MEET TRAUMA-INFORMED THERAPIST OLYMPIA in Falls Church, Virginia

The goal of Adlerian therapy is based on 5 Adlerian Life Tasks: Relating to others (building friendships), making a contribution (through work or service), achieving intimacy (romantic relationships as well as through friends), a good relationship with the self (transitioning feelings of inferiority to superiority), and developing our spiritual dimension (religion, etc.). Adlerians, like Person-Centered counselors, do not decide for their clients what they should change or what their goals should be. However, Adlerian therapy possesses some locus of control, for this life task framework has a purpose: all tasks must be completed for someone to lead a fulfilling life where their personal goals are consistent with social interest.

According to Adler, failure to do so results in neurosis or in individuals with disorders, increased isolation, and dysfunction in the life tasks. Maladjustment occurs when the person strives for personal superiority without regard for the wellbeing of others.

Cognitive Emotive Behavioral Therapy interventions usefully integrate into Adlerian therapy, such as:

A (activating event) assessing clients irrational or maladaptive thoughts and inner dialogue,

B (beliefs about activating event) helping clients learn more rational and adaptive ways of thinking and behaviors,

and C (emotional and behavioral consequences).

Cognitive Emotive Therapy and Adlerian therapy adopt an active-directive approach to helping clients solve their own problems.

Existential therapy, like Adlerian therapy, is a way of thinking that assumes we are free to choose. Since humans are aware of their own mortality, they have responsibility to decide what to do with their lives. Existential therapy believes that all problems can be reduced to the same four essential issues: death, meaningless, isolation, and loss of freedom. These essential issues have a chain reaction where they influence common issues Adlerian therapy focuses on such as belonging, social relevance, and purpose. For instance, an existential fear e.g. fear of death, rather than the acceptance of death, could paralyze someone to the point where they self-soothe with trivial indulgences instead of finding a purpose to make life fruitful.

I address client existential anxieties such as aging/running out of time/fear of approaching death because these anxieties can hold one back from becoming who they want to become.

Once an Adlerian counselor uses an Existential approach to uncover and heal such existential anxieties, they create an open space for the client to explore poignant Adlerian questions such as “What kind of impact do I want to make on the world?” Existential therapy guides clients towards finding meaning in their life (even if that meaning is just to seek pleasure and not add to society or just raise children who don’t contribute to society) while Adlerian therapy asserts all human behavior has a purpose and strives toward a specific non-self-absorbed goal that aids society in some way. Adlerian therapy works under the assumption that people can only be fulfilled if they have a purpose in life. Adlerian therapy may be limiting to people who see seeking pleasure in life as purpose or do not find one of the life tasks, such as loving romantic relationships, as necessary for self-growth and fulfillment. ‍

Therefore, I utilize Existential therapy with Adlerian therapy to add greater acceptance of my client’s paths. If I strictly applied Adlerian therapy, I would be following equality—applying the 5 Adlerian Life Tasks to each client so they may lead full, healthy lives, whereas if I view clients as a case by case basis, I would be following equity—striving to understand and give clients what they individually need to enjoy full, healthy lives.