On February 27th, we will begin a discussion of
The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler, Volume 8, Lectures to Physicians and Medical Students, Chapters I & II. The following chapter summaries were prepared by Manu Jaaskelainen.
Ch I is
Postgraduate Lecture No. 1 (1932). It is published for the first time in CCWAA, Vol.8, like all the postgraduate lectures given at Long Island College of Medicine. The lectures were held before an audience of physicians; we may safely infer that the word "medical" stands for "professional". Today, there are also other professionals contributing to the field of mental health in addition to physicians. The lectures 1- 7 form together a compact presentation of IP. They give an idea of Individual Psychology in the making. In spite of the clarity of expression and the logical structure of these lectures, they are meant for an advanced study of IP. The style is very concise, and a special attention is needed. On the activities of Adler at the Long Island College of Medicine, see Edward Hoffman's
The Drive for Self, p. 277 and 281-282. Lecture 1 starts with a philosophical study on the interrelationships between mind and body. What is called mind, is not tied up in a specific region of the brain. It is a property of the living organism in general. Life is a movement toward a goal. This implies striving. In general, striving means a movement from minus to plus. "Plants, animals, and human beings, strive to achieve a goal of completion. This completion involves a feeling of having overcome, a feeling of a plus situation." The goal is made concrete with the help of high degree of cooperation to contribute. Next, Adler takes up a special point: the need of the various professionals to cooperate. Medical psychology needs the cooperation of many different disciplines. Adler rejects simple formulas and explanations. "Each person is different." However, there are some general hypotheses that may be useful if combined with a hard work and thinking. In the development of the children, the creativity of the child plays a special role. The social feeling is for developing child like breathing--it is necessary. "Our whole life should be cooperation." There are, however, many obstacles to cooperation. After a presentation of the obstacles, Adler proceeds to present the three tasks of life, and then proceeds to discuss neuroses. A case ilustration concludes the paper.
Ch II,
Postgraduate Lecture No. 2, begins a short recapitulation of some basic concepts; then Adler continues with the concept of the "prototype". You may find explanations for this concept in Ansbacher & Ansbacher
The Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler in Ch 7, The Style of Life. In their comments, the Ansbachers recapitulate some related concepts used by Adler, e.g. Lebens-Schablone (the scheme of life). Our task is made simpler if we translate this concept as life style. It denotes the unity of the person. It could mean also the "direction of the life style". The Adler continues presenting a case study. Adler discusses carefully the subjective reasons of the client for his/her contact. Finally, it is time to draw the consequences: "You see how he creates symptoms. He tells you how he makes himself depressed, why he wants to stay away from strangers, but he does not know it."
To order your copy of Volume 8, go to
http://www.Adlerian.us/cwaa-v8.htm .