2008 Woodie Awards
It runs in the family
A father's work in Adlerian psychology is kept alive by his daughter
Allan Lewis
Issue date: 9/4/07 Section: News
Since the death of her father, SIUE psychology professor Eva Dreikurs Ferguson has continued his work in the study of Adlerian psychology at the International Committee of Adlerian Summer Schools and Institutes, or ICASSI.
ICASSI is conducted at a different country each year and has recently been in Ireland, Malta and Lithuania.
Ferguson's father, Rudolf Dreikurs, was a colleague of Alfred Adler, who started ICASSI in order to teach his method of psychology around the world while reaching out to international students.
Adlerian theory of psychology focuses on strengths, democratic principals, goal- oriented behavior, sense of community and importance of contribution among other things.
"After Adler died, my father took over and developed everything Adler wanted to do and trained colleagues who followed him and that is how I got involved," Ferguson said. Even after Dreikurs died, Ferguson became determined to keep his work alive.
Ferguson started working with the organization her father founded in 1973 as a staff member.
"An opening became available on the board and they needed an American so I joined as a staff member," Ferguson said. "A few years later I became a board member and shortly after that I became a chairperson."
In 1962, Dreikurs founded ICASSI and taught at SIUE during the summer months of the 1960s to promote the teachings of Adler - something he had dedicated his entire life to.
Dreikurs sought to bring the principals of Adler to schools, organizations and international relations and also sought after an international summer school as the best way to teach Adlerian psychology.
Next year, the ICASSI will be held in Gyor, Hungary.
"It is in a wonderful part of the world where lots of exciting and interesting things happen, and on the weekends students can visit the surrounding cities," Ferguson said.
"Hungary has been a country occupied by Nazis and communists in the past and has been making a strong effort to become a democracy and has a wonderful tradition having lots of interesting cultures and backgrounds."
ICASSI is conducted at a different country each year and has recently been in Ireland, Malta and Lithuania.
Ferguson's father, Rudolf Dreikurs, was a colleague of Alfred Adler, who started ICASSI in order to teach his method of psychology around the world while reaching out to international students.
Adlerian theory of psychology focuses on strengths, democratic principals, goal- oriented behavior, sense of community and importance of contribution among other things.
"After Adler died, my father took over and developed everything Adler wanted to do and trained colleagues who followed him and that is how I got involved," Ferguson said. Even after Dreikurs died, Ferguson became determined to keep his work alive.
Ferguson started working with the organization her father founded in 1973 as a staff member.
"An opening became available on the board and they needed an American so I joined as a staff member," Ferguson said. "A few years later I became a board member and shortly after that I became a chairperson."
In 1962, Dreikurs founded ICASSI and taught at SIUE during the summer months of the 1960s to promote the teachings of Adler - something he had dedicated his entire life to.
Dreikurs sought to bring the principals of Adler to schools, organizations and international relations and also sought after an international summer school as the best way to teach Adlerian psychology.
Next year, the ICASSI will be held in Gyor, Hungary.
"It is in a wonderful part of the world where lots of exciting and interesting things happen, and on the weekends students can visit the surrounding cities," Ferguson said.
"Hungary has been a country occupied by Nazis and communists in the past and has been making a strong effort to become a democracy and has a wonderful tradition having lots of interesting cultures and backgrounds."
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