Individual Psychology in Israel

Individual Psychology in Israel

Tami Peleg, Eilat Deutsch, Ruti Marcus, Manal Kadry, Tami Iflah, Osnat Harel, Anabella Shaked, Mia Levitt Frank, Miriam Smadar, Smadar Schneidman, and Richard E. Watts

Abstract The authors discuss the Israeli Adler Institute. The Institute was established by Rudolph Dreikurs almost 50 years ago, and it is well integrated in Israeli society today. Its services encompass parent education, including parent training in prisons; training of parent education leaders; training of coaches; psychotherapy for individuals, couples, and families; training in Adierian psychotherapy; and Adierian training in establishing democratic preschools and schools. Several case studies are provided to demonstrate the various services discussed.

Israel is a democratic country, and its citizens enjoy the rewards of. significant basic laws of social concerns, such as those supporting freedom of expression, human rights, human dignity and liberty, and freedom of commerce. Although Hebrew is the principal language, the Arabic language is official as well; however, when walking the streets, you can hear conversation in Russian, English, French, Spanish, Amharic, and many other languages. The reason for this is that Israel implements in practice its pronouncement in the Declaration of Independence—that immigrant absorption constitutes one of its major objectives. Thus, for many decades, immigrants to the State of Israel have constituted a massive catalyst for progress. The new immigrants have been changing the face of the nation, presenting adjustment and absorption challenges, with all the attendant intercultural gaps, particularly with regard to the need to build cultural bridges and socialize people from very diverse worlds. At the same time, the immigrants contribute to Israel's cultural diversity and technological progress. Immigrant absorption is deeply engrained in the consciousness of Israeli society, which tries to assist in the adjustment process via its bridge-building response to the various immigrant groups. Israeli citizenscontributewhilederivingbenefitfroma variety of cultures that find their expression through the various arts and sciences—cinema, theater, painting, sculpture, poetry, literature, dance, music, and more. Over the years, Israeli films have won prestigious international awards. Israel of 2012 is a strong, progressive state with a stable economy. Tiie Journal of individuai Psyc/io/ogy, Vol. 68, No. 4, Winter 2012 ©2012 by the University ofTexas Press Editorial office located in the College of Education at Georgia State University.

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In recent years, while much of the world has been contending with an acute and painful economic crisis, Israel has overcome the crisis safely and with continued economic growth. The Israeli economy is diversified and is substantially based on research and development in the high-tech industries and outstanding innovations in the field of agriculture. This is an important point, given the country's small physical size, the fact that a large part of its territory is desert, and that it is plagued by water-shortage problems. Israel has the largest number of engineers in proportion to the population and the largest number of registered patents per capita in the world. The country is characterized by a relatively high GDP and high quality of life. It has one of the most advanced science industries in the world in all areas. In 2011, the 10th Israeli scientist was awarded the Nobel Prize. Furthermore, the Israeli health system has recorded many achievements and is one of the world's most developed. National health insurance is mandatory, and care is provided both in medical centers and within the community. During the years of the Democratic State of Israel's existence, education has been accorded a high priority. A compulsory education law is in place, and one can obtain higher education at several internationally recognized universities in all areas: philosophy, social sciences and the humanities, science, and space. Israel's educational outlook is pluralistic, affording great diversity in the nonreligious and religious, formal and nonformal, educational systems. Along with its impressive achievements, Israel has contended throughout its years of existence with security threats and severe terrorism. During the 63 years of Israel's existence, there have been five major wars, as well as military operations and terrorist attacks inside civilian centers and homes. In this complex situation, the Israeli family has the freedom to live out its educational and cultural values and to express diverse traditions both during religious holidays and national festivals and in day-to-day life.

The Alfred Adler Institute in Israel

In 1963, a group of therapists, educators, and social workers established the Alfred Adler Institute in Israel. The group comprised former students of Rudolf Dreikurs, a disciple of Alfred Adier's. The Adler Institute led to a revolution in Israel by emphasizing the belief that parenthood and family relations can and should be studied. The Adler Institute pioneered the training of group leaders for work with parents, and it developed a novel approach in the Israeli educational and advisory worlds. In effect, the Institute created an area of training and certification that had not previously existed. Similar programs were

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subsequently developed, and currently there are more than 30 training programs in Israeli colleges and universities for certifying parental group leaders. Over the years, additional programs were developed to facilitate the implementation of Adier's social humanist approach in preschools—"the Adler Preschool"—as well as programs for training family and marital therapists. Here, too, the Adler Institute was the first in embedding a systemic family approach for treating relationships. The first reality show broadcast on Israeli television was Family Connection, in which Ahi Yotam and Zivit Abramson hosted families for parenting guidance. The program, viewed by parents and children, was very popular. In addition to the traditional School for Parents that is well known in Israel and operates in every city in the country, the Adler Institute of Israel has for almost 50 years developed programs for community work aimed at improving Israeli society. These programs are attuned to the unique reality of the State of Israel. In this article, we describe activities of the Institute and the various, diverse ways in which the Adler Institute of Israel practices Adier's theories.

The School for Parents

In the 1960s, Rudolph Dreikurs, together with a small group of professionals trained by Dreikurs (among them Mica Katz, Zivit Abramson, and Ahi Yotam) began counseling parents in Israel. At the outset, just as Adler did in Vienna during the 1930s, families were trained on stage in the presence of an audience, many members of which remembered the experience as a formative life event. From that time on, the field of parent training was formally recognized and became ingrained in Israel via participation ih parent groups at the Adler Institute. Many parents took part in substantial study, both in lengthy sessions, meeting 24 to 28 times, and in shorter series of 12 to 15 sessions. In recent years, more abbreviated group courses have taken place, allowing parents to get a taste of what it is like to participate in group study. School for Parents has become a widespread experience in Israel. Despite the existence of many other professional training centers (in 2011 there were nearly 200 parents' groups operating in Israel), the School for Parents of the Adler Institute is the largest and best known and enjoys the most established professional reputation in Israel. Case Example. A father who participated in a parents' group related that every morning he woke his 8-year-old daughter, helped her get dressed, ensured that she ate breakfast, and drove her to school. Every morning, after he woke her, his daughter continued lying in bed and would not get up. She


kept saying, "I'll get up soon," but when he came back to check on her, he would discover that she was still in bed. He requested, explained, pleaded, got angry and threatened, but nothing helped and the situation continued to deteriorate. Every morning the man was late for work, and, emotionally overwrought after the recurring quarrels with his daughter, found it difficult to concentrate at v^ork. This problematic relationship prompted him to participate in a parents' group. During his studies, the father learned how some children use disruptive behavior as a false path to belonging. In addition, he practiced listening in order to be able to understand his daughter, to allow her a sense of usefulness and contribution, and to encourage her positive behaviors; and when he felt that the time was right, he began to implement an exit strategy from the power struggle with his daughter. The practitioners begin their professional path by co-leading what amounts to a model of communication between couples, fostering a sense of worth while reinforcing additional Adierian principles within the group. A touching example of such a pair is Ruti, a Jew, and Manal, an Arab. Aside from the usual obstacles to establishing a group, the two encountered difficulties because of the reservations that the Jewish population has at the prospect of being guided by an Arab leader. The two leaders overcame the cultural obstacles and succeeded in establishing a well-working group. Ruti:

Before the first meeting with the group, I thought, "How will the parents accept Manal once they discover she's an Arab?" I was tense. In this context they viewed us as a single entity—a team—and if they don't accept her, it means that they won't accept me. My inner voice expressed confidence in my position as a professional leader. I trust that Manal is a worthy partner; therefore, this will be the message that will be transmitted to the group. The authentic acceptance of my partner will be clear and unequivocal among the parents, which is precisely what ultimately happened. Manal: What preoccupied me was how the group would accept me as a group leader in general and as an Arab professional—from a different society;, culture and language—in particular. I looked at the parents, took a deep breath, and told myself that if I accepted myself as I am, the members of the group will accept me. I believe that one cannot encourage others if one doesn't succeed in encouraging herself, be less critical and judgmental of myself. If my objective is to connect the parents to their parental role, I have to connect to my role as the group leader. What helped me was professional awareness and the ability to distinguish between the religious-traditional personal Manal and the professional Manal, the group leader for parents. This gave me the capacity to contain, listen, understand, and encourage [the group members].

