Friday Full Day Workshops 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
1.Mapping Memories, Creating Understanding, Seeking Solutions.
Wes Wingett, Ph.D., LMHP, Norfolk, NE
This didactic and experiential workshop will focus on understanding the development of life style through the creation of a childhood memory map. The map will focus on family, friends, school, and community. Conclusions will be developed based on the perceptions of the components of the memory map. Life style conclusions will be utilized in seeking solutions to current challenges.
2. Moving Couples From Competition To Cooperation.
Calvin D. Armerding, MA, LPC, Senior Associate, Travelers Rest Counseling Association, Travelers Rest. SC.
Within marriages/life partnerships, parent-child relationships, and sibling relationships, we often develop a competitive style of striving. Competition breeds conflict and a shift to what Adler called the ”useless side of life.” This workshop will demonstrate how to identify competition and reorient clients towards cooperative striving. Demonstrations of Adlerian lifestyle investigation will be included.
3. The Quest For Exquisite Balance In Transitional And Turbulent Times.
Pepper Sarnoff, LPC, LMFT, NCC, Private Practice, Charleston, SC
“Arrive curious” to explore experiences of loss, sorrow, and uncertainty from a personal and global perspective. Celebrate this moment of embracing “The full catastrophe.” Encourage self-compassion and learn evidence-based practices for safety and connection. Experience dynamic balance and integrative healing through poetry, movement and stillness.
4. Getting To The Right Side Of The Moment: After The Assessment.
Paul Rasmussen, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, W. J. Dorn VA Medical Center, Columbia, SC
In this workshop, the different ways of doing therapy will be described prior to discussion of the importance of life management skills. Adler described therapy as a process of education and reorientation using Adlerian principles. The importance of education directing reorientation is emphasized within the context of the Adaptive reorientation model. An individual lives life in the moment, dragging the past behind. In the AR Model the emphasis is on getting to the right side of each moment.
Friday AM Half Day Workshop 9:00 am – 12:30 pm
5. Ethics: The Challenge.
Jody Housker, Ph.D., NCC, ACS, NBCCH, LPC, Atlanta, GA
Ethics can be a serious matter but this session offers the opportunity to laugh and learn. Through a variety of games, participants will be challenged to demonstrate a recall and understanding of the ACA code of ethics, Adlerian theory, and concepts related to the practice of therapy. Activities will require plenty of courage to be imperfect.
Friday PM Half Day Workshop 1:30 – 5:00 pm
6. Lifestyle and Implicit Bias.
Hallie M. Williams, Sr., Ed.D., Executive Director for Squared Away Youth, Psychotherapist, St. Paul, MN
The construction of the lifestyle is completed early in childhood. All thinking, feeling and acting of an individual supports his/her style of life. Thoughts and feelings are “implicit” if we are unaware of them or mistaken about their nature. Adlerian Theory allows us to better understand implicit actions that affect how we relate with others and how they relate to us.
Saturday 75 Minute Presentations
The Primary Perceptual Modality Inventory.
Mel Markowski, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
Adlerians are about belonging, choice, and movement. Seeing, hearing and touch are fundamental in all interpersonal relationships. Knowing which of these senses is primary can help an individual successfully belong, choose and move in the social, educational and counseling environments. The Primary Perceptual Modality Inventory developed by the presenter will be administered, discussed and extra copies provided to participants.
An Introduction To Adlerian Psychology
John Arnold, Ph.D., Senior Executive Consultant, First Sun EAP, Columbia, SC
For those new to Adlerian Psychology, this presentation will provide an overview of the life, work and psychological theory of Alfred Adler. Adler was a contemporary of Sigmund Freud, but his psychology would take a different direction than Freud’s psychology. Goal-oriented behavior, belonging, private logic, social interest and courage are just some of the important elements of Adler’s theory.
Telehealth Considerations: A Place For Adlerians In
An Online World
Jody Housker, Ph.D., NCC, ACS, NBCCH, LPC, Atlanta, GA
Adler adapted his language and manner to fit the client. This past year therapists have been offered an opportunity to adapt to the needs of the client, and/or the community by providing services online. This session will address basic considerations of online practice, as well as possible methods to improve the online therapy relationship utilizing Adlerian thoughts/practices.
