SIUE’s Arts & Issues Hosts Lecture, “How the Legacy of Rudolf Dreikurs, MD, Has Enriched Our Lives”
As part of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Arts & Issues series, Len Sperry, MD, PhD, will present a lecture, entitled “How the Legacy of Rudolf Dreikurs, MD, Has Enriched Our Lives” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, in the Meridian Ballroom on the Edwardsville campus. A reception will be held prior to the lecture, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Sperry has been referred to as “Dreikurs’ last student,” having been the last to graduate from the Adler Institute with the Certificate in Psychotherapy before Dreikurs passed away.
Many people have been enriched by Dreikurs’ legacy, either directly or indirectly. This presentation will focus on his incredible legacy and highlight his many contributions in the areas of the classroom, parenting, therapy and the community.
Dreikurs’ biographers speculated that during his lifetime he “profoundly touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the United States and abroad.” Because of the thousands of professionals he trained multiplied by the vast numbers his followers trained in the five decades since his passing, it would not be unreasonable to assert Dreikurs has influenced hundreds of millions of lives worldwide.
Sperry’s lecture will give listeners an opportunity to find out how they may have been impacted and enriched by Dreikurs and his followers – through positive parenting, positive discipline learned and practiced by teachers, more effective counseling, or changes in social equality that impacted workplaces and communities.
Professor emeritus at Florida Atlantic University and clinical professor of psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Sperry has practiced, taught, researched and written about Adlerian psychotherapy for five decades. He is board certified in psychiatry, preventive medicine, clinical psychology and Adlerian psychology, has 1,100+ professional publications, and is co-editor of the Journal of Individual Psychology.
Grant Andree, director of Arts & Issues, said, “In addition to a keynote presentation, the Dreikurs Visiting Scholar Fellowship allows SIUE to bring in the featured speaker for two weeks to visit classrooms and interact with faculty and students. This fellowship is made possible through the generosity of Dr. Eva Dreikurs Ferguson and her family.”
Paul Rose, PhD, professor of psychology and associate dean in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior, noted how Sperry’s visit benefits students. “We get only a few opportunities to bring eminent scholars to SIUE, so we are making sure Dr. Sperry has multiple opportunities to discuss Adlerian ideas with students in psychology, art therapy counseling, and social work.”
This event is sponsored by the Dr. Rudolf Dreikurs Visiting Scholar Fellowship, which was established at SIUE in 2017 by Dreikurs’ daughter, Dr. Eva Dreikurs Ferguson, and her family. Dreikurs taught at SIUE in the early 1960s. His influence in psychotherapy, counseling, education, parenting and social relations has been worldwide. Ferguson retired from SIUE in 2019 as a professor and distinguished scholar in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s Department of Psychology after more than 54 years.
The event is free, but tickets are required and can be reserved here. Free parking will be available in Lot B.
Arts & Issues is tied to the academic mission of the University. For 37 years, the series has presented some of the world’s finest performing artists and showcased speakers from across the spectrum in areas such as science, history, literature and politics. The program also offers unique opportunities for students, faculty, staff and the community to engage with these performers and speakers through master classes and special sessions.
Photo: Len Sperry, MD, PhD.