Many organizations and workplaces recognize the need to provide parents with counseling as well as support and to maintain parents' groups

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within the organization. The rationale is that an employee who arrives at the workplace calm and confident will probably be a more efficient and devoted worker and will have a better sense of belonging to the organization that takes the whole family into consideration. The message is that it is important to help the employee manage his or her various cycles of life with more experience and competence. The traditional framework of parental training via Dreikurs's implementation of the Adler principles is supplemented by content and topics relevant to social processes that global society has been experiencing, including divorced families, single-parent families, and families with same-gender parents. Other topics include safe Internet usage, obsessions with technology, drug and alcohol use, violence among children, safe driving, and child security. The group leaders of the Israeli Adler Institute's School for Parents are considered top-notch professionals and are in high demand.

Remote Control Parenting

"Remote Control Parenting" is a one-of-a-kind project worldwide whose implementation reflects the Adierian ideal of contribution to the community. The project began in 1992 as a pilot program and expanded to all of Israel's prisons, including incarceration facilities for women. In addition to ordinary day-to-day problems, the families of prisoners contend with countless severe difficulties: low self-image, social prejudices, and the need to maintain secrets, concealing information from the extended family, especially their children. The mothers of children of male inmates are encouraged to participate in parental groups in their neighborhoods, free of charge. The basic program originally consisted primarily of workshops on the subject of parenthood, and developed into courses on the topics of couple relations and the elderly, courses for understanding the structure of the human psyche, workshops for prisoners prior to incarceration, and workshops for prisoners about to be released, in preparation for returning to the family and the community. Currently, after nearly 20 years of activity, between 40 and 50 workshops take place in Israeli prisons. The following is the story of a mother who participated in a parents' group in a women's prison. The group met once a week for a course of 12 sessions. Karen was not enthusiastic about the parenting course that took place in prison. "The truth is," she related, "I was deep in the mud and didn't believe that an Adler Institute course could change anything. 1 came for three sessions and that was enough for me. I was a heavy drug user, my 14-year-old daughter had tried to commit suicide and was hospitalized in a mental hospital, and my son does stupid things, steals and smokes drugs. So what do I have to live for?"


The group leader visited Karen in her cell. "Karen, how are you?" she asked. "What do you want from me?" Karen answered. "I came to ask you to rejoin the group," replied the group leader. "Have you gone out of your mind? I'm totally stoned," said Karen. "It's okay, you can come as you are. If you want, you can talk, or you may remain silent if you wish. The main thing is for you to come," was the group leader's reply. In recalling this incident, Karen stated: "For the first time [in] my life I felt that somebody was accepting me as I was." When she was released, Karen returned to the prison, this time transmitting a Narcotics Anonymous message to drug addicts. "This is my opportunity to thank the Adler Institute and the group leader for helping me to regain my life and family. After many years in prison, it takes time to begin living independently, to work, pay bills, cook and maintain daily routine—it isn't easy. You've studied Adler, now you have the tools to get along with your children, so take a deep breath and implement the lessons you've learned." This was Karen's lesson and message to her female friends in prison.

The Clinic for Treating Marital Relations, the Individual, and the Family

The Adler Institute has been operating a clinic for treating individuals, couples, and families since 1986. The clinic originated when Ahi Yotam, Mica Katz, and Judith Elul entrusted Zivit Abramson with the mission of establishing a clinic for treating children at the Adler Institute. Around the same time, the Adler Institute was already operating a clinic for treating adults that dealt with individual therapy and was managed by Mika Katz; that clinic was primarily meant to provide a solution for families that had participated in the parent groups and were in need of additional assistance in areas that the group framework did not cover. In recent years, an appreciable portion of applications to the clinic are made by families from all over the country that did not participate in the parent groups but that are nevertheless interested in Adierian therapy. In 2007, the two clinics at the Institute were unified into a single facility for treating adults, families, couples, and children. The clinic's team includes 12 therapists with master's degrees in psychology, social work, educational counseling, and family therapy. All are recognized by the Israeli Association for Marital and Family Therapy as certified marital and family therapists. The members of the team specialize in diverse and innovative approaches and have a rich therapeutic experience. When the need arises, the team gets in touch with professionals from various therapeutic fields: psychiatrists, developmental psychologists, pédiatrie neurologists, speech therapists, and

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occupational therapists. Thus, they can provide a systemic and comprehensive response to every application. Since the team's establishment almost 30 years ago, the members have been meeting once a week for a daylong staff meeting (unpaid), during which they discuss professional issues, via case studies and specialists' counseling. In addition, within the framework of the meetings, the staff undergoes annual specialized training on topics selected by the team. V

Case Presentation. Galit, 42, emigrated to Israel when she was 20 years old and began studying at the Hebrew University. Her parents came to Israel a few years later, choosing to reside near their only daughter. She received a doctorate with honors in computer science, married, and traveled with her husband abroad for a 3-year postdoctorate. When the couple returned to Israel, the husband joined the ranks of academia, while Galit was rejected for obscure reasons that saddened her. She therefore had to find her place in a high-tech job, a reality that incurred various difficulties, including a layoff during the high-tech crisis and a commute to a new job that requires her to leave home early and come back late. All this leaves her scant time and energy for handling the duties that are her responsibility. A few years ago, her father died of cancer at a relatively young age, and Galit's mother entered a nursing home a short time later. Because she is an only child, she is required to attend to the various problems arising from the situation. Galit currently has two children: The older boy, who is 4.5 years old, was born after 8 years of fertility treatments, and the daughter, who is 6 months old, was born after 2.5 years of intensive fertility treatments. Galit enumerated the following problems that resulted in her seeking therapy: an anxiety attack that she experienced after the death of her father and a desire to prevent similar attacks in the future, lingering anxiety in various areas of life and fear of an impending disaster, a sense of prolonged suffering and despondency as a result of the notion that "she was born to suffer," a desire to learn how to cope with life events and situations in a more efficient and positive manner, and a desire to feel and experience happiness and to loosen up (instead of maintaining the seriousness that characterized her) in life. After mutual expectations had been clarified and the beginnings of a therapeutic relationship developed, the following steps were taken: 1. The therapeutic framework was established: time, content, work methods, and so forth. 2. The relevant topics for therapy according to Adierian conceptions were examined.


3. Memories were unearthed and examined to get a picture of the outlook Galit had formulated, and this tool was used in the therapeutic framework (including identifying the forces that emerge from them for reinforcing and supporting her). 4. The focus became questions or problems from Galit's life that were raised in the course of therapy sessions, while making use of the insights that came up as a result of the analysis. 5. The life choices Galit made were examined in light of insights she acquired that can help her cope with the problems that she encounters in the future. Additionally, these insights can effect an improvement in her relationships with signifieant people in her life. The following topies were examined in therapy: The family setting: that she is an only daughter of relatively elderly parents whieh has particular repercussions. The family atmosphere: a mother with a partial disability that influenced her and made her bitter and anxious; a father who was detached because of his job; and a spirit of despondency and lack of joie de vivre, including constant anxiety about various subjects, such as health. Educational methods: a harsh approach, including high expectations because she was the only child, particularly when it came to academic achievements and demands for polite behavior toward adults. Galit felt that she never received a good word or positive feedback, even when she excelled in her achievements. The concept of encouragement was foreign to the parents; on the contrary, criticism was her routine lot, and she therefore did her utmost to live up to their expectations. Relationship between the parents: outwardly reasonable but in reality suffused with bitterness and disappointment, primarily on the part of the mother, who was not satisfied with her husband's economic achievements. Galit also noted that she experienced their relations as chilly and did not witness any displays of affection or positive feelings by either of her parents toward the other. Significant childhood events: mostly routine, but Galit recalls some joyous family events, such as a vacation with relatives in the United States and joint holidays with cousins abroad. (These are instructive regarding the importance of family members and their contribution to happiness in her life). As a result of the family background analysis described above, one can better understand the lifestyle that Galit formulated and her basic perspective regarding the world around her. An analysis of childhood memories can facilitate a more thorough and substantial study of her lifestyle and her negative interpretations (schémas) of the conditions and events in her life. Work with her has shown that she possesses a pessimistic worldview, is apprehensive about the future, and experiences difficulties in her relationships with significant people in her life. One can assume that the

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family background and the descriptions of a family with little warmth, anxious parents, difficulties in making a living, and criticism all had a significant influence on the worldview that Galit formulated. It was a family that perhaps provided the basic necessities but no warmth or comforting touch. Galit internalized the message that it was forbidden to be happy, for, as she put it, "if one rejoices prematurely, in the end things will turn out badly, disastrously." As noted earlier, Galit internalized these messages, and she lives in constant anxiety about the future and impending disaster. For example, she interprets any physical discomfort as a sign of a coming catastrophe (a malignant tumor or the like). The content of the therapeutic work currently focuses on an analysis of daily events as well as problems that Galit contends with. In working with her, emphasis is placed on her interpretation of the events that cause her suffering. Work on these events is based on cataloging insights that arise and expanding the options for understanding them, while examining other alternatives to her interpretation that can result in alleviation due to a different or more positive perspective on them. The discussions also emphasize improving her relationships with significant people in her life, as well as her negative interpretations of their behavior and actions, which are, among other things, a result of her previous worldview and early negative experiences. Additionally, in therapy there is reference to the anxieties and negative thoughts that affect Galit's mood; these are based on messages she received and internalized during her childhood. Therapy sessions include coaching, encouragement, and support with regard to the practical difficulties that she has experienced, including difficult fertility treatments, layoffs/unemployment, and the need to care for a sick mother. Galit has made much progress in therapy, and it seems that she is not only successfully implementing her insights in practice but is even succeeding at perceiving life more positively; however, she still requires continued therapy. The work with her focuses on two major areas: anxiety situations and coping with them, and relationships with family members and building a significant support system. The Rudolf and Tee Dreikurs Seminary for Guidance Subjects

The Rudolf and Tee Dreikurs Seminary for Guidance Subjects is the first institution of its kind in Israel, established with a view to training professional group leaders for work with parents. Over the course of nearly 50 years, additional areas of specialization have developed, including work with couples, grandparents, teacher groups, and more. The study tracks at the seminary include training of family group moderators, individual parenting guidance, organizational guidance, and training of preschool teachers to implement the Adierian approach in their preschools.


Group Leading: Parents, Couples, and the Elderly

The curriculum is geared to train participants to become certified, skilled group moderators in the field of family relations. The program embraces diverse theories but focuses on the Adierian approaeh. This is a 3-year program. The first 2 years impart knowledge of Adierian theory, familiarity with its implementation in group settings, student self-awareness, and familiarity with the family in all eyeles of life. All of the eourses take place in a format whereby the students gain experience wearing the moderator's hat and receive feedback for their work. The third-year students establish groups and receive counseling in a supervised practicum course: (a) guiding parent groups—raising and educating ehildren; (b) guiding marital groups, and (c) guiding groups of the elderly and their families. These curricula have won recognition and esteem from the Ministry of Education, and they are the pacesetters—the largest and longest-running among 40 similar programs in Israel. Every year, some 80 to 100 moderators graduate to become soughtafter moderators in the Israeli market. Family Guide: Individual Guidance for Parents

Family Guide is a 2-year program recognized by the Psychological Counseling Service Department of the Ministry of Education. Only graduates of the group-guidance track are accepted to the program, so participants are already familiar with Adierian theory. During the first year, the students learn individual counseling skills and discuss ethics and professional awareness, and they take a variety of theoretical courses: models and theories in family dynamics, sociological aspects from the family perspective, psychopathology, and inferential tools in guidance work. The second year includes a practicum, during which the students gain experience in practical work with families under supervision. The study method includes lectures, experiential activities, intensive workshops, discussions, and ease analyses. The lecturers are senior faculty from the Adler Institute. Organizational Counseling Based on the Principles of Adierian Theory

A particularly interesting integration between two fields of knowledge, Adierian theory and the theories of organizational management and counseling, has given rise to a challenging and singular field of study known as Organizational Counseling. It is a unique discipline for understanding the challenges of management, and the training provides students with theoretical and practical tools for understanding organizations, while training them for a variety of organizational counseling jobs.

