Alfred Adler

As the 20th century drew to a close, the Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler (1870-1937) was perhaps the least known of the prominent figures of his time - in particular Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung - and yet he continues to be a figure of influence in the 21st century. His school of ‘individual psychology’ involved a holistic approach to the study of the individual, with a key focus on the way each person viewed the world, especially regarding their concerns of inferiority. This applied to both men and women in their different ways. The Neurotic Character is, as the editor of this modern translation states, 'Adler’s magnum opus - complex, profound and brilliant in its crystallised capture of the human soul gone astray.'

Written in 1911, Adler continued to expand and develop his ideas over the following decades as he assimilated experience gained from his practice. It opens with the Theoretical Part, in which he introduces ‘The Origin and Development of the Inferiority Feeling and Its Effects', as well as ‘Psychic Compensation and Its Preparation’ and ‘The Accentuated Fiction as Guiding Idea in the Neurosis’.

The second, major part of his work follows - the Practical Part. In this, Adler examines a wide range of issues, from ‘Greed and Distrust’, to the sexual causes and effects of inferiority. In the succeeding sections, he considers how suppressing everyday feelings and habits experienced by men and women in the course of their lives - issues such as impatience and dissatisfaction, cruelty, self-reproach - can all have profound effects on the individual.

The writing is clear and supported by case studies providing a strong perspective of reality. It is not surprising that, as a result, it can be seen how strongly Adlerian ideas and views have influenced the practice of psychotherapy today. And that for all the apparent dominance of Freudian and Jungian doctrine in psychological and academic circles, the work of Alfred Adler should not be underestimated. This recording presents the new translation of The Neurotic Character, commissioned and edited by the Adlerian psychotherapist, Henry Stein, who provides a useful appendix - an introduction to classical Adlerian theory and practice.

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