Welcome to the Connection
February 2022 Issue
Letter from the Editor
Hi NASAP family!
Happy belated new year to everyone! Thank you all for being patient with the newsletter team as we had a very busy holiday, and took a break in January. We have some interesting, and informative pieces on early recollections. Additionally, we have several announcements listed at the end of the newsletter. The new NASAP website is live, and it looks phenomenal! Thanks so much to Jess Minckley for putting the whole site together! Registration is open for the 2022 conference, and can be easily accessed through the new site! I really look forward to seeing familiar faces, and meeting new people in Alexandria in May. I also hope to see some of you at the Florida Adlerian conference here in Tampa Bay next month! I hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying these brisk months. The theme for March will be “love and relationships”. I look forward to receiving your submissions for this important topic!
Sincerely,
Caroline Faifman
President’s Address
“…This time of world disarray presents unique challenges to the citizens of the world, and also to those of us in helping professions...”
Tim Hartshorne, President
Greetings Adlerians!
I hope everyone had some holiday cheer the past few weeks and feel ready to enter 2022. We know, of course, that many people do not experience any holiday cheer, and in fact depression and psychiatric admissions increase over the holidays. Seasonal affective disorder weighs heavy on many, particularly today as I am writing this on the winter solstice.
This time of world disarray presents unique challenges to the citizens of the world, and also to those of us in helping professions who care for and about human suffering. It can be hard to hold onto our Adlerian optimism, even with the courage to be imperfect and knowing the possibility of moving from a felt minus to a felt plus. We all have lifestyles.
This issue of The Connection has a special focus on early recollections, a key component to our lifestyle. My earliest recollection is in the hospital having had my tonsils removed. I was two years old, but I can still see the room, with a window very high above my hospital crib. The nurse and my mother were there and brought me some vanilla ice-cream. I felt cared for. I realize even that one ER tells you something about me. We have a powerful understanding of personality and movement from Adlerian Psychology. I could not be prouder than to have been able to lead an organization made up of people who not only understand this but are using it everyday to help our world survive. We are well over 600 members now and climbing. Thank you for all that you do. It makes a difference.
Tim
Early Recollections
By Candace Sneed
Early Recollections are one of my favorite Adlerian lifestyle explorations with my clients. One childhood memory can give us more than just a glimpse into our client’s personality, worldview, and perceptions. It can tell us some very specific things about one’s perceptions of self, others, and the world. My first experience as a volunteer for an ER demonstration in one of my Master’s classes several years ago turned me into a speedy believer in the power of ERs to help bring some awareness into my perceptions of self, world, and others as well as my purposefully chosen behaviors based on such.
Image by Callie Jo Barker-Grigaliunas, 2022 ©
I remember the experience quite vividly. In this particular Master’s class, Dr. Jill Duba-Sauerheber asked if anyone would volunteer for her to do a demonstration of ERs to the class. While I cannot recall in which class this experience took place or any other specific events of that evening, I do remember the exact ER that came up for me and the implications that ER had for my life at the time and even now. Although I cannot remember all of the particulars, the moments of awareness through this simple encounter were quite powerful for me. The ER I shared was one of myself and my older sibling playing on the sidewalk outside of my grandparent’s house. I am a second child from my parent’s marriage, the youngest of 2. The day was sunny, the grass was green…I was playing with some rocks I had found and my brother was riding on a bicycle with training wheels, close by. I was around 3 or maybe 4 years old, which would have made my brother 5 or 6. My mom had stepped inside the house with my maternal grandparents for a moment to have an adult conversation. I was playing with my rocks in the dirt, intently focused on whatever my little mind was orchestrating with the fascinating earth when all of the sudden my brother began to scream. I looked over and he had somehow gotten his ankle and foot caught in the spokes of the bicycle and the bike had fallen over on him. I went over to see if I could help. I attempted to calm him down so that he would stop wiggling so that I could lose his foot and help lift the bicycle off of his body. When I determined that I could not provide aid due to his hysteria, I ran into the house where my mother and grandparents were chatting. With my rocks in hand, I tried multiple times to interrupt the conversation to let them know my brother was hurt and needed help. Once they finally acknowledged my presence, I was able to tell them he was hurt. I remember the puzzled looks on their faces as they were trying to understand what I was telling them. I must have been difficult to understand, as their first response was, “Did you throw rocks at him? Is that why he is crying?” Since I could not make them understand, I took them by the hand and led them outside to where they saw that my sibling needed help and that I, in fact, had not harmed him.
