The Thematic Framework

Vienna is the place where, one hundred years ago, Individual Psychology came into being. When Alfred Adler split from Sigmund Freud's group in 1911, he initially founded the Society for Free Psycho-Analytical Research (Verein für freie psychoanalytische Forschung), which was soon renamed the Society for Individual Psychology.

This is the event which the International Association of Individual Psychology takes as an opportunity to focus attention, as part of its 25th International Congress, on three thematic focal points.

(1) Under the title of "Separation - Trauma - Development", the significance of a variety of forms of separation will be discussed. The beneficial distinction between separation and disengagement will be explored; attention will also be focused on those modes of separation that lead to states of illness. In so doing, the development of theory, in general, and therapy, counselling and education, in particular, will be taken into account.

(2) From this perspective, the Development of Individual Psychology since 1911, but equally so its prehistory, will be the special thematic focus.

(3) As for the various traditions of Individual Psychological practice which have developed over the 100-year course of Individual Psychology's history, with its divergent branches of psychoanalytic, humanistic and cognitive-based orientations, these will be explored during the one-day pre-congress on July 13th, 2011. Special attention will be given to the in-depth discussion of case materials.

Congress Language: English