Child & Family Therapy

In his many published case illustrations, Alfred Adler shows us how he talks to children and their parents, often making remarkably quick contact while having immediate, helpful impact. Although his brief encounters with troubled families are impressive, they do not generally illustrate the full range of diagnostic and therapeutic work usually required to solve many difficult family problems.

Those lucky enough to follow Adler around Europe and watch him work with families gained a sense of the feeling and attitude behind the words he used. These three-dimensional demonstrations brought to life his complex, holistic philosophy and treatment strategies. My initial contact with Adler was through his popular books, which I eagerly devoured. His writings inspired me to attend Adlerian conferences and witness demonstrations of family counseling. Only when I met and observed Sophia de Vries working with children did I feel a profound congruence between Adler's ideas and their application. Like Adler, she was irresistible to children, meeting them at their level and playfully engaging them.

Sophia's teachings about therapy with children provide a rare source of Adlerian wisdom for psychotherapists. In addition to studying thoroughly with Adler, she was also trained by Lydia Sicher and Alexander Mueller, and studied child development with Charlotte Buhler.

The ideas of Adler, de Vries, and Mueller set the intellectual, emotional, and philosophical tone of Classical Adlerian Child and Family Therapy. My own contribution is the addition of practical details about the diagnostic and therapeutic process, largely deduced from watching Sophia work and discussing cases with her for more than twenty years.

Part One: The Insights of Sophia de Vries

Child Development & The Striving for Superiority
Gemeinschaftsgefeuhl (Social Interest)

Part Two: Individual Psychology Questionnaire & Comments by Alexander Mueller

Questionnaire
Mueller's Comments

Part Three: Contributions to Theory and Practice by the Author

Chapter 1: Formulating an Ideal
          Qualities in Cooperative, Courageous Children
          Parental Qualities that Promote Cooperative,Courageous Children
          Democratic Atmosphere in the Home
          Relationship to the Outside World
Chapter 2: Dangerous Corners
          Toxic Parental Attitudes
          Potential Impact of Birth Order
          Potentially Difficult and Misleading Situations
Chapter 3: Comprehensive Family Diagnostic
Chpater 4: Diagnostic & Therapeutic Materials
Chapter 5: Stages of Family Therapy
          Child Guidance Retraining for Parents
          Individual Therapy With a Child
          Individual Therapy With the Parents
          Relationship Therapy, Mother/Father/Child/Siblings

PartFour: Discussions With Sophia de Vries About Cases

Chapter 1: Observing Sophia Working With Children and Mother
Chapter 2: Discussing Child Development
Chapter 3: Issues of Education and Parenting
Chapter 4: Making Initial Contact With a Child
Chpater 5: Sensing a Child's Unmet Needs
Chapter 6: How to Question a Child

Part Five: Discussion of One Family

Chapter 1: Presenting Problem, Diagnosis & Working With the Parents
Chapter 2: Therapeutic Work With the Children

Appendix

Adlerian Client Questionnaire
Adlerian Family Questionnaire

To order the book, use the "buy now" links.