Some of the most vivid parts of this memory are as follows: 1) I remember seeing my brother laying on the sidewalk screaming and wanting to help and 2) I remember my family chastising me as if I was the villain in this situation and I felt quite angry and hurt. My snapshot is of me, standing beneath the adults, with the rocks in my hand, being ignored, with the assumption that what I had to say was unimportant. As Dr. Sauerhebere allowed the class to make some hypotheses about my personality based on this ER, there were several guesses about my personality that were quite accurate. While I do not recall all of them, here are the ones that were most meaningful to me: 1) I tend to carry my work with me. My work is inherently a part of who I am. This made me realize my need to lay my burdens (my rocks) down and take a break from my toil. (I’m getting better at this one…it has taken a lot of practice!) 2) I learned that I often feel overlooked, undervalued, insignificant, and inadequate. I have spent much of my adult life trying to “do” good in order to be worthy and significant. 3) I learned to be careful about how I approach others (I have trust issues). This has gotten better with practice, time, self-acceptance, and self-love.
I have shared one of my earliest memories and some of my vulnerable parts with you. Some of you may be saying, “Oh, now I get it! That’s why Candace….(fill in the blank).” Others may be able to relate to some of my struggles or worldview. At the very least, I hope the rest of you can identify with the impact that an ER assessment can have on your client (or even yourself)! ERs are powerful! I have NEVER forgotten the lessons I learned from one brief encounter with one of my earliest memories. I highly recommend ERs as an integral piece in therapeutic practices, as well as a personally insightful individual appraisal of our worldview.
Hope you enjoyed it! Sending warm hugs!
Kind Regards, Candace Sneed
Experiencing Early Recollection Interpretation With Art Clark
By Caroline Faifman
Illustration © Callie Jo Barker-Grigaliunas, 2022
Today I had the privilege of learning about early recollections from Art Clark. I was certain I was completely prepared, and organized for the phone call this morning- believing without a doubt I would “get it right”. Art agreed to participate in a recorded early recollection demonstration to share in the newsletter. I sought advice from my more tech-savvy friend regarding how to properly record a phone call. The app I downloaded even transcribes the conversation- brilliant! However, despite my efforts and planning the conversation failed to record.
Lately, I have been practicing the courage to be imperfect. What I realized is that no matter how hard I try to “get it right” or “make it perfect, there are always variables and unexpected things that are unseen, and unavoidable. These ideas can lead me into a more existential discussion about the unknown in life- the good, the bad, the joyful surprises, and tragic accidents. However, what I’d like to focus on is the importance of how we choose to move forward from the inevitable unexpected events in life. I think often about Betty Lou Bettner and Amy Lew’s concept of the 4 Crucial C’s- courage, capable, count, and connect (Bettner & Lew, 1989). In this case, I was disappointed, frustrated with myself, and embarrassed that it did not work out the way I had planned, and how I explained it to Art. However, I remembered the word “capability” and realized I can make lemonade with this particular lemon. A quote from one of my favorite books “The Courage to Be Disliked”, “We are not determined by our experiences but the meaning we give them is self-determining” has been ringing in my ears lately (Kishimi & Koga, 2013).
With that said, I will share my experience with the early recollection interpretation and do my best with as many details as I can recall. Side note- take notice of this theme, and how it shows up in my early recollection, as well as Art’s interpretation.
At the beginning of the call, Art introduced himself and his professional background. He shared that he began learning about early recollections as a student. During his time as a school psychologist, he utilized this technique to help make sense of the adolescents’ behaviors and personalities. In addition to working as a school psychologist, Art also had a private practice and taught as a university professor at a master's level counseling program.
Next, I shared my early recollection, which I will type out in the next paragraph (this is verbatim as the recording did transcribe what I said). Art explained that he would write down the memory word for word to the best of his ability, and for that reason I made an effort to speak slowly. Art was silent as I briefly shared my memory. I felt nervous to share because I was afraid of what “bad” things it would show about my personality.
