LEAP

Dr. Alfred Adler's Psychology for Everyone

LEAP: The LifeCourse Effective Action Program

LEAP is a structured program for adults (individuals, couples, groups, classes) who want to understand themselves better, gain more control over their lives, be more effective, improve their relationships, and set and achieve meaningful goals for their lives. It is useful for those in or entering psychotherapy, 12-step programs, and support groups. LEAP is based on Dr. Alfred Adler’s Individual Psychology, one of the most influential forces in modern psychotherapy. Each LEAP session requires preparation using materials supplied. Each session follows four major steps:

LEARN — The session pattern is introduced and explained (click on the underlined words to go directly there; click "LEAP" in bar at page top to return here to go to other Patterns):

Introduction — Learn about LEAP, the materials, select a Practice Task, etc.
Background patterns — Family heritage, traditions, values, etc., at your birth.
Basic patterns — Roles your parents played which you continue today
Beginning patterns — Numerical and psycho-social positions among siblings
Boyhood/Girlhood patterns — Childhood experiences, including six specific events.
Belonging patterns — Six ways you tried (and still try) to feel attached to others.
Behaving patterns — The E-B-R cycle you use to manage everything in your life.
Believing patterns — Core ideas about Self, Others, and the World.
Bewildering patterns — Ways you lead yourself astray in life by self-defeating behaviors, Private Logic, and your Mistaken Mission.
Being Patterns — Your ideal images of yourself, of others, of your partner, of work, of the world, etc.
Becoming patterns — Self-definitions, Ideals, and ways you move through life.
Your Master Action Pattern — The complete MAP that guides your life today based on the ten LifeCourse Patterns you created in childhood.

EXPLORE — You fill in the Pattern from your own life and experience (based on preparation you do beforehand using the LEAP Notebook.)

APPLY — You examine the Pattern to see its effects and limits on present living, how your Pattern developed, and what you get out of keeping to your old ways

PRACTICE — You practice Pattern revisions as you go along as you prepare for each session, and in several other ways as well:

1. Application in three common areas of adult life: A relationship, A decision or problem, and Work/career.

2. You use your Practice Task to (1) apply what you’ve learned to a specific, current issue in your life, and (2) to see how you can apply LEAP learnings in other areas of your life.

3. You use the E-B-R cycle to examine changes and revisions peculiar to the pattern being considered.