Unified Theory

Developed by Gregg Henriques, the unified theory offers a way to theoretically unify the major approaches to the field of psychotherapy (e.g., modern psychodynamic, humanistic, and cognitive-behavioral) into a coherent whole. It achieves this synthesis by applying a set of ideas that, Henriques argues, defines the science of human psychology and integrates it to the art and practice of psychotherapy. Central to this approach to psychotherapy is adaptive living—that is, when an individual maximizes valued states of being, given his or her capacities, needs, and situation. Related to adaptive living, much of personality can be described in terms of systems of character adaptation, which are the unique and specific ways in which individuals adjust and respond to situations in their lives.

According to Henriques’s unified theory, ...