Coherence Therapy, developed by Bruce Ecker and Laurel Hulley in the 1990s, is a psychotherapeutic method that posits symptoms of mood, thought, and behavior are coherent with the person's current mental models of reality, many of which are implicit and unconscious. #### Process The core principle of Coherence Therapy is symptom coherence. This principle suggests that the seemingly irrational symptoms experienced by a person are sensible and orderly expressions of their current constructions of self and reality. These constructions are deeply held personal constructs or schemas that are often nonverbal and emotionally charged. The therapy views even a person's resistance to change as a coherent part of their mental constructs, treating it as an ally rather than an obstacle #### Principle The process of Coherence Therapy is experiential, focusing on the client's direct emotional experience of their unconscious personal constructs that produce unwanted symptoms. The therapy aims to dissolve these constructs by bringing them to consciousness and allowing the client to experience the contradiction of their old beliefs alongside opposing ones. This juxtaposition triggers a contradiction-detection mechanism in the brain, prompting a restructuring of belief systems to eliminate inconsistencies. The therapy does not argue against or disprove the old schema but allows for natural revision through experience. #### Most useful for Coherence Therapy is useful for individuals who have persistent, unwanted symptoms that may not have responded well to more traditional therapies. It is particularly beneficial for those who seek to resolve deep-seated emotional issues and for whom cognitive approaches like CBT have been insufficient. The therapy is structured to deal with complex emotional and psychological issues in a relatively short period, although the exact duration can vary depending on the complexity and intensity of the underlying emotions and meanings​. #### Resources - [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coherence_therapy)​. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coherence_therapy - https://www.amazon.com/Unlocking-Emotional-Brain-Eliminating-Reconsolidation/dp/0415897173 - https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/i9xyZBS3qzA8nFXNQ/book-summary-unlocking-the-emotional-brain - https://malcolmocean.com/2021/08/internal-trust-dancing-date-scheduling-cancelling/ - https://www.howtousepsychedelics.com/blog/mystical-experiences-and-memory-reconsolidation-how-psychedelics-dismantle-our-maladaptive-beliefs by [[theo]] - https://slatestarcodex.com/2019/11/26/mental-mountains/