“I have a pretty vivid memory I was probably about 4 years old we were living in the house I originally grew up in, the first house I lived in. I was in my bedroom- it was nighttime, and my brother's room was across from mine. So his door was open and I could see him there and my brother wasn’t feeling well he had a cold and I remember my parents bringing him ice cream. My parents brought him vanilla ice cream and I was shocked I could not believe he was getting ice cream when he was sick and I was not getting any ice cream at all. And so I decided that I was sick, and I grabbed a bunch of tissues and I pretended to blow my nose as if I were sick, and I think I filled the garbage can up with fake tissues from blowing my nose and I think I remember my parents- they may or may not have noticed that’s a grey area in the memory, but I remember they possibly noticed and kind of disregarded it and went downstairs”
After I finished reciting the memory, Art asked me how I felt at the time, what was the most important part about the memory, and what stood out the most. I stated “I remember feeling lonely and as though it was an extreme injustice against me (laughing). The image of the vanilla ice cream in the bowl and the image of the full garbage bin of tissues are the two things that pop out the most. The feeling was lonely.”
Art shared his interpretation. He stated it could be interpreted as though I was being selfish that I wasn’t concerned with the fact that my brother was sick, but rather that I didn’t get the ice cream. However, he explained he believes the memory reflects how I value recognition, and I feel an injustice has occurred when I’m not being recognized. Art proposed that it seems as though I will go to great lengths to be recognized, and acknowledged before I am disregarded or passed by. He asked me how I interpreted what he said, and how I make sense of the memory. I discussed how I tend to be hyper-vigilant and try to be two steps ahead of others. I shared that I tend to agonize over “getting things right” or “perfect”, and try to predict any obstacles or issues that might arise.
Art then analyzed the five personality variables, and interpreted these based on my early recollection. He also discussed the senses, and what I value such as color, sound, and smell based on what I described in the memory. Finally, Art discussed how he utilizes empathy when interpreting an early recollection. He stated that he becomes the person in that memory as they are telling it to be able to see what they see, and feel what they feel.
One question I thought about during our talk was, “How subjective are early memory interpretations?” I wonder if I shared the same memory with four different people, how different would the interpretations be? Would one person be right, and the others wrong? Or perhaps all four people would be right in different ways. Or maybe it does not matter who is right or wrong, but rather how the information is delivered and received in that particular moment in the person’s life. This experience has prompted me to think and meditate on what it means to “get it right”, and whether or not “getting it right” even exists. I believe the perfect human being is imperfect and makes mistakes because being “perfect” includes having imperfections. The beauty in making mistakes, imperfections, and the unexpected are what we make of them, and how we move forward with the information and experiences we gain.
If you would like to read more about the process of interpreting early recollections, please read Art Clark’s article in The Journal of Individual Psychology, Volume 74, Number 4, Winter, 2018, pp. 351-367.
References
Bettner, B.L. & Lew, A. (1989). Raising Kids Who Can. Connexionx Press.
Kishimi & Fumitake. (2013). The Courage To Be Disliked. Diamond Inc.
THE FIRST RECOLLECTIONS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
By Ozan Canak
"There is no coincidental moment"- Alfred Adler, 1931
Image by Leslie Beattie, 2022 ©
The situation that Adler called "lifestyle" comprises emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and tensions of an individual. The individual’s lifestyle provides a great deal of insight into how the person perceives oneself, others, and the world. The desire and strive for superiority represent the lifestyle. The person's weaknesses and superiority are presented to compensate for these weaknesses in the dynamic of the lifestyle. The key element for understanding one's lifestyle is the first memories from early childhood. Alfred Adler defines the early recollections as follows; "The recollections of first childhood are not the reasons of actions and attitudes, but rather implications and signs indicating them" (Adler, 1929).
Depth psychologists examine the past of an individual. However, with first memories, Adler discusses functionality in the sense of being able to understand the present and make predictions about the future.
