This fall, four students from Trakia University in Bulgaria crossed an ocean for a rare opportunity to experience Adlerian psychology at its source. Over the course of several weeks, Daniela Pencheva Teneva, Elena Georgieva Stefanova, Petya Dimitrova, and Nina Georgieva Atanasova, explored Adler’s legacy, contributed to archival research, joined courses alongside Adler students, and discovered Chicago — all through an Erasmus+ exchange that connected them more deeply to the community and ideas they had studied in Bulgaria.
The visiting students began their exchange experience by participating in the 59th International Adlerian Summer School (IASS) in Collinsville, Illinois. This rare U.S. session was held near the home of Eva Dreikurs Ferguson, daughter of Adlerian pioneer Rudolf Dreikurs, who at age 96 continues to advance her father’s legacy.
During IASS, the students contributed to a significant archival project: organizing and categorizing extensive materials from Rudolf Dreikurs, including manuscripts, correspondences, postcards, and contracts — a firsthand look at the evolution of Adlerian thought. The volume of materials was extensive, with tons of large boxes to sort through, offering an immersive experience in a living connection to Adlerian history.
“Eva spoke about her father’s ideas, the continuum of those ideas, how blessed she feels to see all of us, and building the community and trying to spread the goodness of individual psychology to many, many people,” Atanasova recalled.
During the two-week summer program at IASS, the students also participated in courses with Adler faculty — like Marina Bluvshtein, Ph.D. — and collaborated on an interdisciplinary project exploring Adlerian psychology through art and film. They spent time at the Art Institute of Chicago analyzing works through an Adlerian lens, and later applied Adlerian concepts to the film Divergent, presenting their findings on Adler’s campus on August 27.
Following the summer school, the students spent two and a half weeks immersed in campus life at Adler. They attended courses such as Children and Adolescence, Art Therapy, and Adlerian Therapy; engaged with student organizations; and continued their archival work.
Each student also reflected on how psychology would shape their future as an educator. “I want to incorporate psychology in my work with children and parents,” Atanasova said. “Understanding every need of the child to provide the right method of education is really important.”
Dimitrova added, “Psychology is everywhere. In every career you want to do, every profession, you need psychology.”
Outside the classroom, the students explored Chicago culture — visiting the Field Museum, the Adler Planetarium, Navy Pier, and the Chicago Botanic Garden — gaining a sense of belonging in the global Adlerian community.
Trakia University, known for its strong Adlerian presence, is home to a dedicated group of professors who integrate Adlerian psychology into teacher preparation, school counseling, leadership, and a wide range of academic disciplines — including medicine and veterinary sciences. This exchange — supported by the European Union’s Erasmus+ program — represents a growing partnership between Trakia and Adler, grounded in shared Adlerian values and a commitment to global education. In 2027, Adler students will travel to Bulgaria for a two-month residency — continuing the tradition of global learning and ensuring Adlerian thought thrives across borders.
