About Early Memory Interpretation

Of the tens of thousands of incidents that happen in early childhood, we recall just a few. We remember these events not because they are trivial or chance but, rather, because they are significant to us. The memories reflect our personal beliefs about the deeper truths of life. Pioneering psychiatrist, Alfred Adler, said we believe of our early memories, “Such is life!”

Early memories can reveal many insights. To name a few:

Your unconscious philosophy about life, your “lifestyle.”
Your approach to problem solving.
Your approach to conflicts.
How you work best with other people.
The types of mistakes you tend to make over and over again—and why.
Your hidden strengths.

Adlerian counselors have practiced early memory interpretation for years, but without the benefit of knowing Adler’s unpublished technique. Adler, an Austrian psychiatrist and associate of Sigmund Freud, first developed the technique in the early 20^th Century, using it in his practice with his clients as well as in child guidance clinics. But he never explained his technique fully in writing, preferring to teach it in person to his colleagues and students. Because most of these individuals were Jews and Socialists, the technique was largely lost to the ages with the Holocaust.

In 1993, Ellen Alderton was analyzed and later trained by a practitioner of Adlerian psychology, Conrad Kaplan. Kaplan had learned Alfred Adler’s unpublished technique from a personal student of Adler, Edith Foster. Ellen was then privileged to spend three days in Sonora, California visiting Foster—at that time one of Adler’s last living pupils.

Early memory interpretation takes approximately one hour. During your early memory interpretation session, the consultant will ask you questions about your hobbies, interests, major life decisions, and more. You can answer the questions in any way you wish; there is no delving into your personal life or your “deep dark secrets.” At the end of the session, you and the consultant explore your memories together to uncover their meaning.