Early recollections have great importance
The first recollections have various significance outside of understanding the lifestyle. In life, we make choices such as job, marriage, and friends according to our early recollections. By looking at our childhood memories, we can determine whether the person was spoiled or ignored, to what extent they were prepared for society, with whom they established the closest social connection, what kind of challenges they faced, and how they dealt with these challenges (Adler, 1931).
Early recollections have many duties
Early recollections have many duties and functions along with showing us the lifestyles as they:
Show us what kinds of experiences the person had throughout his past life.
Show what kind of flow the person's development follows.
Display a purposive motion.
Tell us which obstacles have been overcome.
Explain how and why a person became interested in a particular aspect of life (Adler, 1929).
When we ask an individual to recall a particular memory, the first memory they share with us is never an ordinary one. The first memory that comes to mind is important in terms of understanding the lifestyle and mind. There is a reason for recalling that particular memory among many others. Sometimes, people have a hard time recalling their early memories. However, when paid attention to, and insisted upon, we see that they actually can recall. In regards to people who do not recall their first memories, Adler concludes that these people do not intend to take a look at their childhood, and the memories are not very pleasant (Adler, 1929).
Recollections serve the same purpose as dreams. People realize their desires in early recollections. For instance, it is an understandable fact that a young boy who has been inactive for a long time due to an illness would invest more in mobility. When the active boy is asked about his recollections, it is a high probability that he would talk about his illness.
The Content of the Early Recollections
It would be appropriate to provide several early recollection and interpretation examples after giving information regarding the functions and importance of early recollections. Recollections are divided into conscious and unconscious recollections. An example for a conscious recollection would be; "My babysitter used to yell at me when I was four years old. I hated babysitters". It is quite clear why and what an adult does not want when he rejects hiring a babysitter for his child by recalling this memory. Examples of unconscious recollection are as follows. When a seven-year-old boy recalls the memory, "I had fallen into the water when I was five years old", the idea of the "world being an unsafe place" might have unwittingly been processed in his unconscious mind. A boy's recollection when he was three years old: "My dad grabbed and took my doll from my hands. I cried a lot". As a result of such a recollection, the boy would have the feeling "I can easily lose everything" (Adler, 1929).
According to Adler's doctrine, we can understand childrens’ feelings of being pampered, and not being loved. When we ask about the early recollection of a person who was spoiled, they will probably mention a memory related to their mother. When the same question is asked to a child who has not been loved, they generally recall a memory involving hatred and feelings of inferiority.
Early recollections of children are not always true memories. Some children tend to tell made-up recollections. However, we can maintain our motivation and focus on the fact that even the made-up memories have a function. Made-up memories are like dreams. And dreams provide information about a child’s desires for superiority.
In the cases he provides, Adler focuses on the person's senses that play an active role in their early recollection. If any of the senses of sight, hearing, scent, taste or touch is active in the memory recalled, it may imply that the person has a special talent or a strong interest in that sense (Adler, 1929). For instance, a person who recalls the memory "I saw the Eiffel Tower when I was three years old" may have been invested in the sense of sight. We can also see that the sense of hearing is active in a recollection such as "I used to love playing a musical instrument."
In brief, early recollections have a strong effect on our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in our past, current, and future lives. We could note that the effects of early recollections are generally seen at the ages of four or five. This supports Adler’s claims that the lifestyle is shaped at the ages of four or five (Adler, 1929). Changing the lifestyle, which is the therapy goal of individual psychology, is partially achieved by working on the early recollections.
References
Adler, A. (1929): Lebenskenntis, s.101-109
Adler, A. (1929): İndividualpsychologie in der Schule – Vorlesungen für Lehrer und Erzieher, s.75-78
Adler, A. (1931): Wozu leben wir?, s.83-84-85
A Tribute to Theo Schoenaker
ADLERIAN SPOTLIGHT
Reshmee J. Prakash
Degrees, Licenses & Certifications:
MS in Applied Psychology with Counseling Specialization
BSc in Life Sciences with Religious Studies Minor,
Certificate in Positive Psychology
OAMHP Certification Membership
1.) Where do you practice counseling, and what would you say is your specialty?
