Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Classical Adlerian Psychotherapy
 

Two new graphic images, "Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs," and "The Phases and Stages of Classical Adlerian Psychotherapy" have been added to our web site at http://www.Adlerian.us/Needs.htm. Maslow and Adler were powerful visionaries, infusing psychology with inspiring ideals of human potential. Their passion for higher values provides a refreshing antidote to the limited perspectives of contemporary psychology that focus on quick, superficial symptom relief and modest behavioral change. The Classical Adlerian approach offers a depth psychotherapy capable of dissolving the style of life and fictional final goal, overcoming the limits of "deficiency motivation," then experiencing a new "growth motivation" in the pursuit of a chosen higher value.

Maslow's idea of self-actualization has elicited some controversy about its potential for promoting egocentricity. I have re-named the term "self/other/task-actualization" to clarify the true direction of that process. These charts are works in progress; your feedback about improvements are welcome.

Re: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Classical Adlerian Psychotherapy
 

Maslow's "hierarchy of needs" suggests a sequential meeting of basic needs, freeing the individual to pursue the next higher need. An Adlerian view of these basic needs is less hierarchical, believing that the development of the feeling of community yields the most effective concurrent meeting of all basic needs. In this respect, the pursuit of the basic needs, fortified by the feeling of community, can be integrated, rather than sequential (i.e., safety and esteem, tied into belonging). From an Adlerian view, the feeling of community is a pre-requisite for the process of self/other/task-actualization.

Re: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Classical Adlerian Psychotherapy
 

If a person is lacking self -esteem, and has poor body image of themselves, using maslow's theory, would you say the problem is because this individual is first lacking the basic needs as described in his theory?

Re: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Classical Adlerian Psychotherapy
 

A lack of self-esteem certainly would fit Maslow's model as a deficient basic need, but to explore the issue of "cause" we would have to move to Adler's model of the personality. According to Adler, a lack of self-esteem and poor body image may have many roots, one of which could be related to physical abnormalities, but it may also be rooted in unrealistic comparisons to others or ideals. Ultimately, the "cause" becomes the individual's opinion, fictional final goal, and private logic, usually reflecting a low level of social interest. As Adler constantly emphasizes, the only effective compensation for feelings of inferiority is an increase in social interest and a feeling of equality with others. A sucessful solution to all of the basic needs, is intimately connected to sufficient social feeling.