Brief Biography
For over 20 years, I have been passionate about the possibility of developing a more integrated and coherent way of approaching the field of psychology and the work of psychotherapy. I first published my approach for developing a theoretically unified view of the field in 2003, and I have been expanding on that view and its implications ever since. In 2011, I outlined my approach in the book, A New Unified Theory of Psychology. Since that time, in addition to authoring professional publications, I have developed a blog on Psychology Today called Theory of Knowledge, which offers regular posts on a wide variety of topics, including updates on the unified theory to general issues in philosophy to morality to politics to current issues facing the field of psychology. I am also an active in a number of movements that are involved in consolidating our knowledge into more coherent schemes. For example, I am a leader in the Unified Psychotherapy Movement, which attempts to use meta-theory to achieve an effective integrative scheme for the various psychotherapy paradigms. I am also interested in synthetic approaches to philosophy, and I have started a group called the Theory of Knowledge Society, which hosted its first conference in April (2018), titled: Toward a Big Theory of Knowledge.
I am a Full Professor and a core faculty member in James Madison University's Combined-Integrated Clinical and School Psychology Doctoral Program. I arrived at JMU in 2003, and directed the C-I doctoral program from 2005 to 2017. It has been a unique opportunity to train unified health service psychologists, as JMU is arguably the leading program in integrative theory and training. I currently teach courses on integrative/unified psychotherapy, personality, social, and cognitive psychology, and history and systems and engage in much clinical supervision. In addition to exploring and promoting my unified framework for psychology and philosophy, I am currently engaged in developing a systematic evaluation of character functioning and well-being (called the Well-being Checkup), examining an approach to psychological mindfulness called "CALM MO" (which stands for developing a Curious, Accepting, Loving-compassionate, and Motivated toward valued states of being Metacognitive-Observer) and researching the college student mental health crisis and what might be done about it.
I regularly engage in pro bono clinical work and supervise doctoral students in their development. I have specific clinical expertise in the assessment and treatment of adult psychopathology, particularly depression, anxiety, suicidal behaviors, and personality disorders. I am married to Andrea Henriques, MEd, (my high school sweetheart) and we have three children, Sydney (18), Jon (17), and Lanie (14). I live in Virginia, just south of Harrisonburg.
For over 20 years, I have been passionate about the possibility of developing a more integrated and coherent way of approaching the field of psychology and the work of psychotherapy. I first published my approach for developing a theoretically unified view of the field in 2003, and I have been expanding on that view and its implications ever since. In 2011, I outlined my approach in the book, A New Unified Theory of Psychology. Since that time, in addition to authoring professional publications, I have developed a blog on Psychology Today called Theory of Knowledge, which offers regular posts on a wide variety of topics, including updates on the unified theory to general issues in philosophy to morality to politics to current issues facing the field of psychology. I am also an active in a number of movements that are involved in consolidating our knowledge into more coherent schemes. For example, I am a leader in the Unified Psychotherapy Movement, which attempts to use meta-theory to achieve an effective integrative scheme for the various psychotherapy paradigms. I am also interested in synthetic approaches to philosophy, and I have started a group called the Theory of Knowledge Society, which hosted its first conference in April (2018), titled: Toward a Big Theory of Knowledge.
I am a Full Professor and a core faculty member in James Madison University's Combined-Integrated Clinical and School Psychology Doctoral Program. I arrived at JMU in 2003, and directed the C-I doctoral program from 2005 to 2017. It has been a unique opportunity to train unified health service psychologists, as JMU is arguably the leading program in integrative theory and training. I currently teach courses on integrative/unified psychotherapy, personality, social, and cognitive psychology, and history and systems and engage in much clinical supervision. In addition to exploring and promoting my unified framework for psychology and philosophy, I am currently engaged in developing a systematic evaluation of character functioning and well-being (called the Well-being Checkup), examining an approach to psychological mindfulness called "CALM MO" (which stands for developing a Curious, Accepting, Loving-compassionate, and Motivated toward valued states of being Metacognitive-Observer) and researching the college student mental health crisis and what might be done about it.
I regularly engage in pro bono clinical work and supervise doctoral students in their development. I have specific clinical expertise in the assessment and treatment of adult psychopathology, particularly depression, anxiety, suicidal behaviors, and personality disorders. I am married to Andrea Henriques, MEd, (my high school sweetheart) and we have three children, Sydney (18), Jon (17), and Lanie (14). I live in Virginia, just south of Harrisonburg.
Educational Background
- PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Vermont (APA accredited)
- MS in Clinical and Community Psychology from the University of
- BS in Psychology from James Madison University
- Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Virginia
- Post-doctoral Fellow at University of Pennsylvania (working under A.T. Beck)
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