TSAP 2020 Annual Conference and Seminar
Our Own/ Common Identities: The Social Feelings of Acceptance and Reconciliation
Description of the concept of the academic seminar Our Own/ Common Identities: The Social Feelings of Acceptance and Reconciliation
Human beings are constantly in pursuit of “identity.” According to Adler, “the quest for belonging is a universal and fundamental human drive. We seek recognition because we desire a sense of belonging.” Balancing recognition from others, self-acceptance, and integration into a community—while also striving for personal fulfillment and spiritual growth—is a lifelong task. This ongoing process is essential to completing the meaning of our lives, and it is something we must learn and refine throughout our entire existence.
[About Family]
As children, we long for our parents’ approval, attention, and acceptance. To achieve this, we learn to observe changes in our parents’ expressions, words, and emotions, becoming sensitive to the family atmosphere and the psychological states of its members. We follow paths that lead to parental approval, but in the process, we may also begin to make our own decisions and seek self-approval within the context of our family life. How, then, do we creatively develop our own identity in relation to ourselves, others, and the social environment, ultimately forming our unique lifestyle?
[About Career Development]
After leaving home, we continue our search for recognition—in school, in the workplace, in social interactions, and in intimate relationships. We adjust to the expectations of others and conform to societal norms, fine-tuning our habits, interpreting environmental cues, sensing the atmosphere around us, recognizing faces, and assessing others. All of this is driven by the desire for recognition. How can we learn to strike a balance between self, others, and societal acceptance, while pursuing a more “complete” version of ourselves?
[About Midlife and Spirituality]
As we navigate through life’s journey, striving for recognition that aligns with social values and personal responsibilities, we may sometimes struggle to satisfy our own need for self-acceptance and care. This often happens when we prioritize external recognition from others and the broader social environment, which can lead to feelings of depression, guilt, and suffocation due to the difficulty of balancing external validation with self-care.
As we grow older, how can we live harmoniously with identity-related challenges such as physical aging, the loss of loved ones, intergenerational value differences, and the search for life’s meaning?
This Seminar will bring together both domestic and international Adlerian psychologists for an in-depth dialogue and exploration of identity issues across different life stages. We invite participants at various points in their lives to reflect on how to accept themselves, others, and the social environment, and to explore how to seek reconciliation and coexistence. The goal is to foster a deeper sense of identity that embraces social responsibility and mutual understanding.
Date: June 14 (Sunday) 9:00-17:30.