drinking, while unconscious safety devices present as psychological symptoms, according to Adler.

People with neuroses such as anxiety or depression have a distinct tendency to avoid the responsibility of challenging life tasks. Adler referred to them as owners of personality. This is defined by their feelings of inferiority, which lead them to make excuses to avoid responsibility, as they believe they will fail. These individuals endure the pain caused by anxiety simply to avoid the outcome of failure. Adler identified the origins of neurosis in childhood and explained that three types of children are at a higher risk of experiencing neuroses such as anxiety or depression. 

Firstly, children who experience feelings of inferiority or physical problems related to developmental stages tend to focus on their bodies and find it difficult to give up the meaning of life that can be achieved by contributing to others. Secondly, spoiled and undisciplined children are provided with immediate gratification by their caregivers.

Because it was nurtured by this, I never learned how to solve problems throughout my life, and feelings of inferiority are rather reinforced. The third room for rent is that they are unlikely to learn about love and cooperation, making them more likely to passively or reactively reject attempts by others to influence them. Personal psychology has been increasingly structured. It is divided into formal and informal diagnoses, and the methods of obtaining information through the client's statements fall under the category of formal diagnosis. The formal diagnosis serves as a means to gather information that can help understand the lifestyle. First, an interview is conducted on eight items, including social bonds and social interest in disabilities. When recalling childhood, if one remembers a time when their parents fought, with the father throwing a chair and leaving the house, it reflects a negative perspective on adult relationships and a way of solving problems through violence.

A person's lifestyle can be reflected in their individual characteristics. The interviewer asks Matt Amjah to describe himself, his siblings, and his parents, and questions the relationships among family members to gather information about traits that emerge from the family. A commonly used question in personal psychology is, If something were different, how would it change? For instance, if the people who used to mistreat me no longer did so, or if those symptoms disappeared, the answers to such questions reveal the underlying intentions related to the symptoms. For example, if a person with depression responds to the question, How would it be different if you weren't depressed? by saying they could be more successful at work, it may indicate that they have anxiety about their ability to succeed in the workplace. Conversely, if they answer that they could return to spending time with friends like they used to, it might suggest feelings of inferiority regarding their current capabilities as a mother or wife.

You may have a fear of spending enjoyable times with friends. So, what would change if we ask this question? This question can help determine the intention of the symptoms and the treatment goals. The basic mistakes that Matt Amjah repeats are also subjects of diagnosis. In personal psychology, basic mistakes refer to the false assumptions that children make when trying to understand their experiences. Among these, overgeneralization is the tendency to generalize symptoms from a specific situation and apply them broadly. For example, if a boyfriend cheats, one might assume that they cannot trust all men. Classical diagnosis involves diagnosing through the client's tone, behavior, voice, posture, and so on. Observations are made to see if the client tends to mumble, displays arrogance, keeps appointments, makes excuses, etc. The purpose of these observations is to understand the client's way of navigating the world.

In relation to therapeutic properties, individual psychology emphasizes three important elements in therapy: belief, hope, and love. Belief refers to the trust that the client has in the therapist and the therapist's belief in the client's ability to change. The therapist's confidence and their attitude of listening without judgment or evaluation are crucial for forming the client's trust in the therapist. This is because, through the therapist's acceptance, understanding, and concern, the client can begin to form a relationship in which they trust both themselves and the therapist. 

Hope can arise from the feeling of being understood by the therapist. Additionally, the therapist encourages the client to accept the difficulties of life and the therapeutic process, helping them to maintain hope. Regarding love, individual psychology explains that it is important for the client to experience love in its most general sense through the therapist's empathetic listening and demonstrated concern. Adler emphasized the significance of strong belief in therapy.

While explaining the importance of love, I also described the three elements that help clients experience it, highlighting a pitfall for practitioners: providing immediate satisfaction or excessively supporting clients beyond the therapeutic scope. In personal psychology, the relationship between therapist and client is fundamentally based on the premise of an equal relationship, where the therapist is an expert who helps the client grow in their own life. Additionally, the therapist acts as an active and guiding educator. The idea that the therapist aspires to an equal relationship with the client may sound paradoxical; however, the meaning of education here is not to teach through a hierarchical order, but rather to play the role of an information provider by offering practical and helpful information while encouraging the client. The choice regarding the information remains the client's responsibility. The therapeutic goal is to assist the client in understanding and gaining insight into their misguided lifestyle.

