The Book

The five-part book describes the development of a dialectically integrative, unifying and coherent model of psychotherapy theory and practice. 

Part 1 discusses the principles of philosophy as they relate to psychotherapy, and identifies the value of Roy Bhaskar’s critical realism. This philosophical perspective supports and guides the work as a whole. 

Part 2 provides detailed descriptions of our five major theoretical approaches: attachment, humanistic, psychodynamic, cognitive and behavioural theories, devoting a chapter to each of them. It also provides overviews of psychosocial theory and lifespan perspectives on psychological well-being, distress and change processes.

Part 3 discusses the principles of dialectical process, and lowers the epistemological boundaries between the five perspectives, looking at the overlaps and compatible differences between them, based on a content analysis of elements of theory.

Eleven significant areas of overlap are identified, including five core psychological constructs which are defined on a theoretically integrated basis. Overlaps and compatible differences are used to develop a Unifying Dialectical Model of human psychological functioning and processes of change, the UDM.

This model takes central place in a meta-framework which supports the integrative impacts of our different approaches to psychotherapy, incorporating the importance of the therapeutic relationship, and the roles played by clients’ environmental contexts and their place in the lifespan: the Dialectical Integration of Approaches to Psychotherapy, DIAP meta-framework. 

Part 4 brings Dialectically Integrated Psychotherapy to life through the analysis and discussion of an individual therapy experience, identifying the theories that advise practice across sessions, and discussing the processes that support constructive change within the UDM.

Part 5 discusses the approach in relation to the overall aims and principles of psychotherapy integration, and compares it with other key models of theoretical and technical integration, and common factors approaches. Its implications for theory development, psychotherapy research, practice and training are also considered. The book ends with some reflections on the nature of the work and the processes that unfolded as it was being carried out.

A recent editorial review:

“The philosophical bedrock of Hingley’s détente between rival theories is the critical realism of British philosopher Roy Bhaskar, which permits the inclusion of empirical and unobservable data and the coexistence of diverse epistemologies, avoiding the demand for absolute authority in favor of a more pluralistic permissiveness. With an impressively scrupulous attention to detail, the author discusses the prevailing theories and the manner in which they can happily co-exist under a single umbrella. Hingley correctly prioritizes psychotherapy’s philosophical underpinnings and the ways in which theory deeply influences practice. In particular, her discussion of the “epistemological straitjacket of logical positivism” is rigorously rendered, as is her refusal to acquiesce to the relativizing tendencies of postmodern thought. The author lucidly articulates a grave problem for psychotherapy: the absence of both an overarching reflection on the relationship of the mind to reality and a serious consideration of the nature of consciousness. Moreover, her depiction of the theoretical approaches is precise and surprisingly accessible.” – Kirkus Reviews 

book front cover

Read extracts

PDF samples of the book are available to download by clicking on these links:

Content can be also explored via the ‘Look inside’ function on Amazon.

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Dialectically Integrated Psychotherapy: A Unifying Approach to Theoretical Integration is available in print and e-book, purchase securely online, worldwide through Amazon: