Unification in Psychotherapy & The Clinical Sciences

Unification in Psychotherapy & The Clinical Sciences

Jack Anchin & Jeffrey Magnavita

 

Published in The Neuropsychotherapist Issue #1

 
A major new phase of advancement in the evolution of psychotherapy and in the clinical sciences more broadly is emerging before our very eyes. As the field makes its way through the first quarter of the 21st century, it appears to be moving beyond the dominating role played by the traditional theoretical orientations (e.g., psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, behavioral, humanistic/existential, cognitive, systemic, biomedical, feminist, multicultural, and integrative approaches) that progressively emerged in the field of psychotherapy, as the 20th century unfolded (Lebow, 2008; Melchert, 2013) The field is now moving towards a unifying paradigm taking the form of biopsychosocial systems metatheory grounded in the relational matrix (Anchin, 2012; Magnavita, 2012). This unifying framework recognizes and seeks to describe and understand the multilevel, multiple domain complexities and intricacies of human development, mental health, psychopathology, relational disturbances, and change processes. And in its comprehensiveness, a unifying framework contains the potential to advance and accelerate integration and synthesis of multiple and diverse realms of knowledge and study, as well as the latest developments in psychotherapeutics. Unified clinical science must be fundamentally grounded in neuroscience, as well as other relevant disciplines, and in this respect encompasses neuropsychotherapy, which is primarily concerned with brain/mind and dyadic relationships. A unified framework encompasses the Total Ecological System (TES) and thus adds additional levels to account for human functioning and dysfunction.
 


The Neuropsychotherapist
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Jeffrey J. Magnavita, Ph.D., ABPP, is Co-Founder & Co-Editor of the Journal of Unified Psychotherapy and Clinical Science. APA award winner for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Independent or Institutional Practice in the Private Sector for his Unification and Personality Systematics work.
 
Jack C. Anchin, Ph.D., is the Adjunct Professor of Psychology, University at Buffalo, New York. The 2011 recipient of the APA Division 29 (Psychotherapy) Distinguished Psychologist Award for contributions to psychology and psychotherapy. Co-Founder & Co-Editor of the Journal of Unified Psychotherapy and Clinical Science.

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