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The curriculum places an emphasis on studying the concepts and principles of Adierian theory, analyzing and understanding organizational processes from an Adierian perspective, and practicing them in organizational settings. Students study and experience various interventions in organizational development, such as diagnosing organizational processes, providing support for processes of change, engaging in personal counseling, and moderating workshops. The course of study lasts 2 years and comprises more than 450 study hours. During the first year, the fundamentals of Adierian theory are studied, along with the fundamentals of organizational counseling and psychological applications in organizations. During the second year, students acquire skills for moderating a group and skills for developing personal and professional awareness. Starting with the middle of the first year and throughout the entire second year, students are integrated into an organization for their practicum, yvhich consists of supervised practical experience. The study method includes lectures, practical experiences, intensive workshops, discussions, and case analyses.

The Adler Preschool

The Adler Preschool is an educational system based on the approach of Alfred Adler, who believed that all persons need, and aspire, to belong to a social environment that benefits them. It is a "preschool of partners"; that is, it represents an educational social community where families are invited to be partners in joint learning processes, to become involved, and to take responsibility by leading the preschool staff. The objective is to permit the child a sense of social belonging and to build a system of relations among all those involved in the preschool, based on the equality of human worth. A "preschool of partners" creates an atmosphere in which children develop while intensifying their sense of value, self-confidence, and inner discipline, along with the capacity to be aware of their own needs while showing consideration for the needs of others. Graduates of this preschool of partners are children with the kind of social intelligence that can facilitate their ability to contend with life's missions under constantly changing conditions, while examining their contribution to the social environment within which they interact on an independent, responsible, and rational basis. The idea is innovative and unique in a number of ways: (a) Children are active, responsible partners in their personal development; (b) parents are also considered responsible partners, an integral part of the educational staff; (c) children learn from a young age modes of behavior predicated on genuine democratic principles; (d) educational activity introduces the children to each other at the center of the


educational arena and facilitates the closing of gaps derived from the diversity of their home and family backgrounds; (e) the preschool spirit is based on responsibility, partnership, consultation, encouragement, dialogue, and educational methods; (f) the objective is to permit a significant change in the preschool climate in all its aspects and day-to-day interactions; (g) the preschool seeks to foster a sense of belonging, the social skills required for partnership and collaboration, and emotional independence by teaching the principle of choice, acceptance of diversity, and empathy and dialogue skills; and (h) relations in the preschool are based on the equality of worth of all those involved, whereas the modes of education are built on the principle of natural consequences as a substitute for punishment methods. The children, primarily but not exclusively, study and internalize their personal responsibility for any action, behavior, or result while recognizing and accepting defined boundaries. After the certificate is awarded and the preschool is approved as one that works according to the Adler approach, the preschool hosts an annual guidance group for parents, along with lectures and professional guidance for the staff.

The Adler Preschool: An Example.

The Nitzanim Center, located in

Zikhron Yaakov, was established in 2004 with the intention of educating in a different fashion. Heading the initiative are Shaul Shalev and Smadar Schneidman. Shalev is an experienced group leader and Adierian therapist who studied with Dreikurs. Schneidman has a master's degree in early childhood education and is a parents' group leader. Shalev and Schneidman had a shared vision: to establish preschools that are predicated on the Adierian educational approach and to create a common language between the home, the preschool, and the educational staff. Adierian fundamentals were embedded in the preschool doctrine, and the staff received training from Shalev. Schneidman works in the preschool and implements the approach. The holistic environment at the Nitzanim Center seeks to restore tranquility to both the body and soul. A democratic environment fulfills the principle of choice and the option for negotiation. The child, being an independent entity with thoughts and feelings that are independent of the environment, is entitled to express his or her opinion and choose his or her path within the preschool framework as well. Choice is exercised according to the child's capabilities at the various stages of development. In the Adierian spirit, parents at Nitzanim learn to be conscious parents, the staff studies conscious educational work, and the children speak a democratic, egalitarian, and respectful language. The children learn that boundaries do not signify rigidity. They learn about dialogue between

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friends, from a position of attentiveness and receptivity. The children graduate Nitzanim with a clear sense of values, including belief in themselves, courage to be who they are, and optimism regarding the world around them.

