The principles of well-being are based on a non-reductive scientific paradigm that integrates findings from all the biomedical and psychosocial sciences. Reliable methods are available are available for measuring human thought and social relationships at each step along the path of self-aware consciousness, as described in Dr. Cloninger's book Feeling Good: The Science of Well-Being.
Coherence Therapy begins with personality assessment using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), which assesses the unique configuration of each person's emotional style (temperament) and higher cognitive processes (character). Quantitative ratings from the TCI are combined with observations about the dynamic movements of the mind from moment to moment in treatment to formulate an intuitive understanding of the conflicts and struggles that have been obstacles to the development of coherence of personality. Coherence of personality is synonymous with a state of wisdom and well-being. High scores on all three TCI character dimensions indicate coherence of personality.
These three character dimensions measure a person's higher cognitive functions, which lead to happiness when character is mature. TCI Self-Directedness measures a person's executive functions. Self-Directedness indicates how responsible, purposeful, and resourceful a person is in working to achieve their goals and values. TCI Cooperativeness measures a person's legislative functions, which involves the making of rules to get along with others fairly and flexibly with kindness. TCI Self-Transcendence measures a person's judicial functions by which they are wise enough to understand when the rules they make apply. Such understanding requires the purification of our rational intuition through specific types of mental exercises developed in the Center for Well-Being and described in the book Feeling Good.
There are many steps along the path to well-being, and each transition involves getting calm, acceptance, growth in self-awareness, and commitment to change. Different medications, meditations, and exercises may be useful in providing treatments that are uniquely tailored to the needs and strengths of each person.
The underlying principles that guide treatment at each step are called "letting go," "awareness," and "loving" or "working at the service of others." First, to reduce resistance to the order and information inherent in all things, we must let go of all our struggles so that we become calm. Growing in lightness corresponds to the process of sublimation, as described by Sigmund Freud except that it is a spontaneous tendency of life, not a defense against disorder, unpleasantness, and heaviness. Sublimation cannot be a defense because serenity is an essential precondition for the psyche to enlighten our subconscious mind.
When we let go of our struggles in a stepwise manner, the valence of all experience becomes more pleasant and enjoyable. As we become more serene, we are more receptive to enlightenment, which maintains growth through positive feedback. Recognition of this positive feedback relationship between serenity and enlightenment allows us to understand the paradoxical benefit of letting go.
In other words, letting go allows us to grow in understanding of hope, which leads to increasing lightness, serenity, and well-being. Hence, increasing lightness corresponds to the elevation of thought along the spiral path of the psyche. The greater degree of following the path of the psyche influences thought so that there is increased TCI Self-Directedness.
The elevation of the psyche is also analogous to empirical measures of connectivity in the Internet. In more psychological terms, to increase in order or connectivity means to increase in order, trust, and hope, which are the distinguishing properties of lightness.
Second, to grow in awareness, we must listen to our psyche, which means to try to understand our own nature rather than blaming, criticizing, and judging. Only in the absence of dualistic judging can we face the truth inherent in reality and approach it little by little without conflict or distortion. Hence, growing in awareness corresponds to the process of transcendence, as described by Carl Jung. The greater degree of listening to the psyche influences thought so that there is increased TCI Self-Transcendence. Such nonjudgmental measurement of what truth we can recognize allows us to grow in understanding of faith, which leads to increasing integration of intelligence and eventually to wisdom. Increasing breath of awareness corresponds to the widening diameter of the spiral path of the psyche. In more psychological terms, to grow in self-aware consciousness means to be more calm, serene, faithful, and open.
Third, to grow in love, we must be free of prior conditioning and work in the service of others unconditionally. Such increasingly unconditional service allows us to grow in understanding of charity, compassion, and eventually to unconditional love. Love is the absence of fear, egoism, and elitism. Such altruism is based on spontaneous kindness and is not a defense against selfishness and cruelty, as is often suggested in psychoanalysis.
Increasing depth of the spiral path leads to reduced effort to dominate or inhibit conflicts, the reduced striving to be better than others (and oneself), and increased spontaneity of love. The greater freedom of will influences thought so that there is increased TCI Cooperativeness. In more psychological terms, to grow in freedom means to be more deeply loving, charitable, humble, and creative, which are naturally expressed by working at the service of others. More information about coherence therapy is available in the suggested readings, particularly the book Feeling Good: The Science of Well-Being. Another book on the Science of Well-Being, focused on clinical assessment and treatment of psychopathology, is nearing completion and will be published by Oxford University Press. Dr. Robert Cloninger lectures widely and conducts workshops and seminars for professional and lay audiences.
Learn about future professional development opportunities to incorporate Coherence Therapy into your own practice.
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Coherence Therapy