I’m a registered psychotherapist in private practice at GROW Psychotherapy & Counseling. I’m located in Milton, Ontario, but servicing all of Canada virtually. I would consider my specialty to be counseling regarding symptoms of anxiety and depression, and personal/professional growth subsequently.
2.) What makes you an Adlerian therapist?
My approach to Adlerian therapy is one I would consider more modern, in promoting a feeling of social connectedness and engagement with others during this stressful time. Here in Canada, the pandemic and associated restrictions/lockdown have taken a severe toll on social engagement, community involvement and belongingness in general. This only emphasizes the need for an Adlerian influence on the overall context of therapy.
3.) Do you use early recollections in your counseling sessions?I have started to use early recollections as a part of self-compassion, self-talk, and trauma discussions with my clients. Early recollections can be very useful in determining the roots of their presentation and the following interventions or focus of therapy. I focus on life tasks, social interconnectedness, purposeful behaviour, a sense of belonging, and engagement.
4) What is something as an Adlerian counsellor you’d like to learn more about?I would like to learn more modern approaches to interventions as an Adlerian therapist. I think that we all know the basics of early recollections, birth order, etc., but incorporating these in different contexts, as well as the overarching theme of social interconnectedness and belonging, is something I’m very interested in. I think that we can use many different interventions to achieve the same goal and building a community of younger Adlerian therapists/counsellors would be a great initiative towards this.
5) Are you coming to NASAP 2022?I loved NASAP Toronto! Given the current restrictions and health status, I am planning to but most conferences in Canada have moved to virtual format, so I’ll make a more informed decision closer to the time. I’m excited to see more news about the conference on the NASAP website!
Contact information:
Email: reshmee@growtherapy.ca
Website: GrowTherapy.ca
Joe Ramirez
I’m Joe Ramirez, a Certified Adlerian Psychotherapist, and I have three goals:
To make a difference in the clients I serve
To make a difference in my community by helping to fill the gaps in mental health
To help the counseling profession by training and supporting counsellors with encouraging, effective, and efficient counseling practices.
So, what does a snapshot of this look like?
As the owner and Team Lead for Clear Counseling in Vancouver, I am required to network – which means connecting with community agencies, participating in professional counseling supervision groups, representing my practice in business networking functions, teaching Adlerian precepts in workshops and/or school functions, and participating in government mental health focus groups. I do this while also providing group supervision to my team, and client counseling sessions. This may sound like a lot, but honestly, it is my fun, calmness, comfort, and purpose. I own my time, and this is my lifestyle.
Indeed, this is an example of the lifestyle of a Certified Adlerian Psychotherapist.
To be a Certified Adlerian Psychotherapist, there is an invisible mantle of expectation that one wears. In all of these situations, when I introduce myself as a Certified Adlerian Psychotherapist, I am letting others know that I have been vetted and validated by my association to have fulfilled an advanced required standard. By the same token, others then have an implied expectations of me in word and deed; that I am ‘doer,’ an ‘encourager, on the ready to be on the side of social justice, social action, and interdependent community wellness (aka Gemeinschaftsgefuhl).
So how did this come to be?
While in my counseling practicum at the Adler Centre, Jim Skinner asked me a direct and succinct question that hit me between the eyes: “Joe, are you Adlerian?”
It wasn’t an accusation that, but, rather, he asked for my validation of myself in my counseling approach and as an Adlerian representative for future programs. In that moment, it had hit me that I was clearly floundering, trying to be a “jack of all theories” to appease my counseling program, but that it wasn’t fitting because I wasn’t being authentic. Authentically, I need to let go and be me – be Adlerian, in approach to counseling, and life! The Adlerian precepts made sense to me in mind, body, soul, and purpose, so in that moment with a spirit high, I said: “Yes, I am.” However, in that same moment, I also felt my spirit drop. As a wannabe counsellor at the time, I wondered as to what difference could I possibly make, with no authority except for a claim?
This concern continued, and I knew I was doing well enough to graduate from my program, but then what? In the sea of new and old counsellors in the field, it appeared that I would easily get looked over for job opportunities because I had nothing that would make me stand out in skill. I also worried that I had no counseling community that I felt I belonged to, or could lean on, because had been so involved in my homework and hadn’t taken the time to socially connect. So, despite my diploma, why choose me– AND how could I make a difference in the world in the ways I’ve hoped? I hadn’t known of a certification program, yet, but then I attended NASAP 2011 in Victoria.