The School for Individual Psychotherapy The School for Individual Psychotherapy at the Adler Institute was founded to train therapists to employ the Adierian approach both as a theoretical basis and in a therapeutic setting. In other words, they acquire both the technique and the art of Adierian therapy. The program is intended for students with a clinical master's degree who wish to specialize in Adierian therapy. The course of study lasts for 3 years and includes more than 750 study hours. The first year is devoted to the fundamentals of the theory, the factors influencing lifestyle, the creation of the therapeutic connection, and the analysis of childhood memories. In the second year, therapeutic techniques are studied; and the third year is devoted to a practicum, an integration of previously studied material, guidance, and advanced courses, such as "The Concept of Neurosis According to Adler." The study method includes lectures, practical experiences, discussions, and case analyses, and the lecturers are experienced Adierian therapists. In addition to the high standards of instruction and study, we are trying to implement in the studies the Adierian principles of mutual respect, cooperation, and social sense. To complete their degree, students submit an exercise for every course, as well as a thesis upon the conclusion of the program. In addition, they are required to undergo Adierian therapy and experience the practicum under counseling. To realize the vision of social sensitivity, the practicum takes place in the framework of the comradely project known as "In Good Company." In this framework, the students treat young people who lack family support, who are referred by public, nonprofit organizations in Israel. The School for Individual Psychotherapy was established in 2008 by Anabella Shaked, in conjunction with the Adler Institute of Israel; Shaked serves as the head of the school.

The School for Adierian Coaching The School for Coaching at the Adler Institute was established to train participants in a coaching method based on Adierian theory. The program is intended for those with a bachelor's degree or a comparable degree and prior work experience. Participants must be at least 30 years old. The program is intended for (a) people who want to acquire a new or additional


profession; (b) people who want to acquire coaching tools in order to integrate them into their current roles, for instance as managers, moderators, advisors, counselors, or therapists-parents; or (c) people who are interested in undergoing a process of development and growth. The course of study comprises 400 hours of coursework. During stage A, students study coaching skills such as encouragement, listening and mirroring, asking questions, focusing, and challenging. Coaching tools, such as vision, earmarking, and values, are also studied, and there is an emphasis on the development of the experience of the coach as a person and professional. The study method includes lectures, discussions, practice and hands-on experience, independent work, and home practice. There are three types of counseling: group counseling; individual counseling, which refers to coaching talk and a utilization of coaching skills; and personal counseling, which includes the entire coaching process. All students promote their personal and independent course of study through a project booklet (documenting the study Odyssey) with assignments from week to week. In the practicum stage, students coach their first trainee in the context of a volunteer project of the School for Coaching that is called "Empowering the Empowerers." Students must undergo a process of personal coaching as part of the training, after which interns recruit trainees for themselves in order to complete the 100 hours of coaching required by the practicum. At the end of the course, the students submit a practicum booklet that includes a documentation of coaching hours, counseling hours, and one indepth case analysis presentation aided by guiding questions. Additionally, the student must pass an oral examination, which is actually a half-hour coaching talk in front of one of the teachers. The School for Coaching was established in 2005 by Mia Levitt Frank and Anabella Shaked, who are also the head administrators, in conjunction with the Adler Institute. Student satisfaction is high because of both the encounter with Adierian theory and the exposure to coaching skills and tools. Students report a significant advancement of personal development through the studies.

