The Precise Opposite Emotion: A Brief Technique to Enhance Assessment of a Client’s Movement

ABSTRACT: Alfred Adler’s law of movement states that humans are in an unending state of movement away from a minus state (accompanied by an undesired emotion) and toward a plus state (accompanied by a desired emotion). When clients articulate a feeling during therapy, they help a therapist to see their inner experience about one of these states, either minus or plus. However, this articulation gives Adlerian therapists only half of what they need to accurately assess a client’s movement. This article describes a quick, noninvasive, simple technique that allows Adlerian therapists to better assess a client’s patterns of movement, especially in the lifestyle investigation phase of therapy. Implications for therapeutic effectiveness, including limiting therapist bias, strengthening attunement between client and therapist, and improving case conceptualization, are discussed.