Henry T. Stein, Ph.D., demonstrates Classical Adlerian Brief Therapy with a colleague who role-plays one of her clients. The client begins by complaining about an indifferent husband who used to be nicer. Using a Socratic style of questioning, Dr. Stein diplomatically explores what the client has omitted in the relationship, eventually focusing on what she could do differently to engage her husband positively, even to surprise him, and to consider what else she might do to improve the situation. (Requires Apple QuickTime Player.)

After the demonstration, Dr. Stein explains his therapeutic strategies and responds to questions from the group. The therapist's optimism and faith in what the client could do, provides a persistent stream of encouragement, even if it only stimulates doubt in her current, limited beliefs. The benefits of group work and role-playing, as well as memories, dreams, and fantasies are also clarified. (Requires Apple QuickTime Player.)

The original newsreel clip of Alfred Adler was filmed by Fox Movietone News on June 17, 1929 in Vienna, Austria. The archived film, at the University of South Carolina Film Library, is in fair condition (considering its age), with some scratches and other blemishes. Consequently, the video copy, and subsequent streaming file, are of modest quality. The audio, however, is quite clear. If you can accept the technical limitations (including lip-sync lapses), you will enjoy this rare film of Adler. The Alfred Adler Institute of Northwestern Washington has been licensed by the University of South Carolina Film Library to present this clip on its web site as streaming video. The material is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced in whole or part.

The origin of this brief film clip is unknown. Although Adler speaks in English, the subtitles are in German.

The original audio tapes were recordings of a series of lectures to a wide variety of audiences in Los Angeles, recorded between 1950-1961, then later transcribed and used by Adele Davidson in her book, Lyida Sicher: An Adlerian Perspective. Sicher's accent and the recording quality, make some words difficult to understand, but the recording provide a brief flavor of her presentation.

A series of five one-hour lectures was presented to a group of therapists and students, in San Rafael, California, about Bruck's approach to working with children and counseling by mail. In this excerpt he comments on nine categories of children he has oberved in his work as a school psychologist.

Dyanne Pienkowski, a Classical Adlerian Depth Psychotherapist and Training Analyst, gave a presentation at the IAIP Congress in Chicago, in Ausgust, 1999. Her thesis: the similarities between the philosophy of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Classical Adlerian Psychology are fascinating; the founders of AA may have been influenced by Adler's ideas, especially his views of the interconnectedness of all of life, the importance of cooperation and social interest, and the feeling of inferiority as an impetus for striving toward completion or superiority. A creative integration of Classical Adlerian Depth Psychotherapy and the philosophy of AA can be extremely useful in the treatment of recovering addicts and alcoholics. Classical Adlerian Depth Psychotherapy offers a unique and effective means of creating a bridge of cooperation between the therapist, the client, and the AA community. This bridge can gradually awaken the creative power of the client and increase his social interest. AA is an important support system, however, it is not psychotherapy and cannot assist the client in dissolving his style of life and fictional final goal--this is the task of depth psychotherapy.

Originally published in German in 1933 as "Der Sinn des Lebens," (The Meaning of Life), the book was translated into English and published in 1938 as "Social Interest: A Challenge to Mankind." An online version, in PDF format, with a bookmarked table of contents, is now available. Using Adobe Reader, a Kindle, or any E-Book that reads PDF files, the document may be read, searched, highlighted, and commented for personal study.

At a lecture in Vienna on February 4th, 1930, when Alfred Adler was asked about the best beginning book to read on Individual Psychology, he recommended "The Science of Living." An online version, in PDF format, with a bookmarked table of contents, is now available. Using Adobe Reader, a Kindle, or any E-Book that reads PDF files, the document may be read, searched, highlighted, and commented for personal study.

Much of the discussion of the meaning of social interest has explained its social and psychological dimensions. Adler himself, also commented on the parallels between the views of religion on the process of salvation and Individual Psychological treatment, "In Individual Psychology, during its mild barrage of questions, the erring person experiences grace, redemption, and forgiveness by becoming a part of the whole." Adler also discussed the importance that the idea of God has had as a guiding ideal for mankind toward an ideal society. Alexander Mueller's book, "You Shall Be A Blessing," presents his thought on the deeper philosophical and spiritual aspects of social interest, the roots of which are seen in connection to man's relationship with creation. Mueller's book is packed with wisdom, insight and challenge, adding to Adler's philosophy in a way that will at times move the reader and then leave him with an altered picture of himself in the world.

Theme Pack 1: Birth Order - "How Position in the Family Constellation Influences Life Style," by Alfred Adler. Adler explores the difficulties facing oldest, second, youngest, and only children in a family. He also illustrates the influences of pampering, dethronement, and sexual roles. Chapter XXV from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 7.

Theme Pack 2: Dreams - "On the Interpretation of Dreams," by Alfred Adler. After presenting a short summary of Freud's contributions to dream theory, Adler offers a contrasting perspective of dreams (with illustrations) as attempts to solve the problems of life, away from common sense--toward an unconscious style of life. Chapter XXI from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 7.

Theme Pack 3: Substance Abuse "Narcotic Abuse and Alcoholism," by Alfred Adler. Rather than struggling to solve a difficult problem, the substance abuser often seeks quick relief. Adler suggests a series of penetrating interview questions that reveal what is being avoided, and discusses the lack of preparation problem-solving since early childhood. Chapter VII from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 7.

