What is ICASSI?

ICASSI: The International Committee for Adlerian Summer Schools and Institutes.  ICASSI  is a non-profit educational organization whose objective is to help professionals, students, and lay persons learn the teachings of Adler and Dreikurs and master appropriate skills, and to teach Adler’s and Dreikurs’ principles and methods where professional and personal development opportunities are needed. Each year ICASSI organizes the Rudolf Dreikurs Summer Institute as our primary forum for educational activities. The Rudolf Dreikurs Summer Institute is held in a different country each year following the tradition of Dr. Dreikurs who established the first International Summer School in Denmark in 1962. In addition to the Rudolf Dreikurs Summer Institute, many ICASSI faculty members support related initiatives throughout the year giving lectures and presentations, helping with training programs and encouraging development of Adlerian associations in various nations. ICASSI and its faculty members also support publication and translation of Dreikurs’ original works.

The ICASSI Mission

• Reach out to others through education, training, dialogue, and experience

• Enhance the spirit of social interest, sharing, and cooperation, and foster equality by making a common effort to eliminate the barriers between nationalities, age groups, genders, religions, social classes, races, professions, and any other artificial distinctions by which humans believe themselves to be divided

• Stimulate leadership in different countries and help potential and existing leaders in their efforts to establish a world of peace and cooperation

A Truly International Institute

It was Dreikurs’ hope to hold the Summer Institute in a different country each year wherever there was a group in need of impetus to grow. His hope has been realized and the Rudolf Dreikurs Annual Summer Institute has been held in many different countries over the years. Recent locations have included Malta, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Lithuania.

The Theory and Practice of Adler and Dreikurs

Adlerian psychology is holistic (each of us is a unique whole person), social, and purposive (human action is understood in terms of self-set goals, of which we usually are not aware). Mental health is understood in terms of a person’s or a community’s striving for contribution, equality, and mutual respect between individuals and between groups. Based on many decades of effective methods for prevention and treatment of psychological and social problems, Adlerian theory and practices offer concrete steps for improved human relationships in the family, school, and workplace, and in multi-national interactions.   ICASSI offers classes in which individuals from many nations learn and share experiences to increase their understanding of themselves and others. Classes deal with contemporary problem areas in parenting, couple relationships, school, the workplace, and multi-cultural relationships. New methods are taught that help individuals and groups to live healthier and strength-based lives in a society in which many persons are discouraged and feel defeated. Problems in work, school and family are examined in terms of the Adlerian principles of equality, mutual respect, and cooperation. Participants of ICASSI gain understanding of self and others, and they learn to understand that healthy living involves concern for group welfare as well as for personal well-being.

Learn More… You can learn more about Adler and Dreikurs by reading books by them or by members of our faculty.  Click here to find a list of recommended readings or further articles and resources.