Historical Context

Since its inception, Adlerian theory has been applied for the benefit of guiding children. Both in the home and school methods of respectful interaction, guidance, and remediation have been a staple of applied Individual Psychology. Several books and an undetermined number of parent education and coaching presentations and programs have been developed from Adler's theory. Historically, the most prominent is probably Adler School founder, Rudolf Dreikurs' book (written with Vicki Soltz), Children: The Challenge. This book gave birth to Dinkmeyer's and McKay's audio/print program called, Systematic Training for Effective Parenting. STEP is the most widely used parent education program in North America (AGS, 2001) and has inspired a number of other programs, including Popkin's video/print program known as Active Parenting. Positive Discipline – produced by Nelson and her team, is a series of books covering home, classroom, and public behavior. This is yet another program which draws from Adlerian and Dreikursian thought.

Longitudinal studies conducted over 20+ years by Baumrind and her colleagues document how an ""authoritative"" style of parenting results in high levels of children's resilience protecting them from the risks of drug use, suicide, and unplanned pregnancy. This style is indistinguishable from what Adlerians describe as democratic parenting.

Recently, an evidence-based effort on synthesizing child development with attachment theory and brain neurology has gotten underway and garnered much attention. One of the early results has been the development of a unique parenting approach, Parenting from the Inside Out. This truly innovative approach involves many techniques that, while new to the practices of general parent education (including those mentioned above), at the same time are wholly supportive of Adlerian theory.

Assessed Need

Still, what we know as effective is unfortunately not having an impact on society as a whole. Since the post WWII era, when it became clear that authoritarian parenting was no longer effective the parenting pendulum swung to a more indulgent style – perhaps characterized by Spock's Baby and Child Care. Wildly popular, this somewhat pampering approach contributed to the already destabilized traditions of parenthood. Many from this generation of children responded by ""dropping out"" of society or ""turning on"" to drugs. Currently this response is being blamed for a ""missing moral compass"" among parents today; and the call is heard regularly for a return to our autocratic past. As this approach gains the endorsement of conservative religious leaders, the pendulum swings back without recognition of a clear middle way. The current political scene has yet to recognize mutual respect and mutual responsibility as dominant ""family values.""

Manifesto

The Dreikurs Psychological Services Center (PSC), by means of its Parenting Education Program, acknowledges the need, and offers a way, to claim the high middle ground of re-asserting respectful parenting values – acknowledging the importance of both rights and responsibilities. These are represented in the opening references to Adlerian-based materials – which hardly scratch the surface of what is available in the parent education field. The Adlerian tradition claims a special interest in recognizing, furthering, and coordinating this legacy.

Resolution

To remedy the matter and bring parent education onto solid ground between authoritarian and liaise faire directions – what Adlerians call the democratic model – a concerted effort is needed. This effort will include professionals and nonprofessionals from many career paths, cultures and religious affiliations. And it must necessarily include mental health professionals who are informed and effective, confident and helpful. Such professionals must be well prepared to do their part – which is not the whole effort, but is essential nonetheless. PSC clinicians are willing and able to teach others to be as passionate as they about preventing abuse and neglect. They are no less passionate about preventing the sense of entitlement that is prominent in affluent populations, and which is experienced as an attitude that the community owes the individual rather than the individual is mutually responsible for giving back to the community.

Skills Base

As part of PSC's commitment to train socially responsible practitioners, each clinician will receive over the course of their studies the following:

Services and Activities

The range of activities (educational and service-oriented) provided by PSC clinicians include the following even as the list grows year to year.