Theme Pack 4: Early Recollections "Significance of Early Recollections," by Alfred Adler. When correctly understood in relation to the rest of an individual's life, early recollections (although often imagined) contain the central interests of that person. They give us valuable hints and clues in finding the direction of a person's striving and style of life. Chapter XXVI from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler" - Volume 7.

Theme Pack 5: Striving & Social Interest - "The Origin of the Striving for Superiority & Social Interest," by Alfred Adler. Every individual strives for completeness. Variations are the striving for perfection, superiority, and power, yielding different degress of social usefulness. The basic direction of human evolution is social feeling which needs social understanding in order to develop. Chapter XXVI from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 7.

Theme Pack 6: Criminals & Crime - "Individual Psychololgy and Crime," by Alfred Adler. In criminals, social interest is deeply disturbed, or in some cases non-existent. Not interested in others, he can cooperate only to a certain degree. When this level is exhausted, and a problem is too difficult for him, he turns to crime. Chapter XXIII from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 6.

Theme Pack 7: Philosophy - "The Meaning of Life," by Alfred Adler. Feeling valuable results from a successful contribution to others and is the only direction in which the average inferiority feelings of people experience a successful compensation. To be valuable means to have contributed. Thus, human happiness can be found only in applied social interest. Chapter XXIV from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 6.

Theme Pack 8: Inferiority & Striving -"The Feeling of Inferiority and the Striving for Recognition," by Alfred Adler. In children, there is a basic human need to compensate for the feeling of inferiority with an increased quest for recognition. We should never demand more than the child can accomplish, because at this point most of our errors in education begin. Educators should not use physical or psychological punishment, not ridicule children, or humiliate them in any way. Chapter II from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 6.

Theme Pack 9: Character & Talent - "Character and Talent," by Alfred Adler. Talent is not inherited, and the possibilities and potentialities of any individual for performance are not fixed, nor are intellectual and other talents separated from the totality of the personality. One must first understand this totality before attempting to judge the level of performance in any sensible way. Adler emphasizes the role of training and the struggle to overcome difficulties and defects. Chapter I from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 6.

Theme Pack 10: Love and Marriage - "Love is a Recent Invention," "Marriage as a Mutual Task," "Disturbances in Love Relationships," & "Marriage as a Responsibility," by Alfred Adler. According to Adler, the ideal of modern love did not exist until women were emancipated from their social and economic shackles; it is a dyad of equal partners. From this perspective, many of the early writings of poets and philosophers about love are for the most part "nonsense." If the early impulses of affection in a child are accompanied by a felt weakness, later in adulthood, mature love will be incompatible with a striving for personal power. The decision to marry, from both partners, ought to spring from a mutual striving for humaneness. Chapters XIX, XXVII, & XXXVI from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 5, and Chapter XXIV from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 7.

Theme Pack 11: Influencing Children - "Problem Children" and "The Child's Symptom Selection," by Alfred Adler. Adler stresses the futility of dominance and punishment in influencing children. In order to gain a child's respect and cooperation, an adult must approach the child with a feeling of equality and engage the child in a friendly discussion to solve problems for mutual benefit. Children who feel intimidated by adults, often resort to lying, deception, and annoying symptoms to defeat their adversary. Chapter XXXIV from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 5, and Chapter II from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 7.

Theme Pack 12: The Roots of Child Guidance - "The Physician as Educator" and "The Child's Need for Affection," by Alfred Adler. In his earlist writings as a physician, before developing his principles of psychological theory and practice, Adler urges the medical community to look at the education of children. He stresses the avoidance of punishment as well as the seminal importance of affection. These articles foreshadow his later conception of social interest as a central factor in personality development. Chapter VI from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 2, and Chapter XIII from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 2.

Theme Pack 13: Criminals and Cure - "The Individual Criminal and His Cure" and "Neurosis and Crime," by Alfred Adler. The paper is a study on the ciminal's private logic: on his egoism, greed, and the exclusion of other people. All people around the criminal are there only to satisfy his needs and cravings. Many people also find a feeling of superiority when they resist laws, police, and authorities in general. Adler believes that a harsh education may be a contributing cause in the development of a criminal personality, but more important, is how much the hardships experienced during the "tender years" are in conflict with the person's real feeling of himself. Chapter XIX from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 6, and Chapter XIII from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 5.

Theme Pack 14: Preventing Delinquency - "Where Should the Struggle Against Delinquency Begin?" and "The Structure and Prevention of Delinquency," by Alfred Adler. Although Adler believes that the preventing delinquency must be advanced from many fronts, from the family to the government, he centers on the school as the most likely place to begin. He emphasizes that crime occurs where social interest, empathy and sympathy are insufficiently developed, criminals regarding other people merely as objects. The challenge is for parents and teachers to recognize the critical, early development of social interest as the best prevention of delinquency. Chapter I from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 5, and Chapter XIX from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 7.

Theme Pack 15: Creative Power - "Striving Toward Ideal Form" by Alfred Adler. Adler clarifies the individual's role in the steady steam of evolution, pushed by the early blessing of inferiority feelings, pulled by an imagined ideal of completion, and fueled by creative power. These powerful vectors of striving to overcome difficulties and the imagining of ideal solutions fuel the engine of social evolution. Yet, small to monumental errors can be made, and Adler recognizes the dangers of early mistaken directions that hinder socially useful improvements. His genius lies in the early recognition of positive and negative tendencies and strategies for correcting the individual's life course. Chapter II from The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler - Volume 12.