The goal is to help clients create changes that ultimately reflect social interest through insights into their lifestyle. For example, it involves increasing social interest and efforts to collaborate with family or others. It also aims to challenge self-defeating behaviors and develop problem-solving skills, which are set as sub-goals under the objective of developing an adaptive lifestyle. The first step of the therapeutic process is to establish a tentative relationship, where empathy is very important. Adler emphasized that the therapist's ability to understand the world from the perspective of others is a significant gift, and it is crucial for the therapist to possess this ability. The therapist's active listening and caring attitude allow the client to feel understood. The therapist, along with the empathetic, active listening, and caring attitude, also focuses on the client's strengths and abilities.

It is important to convey the certainty that the client has the power to change while focusing on them. This is because individual psychology is a theory that communicates hope, suggesting that humans can discover better ways to solve problems and enhance their sense of belonging, thereby playing a meaningful role in the community. Setting agreed-upon therapeutic goals through tentative hypotheses about the client's behavior is also crucial at this stage. If the therapist's and client's goals differ, it can evoke resistance from the client. The second stage of the therapeutic process is lifestyle analysis. In this stage, diagnostic tools previously mentioned are utilized to assess the lifestyle. The third stage of the guidance process is insight. This is the stage where the client recognizes how they engage in certain behaviors, that is, their lifestyle and psychological symptoms. In other words, it is about accepting the therapist's interpretations.

In the relationship, the therapist's interpretation is primarily conveyed tentatively through questioning. At this point, as important as the therapist's insightful interpretations is the acknowledgment of their own mistakes. By witnessing the therapist's efforts to resolve issues caused by their mistakes and to avoid repeating the same errors, clients can be supported in accepting the therapist's interpretations, which is emphasized in individual psychology. The final fourth step involves resetting and creating changes in lifestyle. In this stage, the focus is on finding ways to behave differently, setting realistic and socially appropriate goals, and then creating change. Next, I will introduce therapeutic techniques used in individual psychology. The first therapeutic technique to be introduced is interpretation. Interpretation involves the therapist cautiously and tentatively conveying insights about the client, including aspects such as the client's lifestyle, goals, fundamental intentions, basic mistakes, and ways of functioning.

Helping clients to recognize their psychological changes means that after the counseling begins, clients may show an increased interest in socially useful goals or demonstrate a change in taking responsibility for their lives. It is also very useful for the therapist to capture and interpret these changes. The second technique, encouragement, helps clients discover their strengths and realize that they have the power to influence the world through their choices. For clients who are sweating profusely, helping them differentiate between failure and being a failure is one example of encouragement. The third therapeutic technique involves natural and logical consequences, which allows clients to experience the results of their actions and take responsibility for their choices. First, natural consequences are results based on rules set by schools or society. Adler describes the behavior of interfering parents, who prevent their children from experiencing natural consequences, as poor parenting.

It was mentioned as an example that a parent might call the school on behalf of a child who hasn't done their homework, claiming the child left it behind, or that when the child fails to put their clothes in the laundry basket, the parent nags them while also putting the clothes in for them. Adler emphasizes that children should be allowed to experience the natural consequences of their actions. Reasonable or logical consequences should be related to the misbehavior and should involve the loss of certain privileges for a specific period. For instance, a reasonable consequence for a child who fusses at the dinner table or plays around instead of eating might be to remove their bowl and deprive them of the right to eat. However, if a child fusses and is then prevented from playing with friends or has their teddy bear taken away, this is described as an unrelated deprivation and is considered poor parenting. In the therapeutic process, clients should also be allowed to experience both natural and reasonable consequences.

