Most To Least Most To Least: ST ND RD TH
Most To Least Most To Least: ST ND RD TH
Most To Least Most To Least: ST ND RD TH
The lifestyle assessment is typically done at the initial phase of therapy as a way to obtain
information about the client’s family constellation, early recollections, dreams, and strengths as a person.
This information is then summarized and interpreted, especially in light of the client’s faulty assumptions
about life (or “basic mistakes”). From the results of this assessment procedure, counselors make tentative
interpretations about the client’s lifestyle.
Although there are a number of formats for the lifestyle questionnaire, counselors may develop
their own variation by focusing on information deemed most valuable for exploration in therapy. What
follows is an example of a lifestyle questionnaire that has been modified and adapted from various
sources, but especially from Mosak and Shulman’s Lifestyle Inventory (1988). To give you an
experiential sense of the process of thinking and responding to this early life-history material, complete
the following questionnaire as it applies to you. As much as possible, try to give your initial responses,
without worrying about what you can and cannot remember about any “correct” responses. I strongly
encourage you to fill in the blanks and to make brief summaries after each section. Assume that you are
interested in being a client in Adlerian therapy. Based on the outcomes of this questionnaire, what areas
of your life would you most like to explore? How much help is this questionnaire in getting you focused
on what you might want from a therapeutic relationship?
The eldest probably is the most different from me as he’s much closer to my elder twin
brother. They get along better and can talk about things more comfortably.
The three elder brothers played together as they grew up, since they are closer in age group
and are the same gender.
6. Which fought each other?
The twin brothers fought a lot in their childhood. Currently, the elder twin brother (2) and
the youngest (4) don’t get along well.
Due to age gap, everyone took turns taking care of the youngest.
All the elder brothers are academically inclined and had multiple awards in competitions in
schools during their childhood.
Eldest (1) had a kidney failure on his mid 20’s that left him needing to have a daily
medication for maintenance.
It was pretty good as I was considered the smartest during those time and well liked by my
peers and teachers.
Being a lawyer.
15. Were there any significant events in your physical and sexual development?
18. What stands out the most for you about your family life?
Growing up, the need to be better and following orders from elderlies.
9. Describe your parents’ relationship with each other. Typical for their age group, the mother
organizes everything at home (plans financials, purchases for homes etc.) while my dad
earns most of the money. Recently though, my dad always makes way to help with the house
chores.
10. In general, how did each of the siblings view and react to your parents? The three eldest brother
was distant to their father due the nature of his works and relied on the mother for
caretaking. But recently, both parents are hands-on their youngest daughter as they can
both have turn taking care of her.
11. In general, what was your parents’ relationship to the children? Typical for their age, growing
up, they were strict, the children felt they cannot share most intimate details about their life
with their parents.
12. Besides your mother and father, were there any other significant adults in your life? Who were
they? How did they affect you? None for me, but my eldest brother spent some time with our
aunt and uncle living a few barangays away when he was attending high school.
Lifestyle Summary
1. Give a summary of your family constellation. (What stands out most about your role in your
family? Are there any themes in your family history?)
I consider my family as very typical with my mother taking care of her children while the
father earning the money to support them. The father was absent in most time during the
three elder brothers’ childhood due to nature of the father’s work. This dynamic however
was change when our youngest sister was born and both parents were hands-on during her
childhood.
2. Summarize your early recollections. (Are there any themes running through your early
memories? Do you see any meaning in your early recollections?)
Honestly, my early childhood was centered around achievements and friendly competition
with my brothers both in school and home.
3. List your mistaken self-defeating perceptions. (What do you see as your “basic mistakes”?)
Realizing now, that my worth was not tied to things I did in school.
The thought that everything must be done perfectly.
4. Summarize what you consider to be your strengths as a person. (What are your assets?) My
strengths and assets as a person stem directly from my upbringing and my competitive
nature with my siblings (at least my brothers). I have this need to be better than them.
These characteristics however mellowed out as years goes by but it sure still affects
personality today.
A lot of self-reflection was done accomplishing the lifestyle questionnaire. It does raise some
explanations on some of my attitudes and personality today. I learn that a lot of my personality
traits came from my strict (and detached) upbringing by my parents and the competition
fostered by the three elder brothers growing up. If I ever find myself sitting with a
counselor/therapist, maybe these are some themes I’d consider bringing up so we can address
them.
Answering the lifestyle questionnaire also made me aware that most if not all the roles I
played in our childhood family dynamics certainly made me who I am today, and although
some of those traits that arises from my childhood upbringing may have negative impact on me
today, I learned to tone it down as to not bother me as much anymore.