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Hail and well met, traveller.

 

 

A key foundation of the work at Verum is the theory of the Psychosocial Stages of Development, designed by Erik Erikson, first introduced in the 1950’s. This theory stands tried and true, and I am a firm advocate of its legitimacy in practice.

 

The Psychosocial Stages of Development focuses on eight factors, each successively intertwined throughout the span of one’s life. These stages are each comprised of the potential to be successful or unsuccessful, showcasing characteristics in later stages as the psyche matures.

 

Now, I’m not going to recant it on here – you can check out the video tutorial for an in-depth literature review tutorial of the theory and how I apply it within the Verum Theory. But I do wish to spend some time offering my thoughts on the theory and why it is a pivotal cornerstone of the work that is done at Verum.

 

 

But, for context, here is a brief overview of the theory:

1. Trust vs. Mistrust (Infancy, 0-1 year) – Developing a sense of trust in caregivers and the world.

2. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (Toddlerhood, 1-3 years) – Learning independence and self-control.

3. Initiative vs. Guilt (Early Childhood, 3-6 years) – Developing initiative and confidence in actions.

4. Industry vs. Inferiority (Middle Childhood, 6-12 years) – Building competence and work ethic.

5. Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adolescence, 12-18 years) – Exploring identity and personal values.

6. Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young Adulthood, 18-40 years) – Forming meaningful relationships.

7. Generativity vs. Stagnation (Middle Adulthood, 40-65 years) – Contributing to society and guiding the next generation.

8. Integrity vs. Despair (Late Adulthood, 65+ years) – Reflecting on life with a sense of fulfillment or regret.

 

 

I ask myself the question: what is it that I want? Well, besides my hopes and dreams, I want to see others succeed. Maybe it is selfish of me, but after studying economics, I find that the better people do, the better the economy does, and in turn, the better I do. I want to see my clients do well and I want the people I meet heal from their past traumas and suffering, being able to carry the weight of this world with a smile because they understand the purpose of responsibility.

 

 

When discussing this theory, I get so excited because I believe that it has not only made a change in my reality, but also the lives of my clients. And, it is very simple, that anyone with a little guidance will be able to implement it into their own work. Anyone, from a teacher to a psychologist, a doctor or a parent.

 

By using this theory, one can understand where issues arouse and then are capable of seeing the persons humanity and how they struggle. Not all struggle is the same; each step is not equal, as the younger it affects you, the more difficult it is to overcome.

Take the first four stages of the theory; these are fundamental in the foundations of one’s life. A little bit of uncertainty here can result in major ineptitudes and feelings of personal failures. Imagine a person who trusts, is autonomous, takes initiative, and has industry within themselves; and now imagine someone who is untrusting/untrustworthy, holds guilt, shame, and doubt, and moves through life being inferior to others, even if it’s only them who sees it. The one presents as unashamed of the space they take up and confidently walks through life trusting in their innate abilities. In contrast, the other person’s energy feels broken and desolate.

 

 

When I was at University, I decided to take English Literature at an NQF-Level 6. This was a choice against Political Science (which I studied anyway, as I read the book). But the Literature appealed to me more because of the depth of understanding of the human psyche. I was so intrigued; I’m assuming I was annoying because I could not stop engaging and asking questions. My lecturer’s distaste for me was an apparent facade, but nonetheless, her opinion stung only so slightly.

 

 

In my second year we analysed the story of Death of a Salesman. Here's a synopsis:

"Death of a Salesman" is a 1949 play by Arthur Miller. It follows Willy Loman, an aging salesman struggling with disillusionment and the crushing weight of the American Dream. The play explores themes of identity, failure, capitalism, and family dynamics. It is a tragic critique of societal expectations and personal delusions.

 

Within this story, the main character – Willy – and his wife were living in quite simple means. His wife had to sew stockings because they could not afford to buy news ones (Fun Fact: stockings used to be quite expensive and this was also during a time where it was a societal expectation to wear stockings. My grandmother apparently, during this time, used to draw with a black pen up the back of her leg so it would appear as if she had stockings on because they could not afford any).

 

But – the point – in my recant of the story is that he was growing a tree. Below a summary:

In Death of a Salesman, the tree serves as a recurring symbol of legacy, lost dreams, and the passage of time. Willy Loman once planted trees around his house, representing his hope for growth, stability, and providing for his family. However, as the play unfolds, the trees are either gone or overshadowed by urban expansion, mirroring Willy’s own fading relevance and sense of failure.

This directly ties into Erikson’s stage of Generativity vs. Stagnation (Middle Adulthood, 40-65 years). In this stage, individuals either find meaning in contributing to the next generation (generativity) or feel unfulfilled and stuck (stagnation). Willy, unable to accept his professional and personal failures, clings to outdated dreams rather than adapting and mentoring his sons productively. Instead of leaving a lasting legacy, he spirals into despair, leading to his tragic end.

Thus, the tree serves as a powerful metaphor for what Willy wanted to cultivate—a thriving future for his family—but ultimately failed to sustain, leaving behind only disillusionment.