허용함으로써 자신의 선택에 책임을 지도록 하는 기법을 사용합니다. 네 번째, '처럼 행동하기' 기법은 변화에 대한 준비가 된 새로운 행동을 시도할 것을 고려하는 단계의 내담자에게 활용할 수 있습니다. 상담자는 내담자가 새로운 행동을 성공적인 것처럼 행동하라고 요청합니다. 이것은 행동 치료의 행동 실험과 비슷한 기법으로, 내담자가 시도하지 않았던 행동과 내담자 자신에 대한 관점의 변화를 유도합니다. '처럼 행동하기'는 원하기만 했더라면 하는 변명에 대한 개입 방법이기도 합니다. 예를 들어, 자신이 예쁘지도 않고 그래서 자신감도 없다는 내담자가 자신이 마치 예쁘고 자신감이 있는 것처럼 다음 한 주 동안 행동해 보도록 하는 것입니다. '버튼 누르기'는 자신의 감정을 제어할 수 없다고 생각하는 내담자를 위한 개입 방법입니다. 방법은 다음과 같습니다. 우선, 즐거운 장면이나 일을 마음속에 그려보고, 수반되는 감정을 살펴봅니다.

Next, we imagine scenes that evoke negative emotions such as feelings of insult or anger and explore those feelings. Finally, we return to the original positive emotions. A side note is what one should focus on. By pressing the button, individuals learn that they can create their own emotions through their decisions. The therapist provides time for discussion, allowing the client to reflect on how they could change their emotions, helping them experience that the energy for change resides within themselves. 

Stopping is important. A person who cannot control their arms may throw objects or use verbal abuse to express their feelings of power and to release negative emotions. After thoroughly exploring when the client feels inferior through the button-pressing technique, we can address the patterns of throwing objects or verbal abuse before they are reenacted.

You can attempt to stop by creating an image, which is a typical example of an intervention method for the client's misguided goals. When the client describes actions taken to assert power over others through verbal abuse or violence, or when they try to demonstrate power in their relationship with the therapist, the guide may refer to the client as, for example, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and say, You're doing well like Arnold Schwarzenegger. This method can be humorously applied depending on the situation. Additionally, outside the counseling room, the client can use this image to practice stopping on their own. 

Next is about making someone happy. The therapist can observe the client's changes and encourage them to do something that can make a specific person happy for several days. For instance, they may encourage the client to do kind things for someone in their life or for someone with whom they had conflicts.

Doing some household chores that one usually doesn't do can be understood in one way. Adler referred to the paradoxical intention as spitting in the soup, which involves deliberately exaggerating the behavior of the individual being corrected and allowing the client to observe the reactions of those around them. For example, if a client tends to verbally lash out when they are angry, they might be encouraged to express even harsher insults when they are not angry and observe the reactions of those around them. This gives the client an opportunity to see more objectively, without emotional involvement, how their behavior affects their relationships with others. 

Lastly, regarding evaluation, individual psychology was the first to acknowledge the impact of social factors such as jokes, racism, and gender on personal behavior, and it is evaluated as a counseling theory that is well-regarded today. Questions related to augmentation, such as If this, then what would change? have become integral to solution-focused counseling and the concept of miracle questions.

The basic concept of cognitive errors has been evaluated as having a significant influence on individual psychology, which in turn has impacted the development of various counseling theories. However, there are criticisms that the influence of social conditions on individuals is a phenomenon that can be understood through common sense, leading to assessments that this perspective is overly simplistic. Conversely, there are also critiques suggesting that various constructs are intertwined, making the theory complex. For example, while cognitive concepts are emphasized, personality is also addressed, and aspects such as dream analysis and transference are included, which results in a lack of coherence in the theory. Another critical viewpoint is that all behaviors are explained through assumptions that are difficult to measure, such as inferiority complex, power-seeking, and social interest. Furthermore, the research data aimed at substantiating the theories also presents methodological issues. For instance, there are five tools used to measure social interest.

There has been research indicating that the correlation between the various factors is very small. In other words, while all academic fields claim to measure social interest, they are measuring different concepts. This might be a criticism that applies to other theories as well, but even if effective therapeutic outcomes have been achieved through working with a diverse range of clients using individual abilities, it is essential that more research provides empirical evidence to support these claims. Adler's individual psychology includes many concepts, much like Freud's psychoanalytic theory or Jung's analytical psychology. This seems to be a common characteristic of early psychology. From the perspective of modern psychological therapy theories, it may appear complex or inconsistent, but it feels like a theory that sought to understand the human mind comprehensively from multiple viewpoints rather than just one angle. This concludes the discussion on Alfred Adler's individual psychology.

I will conclude the introduction to psychology. If you liked the knowledge in this video, please support the channel by liking the video and setting up notifications.

[상담이론] 제4강 개인심리학(아들러)

[상담이론] 제4강 개인심리학(아들러)