Early recollections are used by many Adlerian therapists to help understand a patient’s lifestyle. Early recollections are moments--usually from the first four to six years--that a person chooses to remember from all the possible life experiences (Eckstein & Kern, 2009). These ERs are essential to lifestyle analysis because they are used to validate our hypotheses of how an individual views self, other people, and life in general based on the family constellation information. Through early recollections, clients reveal their attitudes toward themselves, their relationships with others, and their view of life (Shifron, 2020). As early recollection supply such rich clinical material and are an individuals’ most creative way to describe their current state, they are an important part of Adlerian psychotherapy and supervision. This session will describe how ERs can be used in these areas.

(1) Participants will be understand the technique of early recollections

(2) Participants will be able to describe how ERs are used in psychotherapy

(3) Participants will be able to describe how ERs can be used in clinical supervision

Eckstein, D. G. (2009). Psychological fingerprints. Kendell-Hunt.

Kottman, T., & Meany-Walen, K. (2016). Partners in play: An Adlerian approach to play therapy (3rd ed.). American Counseling Association.

Shifron, R. (2020). The miracle of early recollections in Adlerian therapy and supervision. The Journal of Individual Psychology, 76(1), 110-127.

Slavick, S., & Carlson, J. (2006). Readings in the theory of Individual Psychology. New York, NY: Routledge.