As a first timer, I was at awe of the “Adlerian giants” in wisdom and experience at this conference. I also realized that so many people were clearly so old, which gave me a dreaded feeling of concern that many would not be around beyond 10 years! It planted a seed of sadness, but also a mercurial drive that gave me this intrinsic purpose to not let these Adlerian teachings go by the wayside. Shortly, thereafter, I then learned about a certification program at the Adler Centre, and I immediately focused my efforts in achieving all that was required and asked of me.
In starting the certification process and getting involved with the Adlerian community, I suddenly found the answers I was looking for, and, ironically found…Me. Directly out of master program, I started my private practice and had an immediate business and counseling distinction. Not only that, but I also quickly realized that the Adlerian approach was actually missing in many community circles, so what I had to offer as a Certified Adlerian Psychotherapist was welcomed! Finally, I do the kind of work that made a difference in the community and with my clients, and I had my own community of Adlerians to lean on, learn from, and have personal connections with.
So, when asked if I wanted to be part of the committee to develop the Certificate in Adlerian Psychotherapy for NASAP, all I could see and hear were a host of Adlerians, in so many settings, introducing themselves, saying: I’m a Certified Adlerian Psychotherapist.
Start the application process to become a Certified Adlerian Psychotherapist and have this as part of your own resume and signature. Clients, employers, and agencies are looking for Certified Adlerian Psychotherapist as part of their team. Let that be you.
Stability of Personality:
Revisiting “Life Style Variables of Holocaust Survivors”
By Les White
TO READ THE FULL PIECE, CLICK HERE.
"WHAT’S THE STORY?": LIFE STYLE NARRATIVES STUDY GROUP”
CHECK US OUT!
Image by Callie Jo Barker-Grigaliunas, 2022 ©
Thank you, all, who zoomed in and participated in our 12/12/21 “What’s the Story?”: Life Style Narratives Study Group meeting! Participants signedclicked on from all over the world: Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Los Angeles, Louisville, Romania, and Paris – yes, Romania and Paris!
(“Find” or Scroll down to Summary of our Last Meeting; Preview of our Next for a more detailed summary of that exciting meeting – which includes news of our upcoming February 6, 2022 meeting on Early Recollections. Read the summary because we need your input for our next meeting!)
https://www.whatsthestory.online/
These Conferences Are Coming Up!
NASAP Announcements
Discounts!
ALLMEMBERS is the promo code for current NASAP members to get free shipping from the NASAP teespring store.
NEWMEMBER is the promo code for brand new members and the discount is 10%. This is a one-time use code.
Here is the link to the store again: https://nasap.creator-spring.com/
-Susan Belangee
A Call for Taptalk Presenters:
If you would like to propose a TAP Talk, we would love to hear your ideas. Please complete the form at https://forms.gle/qYgt9Cqu1PenPSrT9
TAP Talks are presented several times each year as a way of keeping in contact with NASAP members and also a way of providing some continuing education hours to members of NASAP and the public at a reasonable price.
TAP Talks are hosted by the Theory, Research and Teaching Section of NASAP and the presenters are selected by the Sections of NASAP. Topics change each month. They are usually one hour.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us.
Kind regards,
Drs. Jennifer & Daniel Williamson
TRT Chairs
nasaptrt@gmail.com
CE Offerings
Offerings include two articles from the most recent JIP:
DeVoss, J., & Wadsley, M. The applicability of the crucial Cs across relational models in
developmental trauma. Journal of Individual Psychology, 77 (2), 165-178.
John, K., Austin, Z., Benford, J., Clark, K., Hewitt, E., Parker, C., & Tait, C. (2021).
Understanding basic psychological needs across the lifespan: The role of the crucial
Cs. Journal of Individual Psychology, 77 (2). 130-144.
As a reminder, here is how to access the CE offerings: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17iqcVsN5zhyhXIIwZeShSyOxUwoJHIXylp8qk4PNQKg/edit?usp=sharing
-Rocky Garrison