The 4 Waves of Psychology

Psychology is typically defined as the science that focuses on studying thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. People have studied the mind and how it works since the time of the ancient Greeks, but the scientific study of psychology only dates back to a little over a hundred years ago.

Since Wilhelm Wundt opened the first psychology lab in 1879, psychologists have studied various aspects of human behavior, such as personality, brain functions and socio-cultural influences. Here are the FOUR WAVES OF PSYCHOLOGY as described by Dr. Peta Stapleton, Clinical & Health Psychologist, World Leading Researcher, Author & Educator.

1st WAVE ~ Psychoanalysis

An important aspect of psychoanalytic theory is the “cognitive unconscious,” or the “unconscious mind.” Sigmund Freud, thought to be the father of psychoanalysis, argued that behavior is driven by unconscious motivations and drives, rather than rational choice. Common concepts include: free association (expressing any thoughts which come to mind during therapy), therapeutic listening and responding (examining the content and emotion of thought), and interpretation (drawing inferences about unconscious underpinnings of conscious experience). However, the body also figures strongly in psychoanalytic theory. For Freud, structures of the mind (e.g., id, ego, superego) arise out of tensions between the organism’s bodily drives and societal structures. This is reflected in the psychoanalytic conception of psychosomatic illness, which was the idea that emotions and unconscious desires caused bodily symptoms.

2nd WAVE ~ Behaviour Therapy

Traditional behavior therapy arose in an American setting in the early 1950s and saw a shift from the psychoanalytical ideas of studying the mind to the pragmatic, evidence-based study of behavior. This was followed by “modern learning theory,” which referred to the principles of classical and operant conditioning, and within time included a mind-body approach (apparent in popular behavior therapies for children with autism spectrum disorder, such as music therapy, Floortime, rhythm therapy, and reciprocal imitation training which are broadly underpinned by behavioral and functional developmental approaches).

3rd WAVE ~ Cognitive Therapy

With the advent of the cognitive revolution, pure behavioral therapies begun to fade out in favor of cognitive therapies, and related functioning to computational theory. This conceptualized the body as an “input-output device,” or the “hardware,” and the mind as the “central processor,” the “software,” or the “controller”.

Beck’s (1967) cognitive theory remains one of the most influential to this day, in particular his major contribution to cognitive therapy, the cognitive model (Triad) of depression. This model suggests that depression is underpinned by automatic, negative thoughts about the self, others and the world.

Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapies

Recently, there has been an influx of so-called “third wave” psychotherapies which have their roots in learning theory and are held together by cognitive interventions. One of the key features of some of these psychotherapies (e.g., Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy etc.) is their focus on “mindfulness.” One of the features of mindfulness as applied in psychological therapies is to develop an awareness of the present experience by self-regulating attention to momentary sensations, thoughts, and feelings. Thus, in contrast to standard cognitive and behavioral therapies, one of the aims of mindfulness-based psychotherapies is to increase awareness of the body.

4th WAVE ~ Somatic Approaches and Energy Psychology

Somatic approaches typically use a “bottom up” rather than “top down” approach. Cognitive approaches are examples of “top down” modes of therapy, working with cognitions and the “thinking brain” to create change. Somatic approaches instead work from the “bottom up”– reducing stress and anxiety physiologically, through changing the autonomic nervous system and discharging trauma.

Energy Psychology (also known as cognitive somatic practices) is a family of mind-body methods focused on wholeness and interconnectedness of life. The degree to which a person or group can embody and embrace this reality is a function of experience, perception and consciousness. It focuses on the use of energy psychology, energy healing and related methods to heal, clear and transform whatever gets in the way of experiencing and embodying wholeness, differentiation and integration.

Energy psychology methods combine cognitive interventions with somatic techniques that influence the human bio-energy systems such as meridians, chakras and the biofield, as well as subtler systems of the body such as neuroception. Activation of these systems during the intervention is thought to increase the speed and/or thoroughness of the work.

Practitioners view symptoms as systemic, interactive bio-energetic patterns. This involves constant complex communication among neurobiological processes, electrophysiology, consciousness, and bioenergy systems.

Most EP approaches are brief, active and structured. EP approaches can be: 1) used as stand-alone interventions, and 2) easily integrated within a broader clinical treatment, program of change or health optimization. Clients also learn self-help techniques they can use themselves. EP approaches are often rapid, have little to no adverse effects, and are usually experienced as self-empowering by clients and patients.

The most common examples of energy psychology methods are: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Thought Field Therapy (TFT), Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT), Comprehensive Energy Psychology (CEP), Advanced Integrative Therapy (AIT), and Heart Assisted Therapy (HAT).