The Adaptive Purpose of Emotions – Hope, Anxiety, Anger and Depression
Paul Rasmussen, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, W. J. Dorn VA Medical Center, Columbia, SC
This presentation will describe the psychology of use by illustrating the evolutionary-based adaptive purpose of emotions. The interrelated nature of these emotional experiences will be emphasized with the Thought, Feeling and Action model of lifestyle expression. The presentation will include description, exercise and demonstration.
How To Talk To Teens About High Risk Behaviors
Alyson Schafer, MA, Counselor, Parent Educator, Speaker, Author, Toronto, ON
Parents of teens are ill prepared to deal with youth culture that exposes and glamorizes high risk behaviors such as alcohol, vaping and marijuana. Sadly, risky behaviors account for the majority of teen injuries and death. The presenter will provide parents and clinicians actionable advice, plus ways to navigate difficult conversations and create a strong relationship that has the power to protect.
From Childhood Friendships To Current Support Systems
Wes Wingett, Ph.D., LMHP, Norfolk, NE, and LaShanna Stephens, M.S.. P.C.,Atlanta, GA
This didactic and experiential presentation will focus on identifying the relationship between childhood and current friendships and current personal social support systems. Several childhood friendships will be identified, the nature and purpose of the relationships will be explored, and the results will be applied to current friendships and social supports, and identifying strengths necessary for present current challenges.
Steps In Dynamic Adjustment To Alter Hallucinations
James A. Holder, MA, LPC, MAC, Positive Intentions, LLC., Effingham, SC
Adler used negative suggestion, later known as paradoxical intention to make a behavior less palatable. By increasing and decreasing symptoms, Dynamic Adjustment encourages client/patients to take responsibility for their hallucinations and adjust their hallucination causing it to vanish or lessen in intensity with or without medication.
Pregnancy And Childbirth As Exogenous Factors
Lindsay K. Hill, M.Ed., LPC, Senior Associate, Travelers Rest Counseling Associates, Travelers Rest, SC
The processes of pregnancy and childbirth can involve many unforeseen and disorienting challenges. This presentation will teach and demonstrate a strategy to help clients explore and utilize their lifestyle to illuminate their movement through life in an effort to reorient them to a more courageous and cooperative way of living.
Alfred Adler And The Trauma Of Racism
Hallie M. Williams, Sr., Ed.D. Executive Director, Squared Away Youth, Psychotherapist, St. Paul, MN
Isolation, prejudice, and other forms of social hostility are frequently found as expressions of the lack of social interest. Utilizing any of those in an inadequate/dysfunctional way to increase self-esteem. Prejudice is learned and can be unlearned. Individual Psychology is the perfect mechanism to use to accomplish that. Social Interest is the cure.
Adlerian Ju-Jutsu
Robert Rebecca, MPA, MaCP, LCPC, NCC, Chicago, IL
Japanese Ju-Jutsu (JJJ) is a martial art created by samurai intended for close combat on the battlefield. In this hands-on presentation we will integrate JJJ (in it’s modern and more gentle form) and Adler’s Individual Psychology. Together, we will put the combination in to practice and explore how we can use learned techniques in the therapeutic relationship. Don’t worry – no experience required!
Specifying Movement: Emotions & Their Precise Opposites
Calvin Armerding, MA, LPC, Senior Associate, Travelers Rest Counseling Association, Travelers Rest, SC
Adler observed that people are in a constant state of movement: striving away from a “felt minus” and towards a “felt plus.” This brief presentation will demonstrate the use of two simple questions during the lifestyle investigation to precisely assess clients’ movement., thereby improving empathic understanding and efficiently assessing lifestyle.
Am I Coaching, Counseling, or Doing Therapy: An Adlerian Response In Practice
Kevin O’Connor, CSP, LCPC, LMFT, Graduate Faculty, Loyola University, Chicago, IL
Whenever the word ‘coaching’ appears the next question is often “What is the difference between coaching and counseling?” . . . especially from an Adlerian perspective. Join us for a discussion of the differences as well as the legal implications especially across state lines.
Adlerian Play Therapy
Courtney Evans, Ph.D., LCMHC-QS. NCC, RPT, ACS, BC-TMHC, Assistant Professor, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA
This presentation will focus on the AdPT when working with a specific case. The presentation will overview the stages and basic tenets of Adlerian play therapy while also going into specific interventions. This will be covered through an explanation of what was done and the effectiveness of each intervention as measured by the client’s progress. Most importantly, since the child in the case study was diagnosed with PTSD, the presentation will highlight the appropriate use of AdPT in a trauma-informed way.
