Classical Adlerian or Adlerian: Experiences of Developing Professional Identity Among Classical Adlerian Practitioners

Abstract: Little information is available regarding how practitioners develop their professional identity, especially concerning their theoretical orientation. In this study, five classical Adlerian practitioners were interviewed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach to understand their experiences of professional identity development. The findings revealed three common patterns for developing a sense of professional identity among the participants: (a) choosing different professional identity labels, (b) having different attitudes toward differentiation, and (c) considering the importance of professional identity to different audiences. The findings provide insights into the process of developing professional identity among Adlerian practitioners and suggest areas for future research.