 

 

Understanding the abovementioned, we need to gauge in which stage a person would have gotten stuck. From my knowledge of the theory, we can tell how many stages he was unsuccessful in and as such will be able to point out exactly how to rectify it.

 

If Willy were my client, I’d use intuition and various types of questioning styles to help the person understand where they are hurting and need to focus their energy. This is why you need to go to someone you trust will not use their knowledge to hurt you but rather help you. 

 

 

Here is an overview of the stages he wasn’t successful in and how it could have been resolved using this theory:

Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman struggles primarily with Industry vs. Inferiority (Stage 4), Identity vs. Role Confusion (Stage 5), and Generativity vs. Stagnation (Stage 7) in Erikson’s psychosocial development theory.

 

1. Industry vs. Inferiority (Childhood, 6-12 years)

• This stage is about developing a sense of competence and work ethic.

• Willy’s flashbacks suggest that he may have never truly felt competent. He idolises successful salesmen like Dave Singleman but never achieves the same level of success himself. This unresolved inferiority makes him obsess over status and recognition.

 

2. Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adolescence, 12-18 years)

• This stage is about forming a clear sense of self.

• Willy constantly redefines his identity based on external validation—believing that being "well-liked" is the key to success. His identity is unstable, and he projects his insecurities onto his sons, especially Biff, pushing him to be someone he is not.

 

3. Generativity vs. Stagnation (Middle Adulthood, 40-65 years)

• This stage is about contributing to the next generation or feeling stuck.

• Willy fails to find true generativity—his career is crumbling, and he is unable to guide his sons toward meaningful lives. Instead of mentoring them constructively, he clings to illusions of past success, leading to his ultimate stagnation and despair.

 

By the time he reaches the final stage (Integrity vs. Despair, Late Adulthood, 65+ years), Willy is unable to find peace with his life, leading to his tragic decision to take his own life in a desperate attempt to provide for his family posthumously.

 

 

 

It reminds me of the saying:

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation - Henry David Thoreau’s Walden (1854)

 

 

Because most of us will live and die, as the winds of change whisper and seasons grow. So, what is the point of living if there is no point? But, and just hear me out, what if that is the point? That there isn’t a point; there isn’t a final destination? The point of living is to live and let live. The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is how to love and be loved in return. Maybe the point of life is to show another person how to live it so that they can experience it fully, without the harsh criticism of a corrupt world beating you down into submission. In our youth, a label sewn onto our hearts, and then we walk throughout life, flagellating ourselves to remember our place. Maybe the point is to stand on your own two feet and flex how much competence you can amass. Maybe, just maybe, it is to live with the permission to live. 

 

A man’s value is linked to his level of usefulness. That is why men accrue value as they age: because they need to build. But what happens to a generation of men who cannot build? They destroy. They destroy themselves, and they destroy society. But there is a glimmer of hope. And that is the father.

 

Did You Know: Fatherlessness is one of the greatest pandemics of our time, where 64.4% of South African households are without a biological father. And then we want to fight symptoms of a problem – drugs, crime, poverty, abuse, sexual offences, teenage pregnancy, abortion, child violations – but yet we don’t talk about the actual problem. Only a man can teach a man how to be a man. And you know I speak the truth. Mothers do wonderful jobs keeping them alive. But it should be a tag team effort. However, fathers need to model behaviours.

 

In the case of Willy, I would then need to assess his relationship with his father – was he active, was he absent, was he distant, did he die, or was he preoccupied with another family? Where does his preoccupation with consumerism stem from? We do not ask to blame; we merely ask to understand so we can develop a practical plan of action to overcome challenges and limiting beliefs.

 

With my son, I say: “I can’t stop him from having hardships in life. They are inevitable, because the snake is going to come in the garden one way or another”. But I can teach him to carry the burden of suffering, so he makes it out with confidence and competence. Equip him with the skills he needs to navigate this world. 

 

Many people are sorely mistaken – someone else cannot fix you or your problems. Many times, I have had a client panic when we start start uncovering all the cracks in their foundations. It’s almost as if they want to blame me for not going quickly with some Polyfilla, patching up the holes as I work so no one sees the problems. However, this is the opposite of my model - because I see through every crooked smile and downturned spirits.

 

 

The theory / model Verum is developing showcases that problem identification is the first step in developing an action plan. It usually takes me about six months to fully understand someone – it actually happens a lot sooner, but I give the six month threshold as a buffer to test my theory of who I think the person is. For the first six months I usually do a lot of observation, and trial and error. This observation is focused on where they are at, and identifying gaps areas based on the manner in which the client develops throughout the first semester of the programme. But more on this another time.

 

As you can see, the level to which I have integrated this theory into the core of my work is unlimited, as it assists me in figuring out who the person is. I can go on for another fifteen pages on this and still not touch sides. But I think that is enough to get you pondering until next time. 

 

 

From my hearth to yours,

I bid you all a very fond farewell.