Psychopathology From An Adlerian Perspective
Jon Sperry, Ph.D., LMHC, NCC, Associate Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Lynn University, Co-Editor Journal of Individual Psychology, Professional Counselor at FAU Counseling and Psychological Services, Boca Raton, FL
Adler identified that safeguarding is often the goal of various behaviors, symptoms, and emotions. This presentation will examine the conceptualization of mental health disorders and emotions from an Adlerian perspective. Assessment, conceptualization, and treatment implications of various symptoms and disorders will be reviewed.
“Useful” Grieving: An Adlerian-based Three-Step Grief Process
Calvin Armerding, MA, LPC, Senior Associate, Travelers Rest Counseling Associates, Travelers Rest, SC
Adler emphasized the purposeful nature of emotions, including sadness. Sadness, the emotion at the center of grief, alerts us to the loss of something meaningful. This workshop will explore a basic three-step grief process that properly attends to the usefulness of sadness and endows the grieving individual with courage.
A Post-COVID World: Did Counseling Change?
John Arnold, Ph.D., LPC. CEAP, Senior Executive Consultant, First Sun EAP, Columbia, SC
The COVID pandemic of 2019-2021 impacted the lives of people everywhere. It provoked rapid changes in the delivery of behavioral health services. This presentation will attempt to corral some of the hyperbole around how our lives were changed and what counselors may take forward into the new horizon. Alfred Adler suggested that any life comes with challenge. What are likely to be the long-lasting impacts of the challenge of COVID for my counseling practice?
Supporting Families Who Bring Up Teen Sex/Gender Related Issues In Therapy
Alyson Schafer, MA, Counselor, Parent Educator, Speaker, Author, Toronto, ON
If you are counseling families of tweens, and teens, you are going to have to be prepared to manage a wide range of sex/gender related topics from mishaps with sexual consent, sexting, porn, gender identity and expression, sexual activity, toxic masculinity, and more. Let’s discuss what youth are up to these days and how we can be positive influences.
Use Of The Most Memorable Observation
Frank Walton, Ph.D., Psychologist Retired, International Consultant to Agencies and Universities, Chapin, SC
The Most Memorable Observation is an Adlerian technique that employs autobiographical memory in the process of understanding aspects of the client’s belief system. This technique, developed by the presenter, has proven to be a powerful means of formulating aspects of the client’s belief system relative to the presenting problem. The presenter will lecture briefly, demonstrate, and offer opportunities of application of the technique.
Sunday Workshops 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
A. Adlerian Early Recollections and Addictions
James. A. Holder, MA, LPC, MAC, Positive Intentions, LLC., Effingham, SC
Early recollections are a key to understanding how a person moves through life using addictive substances to adjust their lifestyles, and as a result, reinforce their misguided beliefs and negative feeling states. The four states of addiction combined with early recollections are a guide to understanding the positive intents/goals for use.
B. Using Dreams and Early Recollections with Individuals and Couples
Mel Markowski, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
Alfred Adler was a proponent of purpose and usefulness in all aspects of human nature. For him, both the unconscious and conscious states are intimately connected to an individual’s personal style of life. This workshop will explore the differences and similarities between Dreams and Early Recollections and demonstrate how they can be used in the counseling process.
C. When You Get Stuck Enlist the Client’s Help
Kevin O’Connor, CSP, LCPC, LMFT, Graduate Faculty, Loyola University, Chicago, IL
Getting stuck can happen in even the most successful therapeutic alliances. “Getting Unstuck” is a task for two! Therapists of any kind work ‘with’ the client, never ‘on’ the client. Join us for a lively collaboration with the tips, techniques, and thoughtful ways to keep moving in therapy.
D. Using the Crucial C’s in Counseling and Coaching
Becky A. Lebow, M.Ed., Retired School Counselor, Parent Educator and Coach, Owings, MD
Using experiential exercises and demonstration, participants will not only be able to identify the goals of misbehavior, but also identify useful strategies of encouragement toward the goal of more useful behavior by learning to apply the Crucial C’s: Connect, Capable, Count, Courage. (from Bettner and Lew, A Parent’s Guide To Understanding And Motivating Children.) Information presented would be useful for Parent Counselors, Coaches, or parents themselves.
