Q.1.What is Individual Psychology for you？
To my understanding Adlerian psychology enables us to live a life worthy of human being. It is sometimes absolutely necessary to be in a position which might be critical to the self-evident and often unconscious position our culture adopts. This is, I believe, one reason why Adlerian psychology has not been accepted favorably so far. It is never pleasant to the ear. I am not sure if this situation will change for the better, but I am convinced that this psychology which originated with Alfred Adler(1870-1937) who is said to have heralded a new era holds the key to many problems which are pressed for urgent solution.
Q.2.How does Individual Psychology influence your everyday life?
It was when my son was two years old that I began to study Adlerian psychology. Akiko Yano, who is a famous Japanese musician, says that life after the birth of children never fail to change. I agree with her that the reason for such a change cannot be explained. We can just say the whole life has completely changed. In my case it is not too much to say that the life in my thirties is so closely related with my children that I dedicated myself to child care.
I do not think I have learned Adlerian psychology as an armchair theory. It is true that child care was the start but I have come to learn Adlerian psychology which has a wide range of subjects with as much effort as I study philosophy which is my major.
The meaning of 'learning' in Adlerian psychology needs some explication. As the theory and the practice is closely connected, learing Adlerian psychology means to examine our way of life incessantly. I cannot remember the day when I made it a rule to attribute innocently the fact the life does not go well to something else than myself.
Q.3.I hear there are as many non-professional menbers as professional menbers in Japanese Society of Adlerian Society. What do you think about that non-professionals and professionals study together?
When the Medical Society in New York told Ader that it was willing to adopt his teachings as their exclusive psychiatric tool, he rejected the offer flatly because it was under the condition of limiting himself to teachings physicias only. He said, "My psychology belongs to everyone." This is true of the present day.
When I began to learn Adlerian psychology, Dr. Noda said to me, "There is no sense unless you become a philosopher who can enjoy housewives(husabnds)' gossip."
Socrates was discussing all day long with the young men in Athens. Adler liked to give lectures and be surrounded by the audience after the lecture. Changing the place, he went on discussig with his dedicated students and friends at the cafe till late at night.
Just like Socrates and Adler I decided to become a philosopher who can enjoy talking, as it were, at a well side, outside an office. Since then I began to live not as an armchair philosopher but as an ordinary citizen. I have learned many important things from a talk with housewives.
Both professionals and non-professionals has built up Adlerian psychology collaboratively.
Q.4.In a lecture for beginners of Individual Psychology, what would you like to teach them the most?
There is always a danger that the techniques taught by Adlerian psychology can easily be a tool for ruling or manipulating people due to their powerfullness. In giving lectures I make every effort to teach the novice even at the sacrifice of the simplicity that we should not rule others and that others cannot be made to be one's tools or means.
I often talk about "encouragement" at the lectures for the beginners. Encouragement is always in great peril because it tends to be easily misunderstood as a technique used to make children behave appropriately.
Without the equal and horizontal relationship every techniques Adlerian psychology tries to teach could be of no avail and even dangerous. "Equal and horizontal relationship" is one of many things which I would like to teach my audience.
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