Content Stamp of Quality The Content Stamp of Quality (CSOQ) is conferred by the Adler Institute of Israel on products that contain humanistic, egalitarian, and nonharmful content and messages and that respect every person irrespective of origin, sex, social and economic standing, vocation, and age. The CSOQ appearing on products testifies that the contents of the products were examined and certified by the content committee, which is composed of senior professionals from the Adler Institute. The CSOQ helps customers who are exposed

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to a very broad variety of products to make an informed purchase; it guarantees that the product's messages and contents support social and family values: egalitarianism, democracy, and humanism. The CSOQ has several objectives. First, it encourages creating, marketing, and consuming only products that respect all people for their shared humanity. Second, it allows consumers to identify products that include contents and messages that support humanistic, egalitarian, and democratic social and family values. Third, it encourages consumers to prefer these products over others. Finally, it helps to prevent the exposure of children and adults to harmful and discriminatory messages. Given the growing awareness of human and child rights in Israel and throughout the world, and in light of the supply of competing products in every niche, the CSOQ allows manufacturers and authors to improve their product's image and provide it with many marketing advantages, including an improved reputation, a relative advantage vis-à-vis manufacturers whose products are not marked with a CSOQ, and an improvement in product quality by tailoring it to the demands of the CSOQ. Exposure to harmful and discriminatory content negatively influences (consciously and subconsciously) those exposed to them—negatively affects their behavior, way of thinking, style of speech. Reducing the consumption of harmful products and encouraging the consumption of produets that insist on humanistie messages will have a positive influenee on the soeial climate.

Conclusion

The theory of Alfred Adler is alive and well in Israel. The development of the theory by Rudolph Dreikurs helps individuals, couples, parents, grandparents, children, and teachers who participate in the diverse activities initiated by the Adler Institute and its branches throughout Israel. The Adler Institute is a highly valuable resource in terms of professional training and the provision of services for psychological health. Tami Peleg is a school counselor, parents-group leader, supervisor, and wellacknowledged teacher at the School of Group Leading at the Alfred Adler Institute in Israel. Eilat Deutsch MSW, MBA, is the Executive Vice President of the Israeli Adler Institute and manages the professional programs of the Institute. Ruti Marcus-Kohen is a member of the Israel Bar Association and a practicing lawyer since 1987. She is also a eertified instruetor for Adierian parent groups. As a mother of three young ehildren (now ages 23, 20, and 17), she


and her husband participated in an Adierian parent group that very much affected her parenthood in the subsequent years. It also led to the aspiration to pass on to other parents the education values of democracy, mutual respect, and recognition of equality that stand as the basis of the Adierian educational methods. Manal Kadry is a parents-group leader at the Adler Institute in Israel with the Arabic population. Manal volunteers with children in need. Tami Iflah is a certified Imago Couple therapist and the author of Behavior Is a Language and The Cirde of Heiper-Heiped Biiaterai Reiationships. She is the professional creator and leader of the unique program "Parents in Remote Control" and a teacher at the School of Group Leading at the Adler Institute. Osnath Harel has been the chief executive officer of the Alfred Adler Institute of Israel since 2004. Harel has vast experience in heading various kinds of organizations. Anabella Shaked is an expressive therapist in private practice, founder and head of the Israeli Professional School of Adierian Psychotherapy, and cofounder and academic manager of the Israeli Professional School of Adierian Coaching in the Adler Institute of Israel. Mia Levitt Frank is director of the Adierian Coaching School at the Alfred Adler Institute in Israel and a senior facilitator, supervisor, and coach. She is training as a psychotherapist at the Institute's Adierian School of Psychotherapy. Miriam Smadar is a certified family therapist and has been an active therapist for almost 15 years in the clinics of the Alfred Adler Institute in Israel. She holds a master's degree in clinical social work and has knowledge and experience in trauma therapy, CBT, and psychotherapy. Smadar Schneidman MEd, is founder and manager of the Nitzanim Center, an Adierian center for toddlers in Israel. Richard E. Watts is Distinguished Professor of Counseling and director of the doctoral program in counselor education at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. He is a fellow of the American Counseling Association and a diplomate in Adierian psychology. Watts has authored more than 115 professional publications, and his interests include Adierian, cognitive, and constructivist approaches to individual, couple, and family therapy; counselor supervision and counselor efficacy; ethical and legal issues; play therapy; and religious and spirituality issues in counseling and psychotherapy.

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