Guy Du Plessis | University of Utah State (original) (raw)
I am a South African addictions specialist, philosophical practitioner, academic, author and publisher. I studied psychology at the University of South Africa and philosophy at the University of Cape Town, and was a visiting scholar at KU Leuven where I conducted research at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, and the Research Center for Phenomenology and Continental Philosophy, Institute of Philosophy. I am a registered psychological counsellor (Health Professions Council of South Africa), trained in psychodynamic psychotherapy (Loyola University Chicago), and a certified logic-based therapist and trainer (National Philosophical Counseling Association).
I have worked in the mental health field for over 25 years as a counselor, clinical and program director, and have developed and managed several inpatient addiction treatment programs. As an academic I have worked as an adjunct professor and researcher in the United States, and as a part-time and guest lecturer at South African Universities. I currently work as a researcher and instructor at the I-System Institute for Transdisciplinary Studies, Utah State University, and as a faculty member at the Institute for Advanced Psychotherapy, Loyola University Chicago. I am the director of the South African Logic-based Therapy and Consulting Institute, and the owner and editor-in-chief of Phronesis Publishing, an imprint that publishes academic and trade books on applied philosophy.
I am the developer of the Integrated Metatheoretical Model of Addiction, and am a co-developer of several resiliency-based interventions and programs developed at Utah State University, a co-developer of two programs that were listed as evidence-based by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the lead developer of the Recovery Resilience Program, to be published as a clinical manual by Cambridge University Press.
I am the author of An Integral Guide to Recovery: Twelve Steps and Beyond (Integral Publishers), An Integral Foundation for Addiction Treatment: Beyond the Biopsychosocial Model (Integral Publishers), co-author of the Mind-Body Workbook for Addiction: Effective Tools for Relapse Prevention and Recovery (New Harbinger), Social Unrest: Resolving the Dichotomies Between You/Me and Us/Them (Utah State University), and Resilient Mind Skills Workbook (Utah State University), and a contributing author to Current Approaches in Addiction Psychology (Cambridge Scholars Publishing) and Opioids in South Africa: Towards a Policy of Harm Reduction (Human Sciences Research Council Press), and have published in various academic journals, including Addiction and International Journal of Applied Philosophy, in the fields of addiction treatment and studies, theoretical psychology and applied philosophy. My latest book, Building Recovery Resilience: Addiction Recovery and Relapse Prevention Workbook, was published by Cambridge University Press, and my next book Recovery Resilience Program Facilitator's Guide (Cambridge University Press) is forthcoming in 2025. I am currently working on a chapter for the Oxford Handbook of Philosophy as a Way of Life (Oxford University Press).
Address: Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
less
Uploads
Journal Articles by Guy Du Plessis
International Journal for Philosophical Practice, 2022
In this essay I explore the notion of philosophy as a way of life as a recovery pathway for indiv... more In this essay I explore the notion of philosophy as a way of life as a recovery pathway for individuals in addiction recovery. My hypothesis is that philosophy as a way of life can be a compelling, and legitimate recovery pathway for individuals in addiction recovery, as one of many recovery pathways. I will focus on logic-based therapy (LBT) applied in the context of addiction recovery. The aim of presenting a case study is to show how a client receiving LBT is provided with techniques and a worldview that can contribute to a philosophically oriented recovery program. In the case study the client was advised to apply the moral philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche as an uplifting philosophical framework to counteract his unproductive worldview and fallacious thinking. Considering that there is an ostensibly low efficacy rate for the treatment of addiction, articulating the value of philosophy as a way of life as a recovery pathway provides a conceptual and methodological framework for the development of novel philosophically-based addiction treatment and recovery-oriented programs-thus expanding the treatment and recovery options available for those seeking recovery from addiction.
International Journal of Philosophical Practice, 2022
This article explores the potential utility of the theory of Holism as developed by South African... more This article explores the potential utility of the theory of Holism as developed by South African philosopher, British Commonwealth statesman and military leader, Jan Smuts, for philosophical counselling or practice. Central to the philosophical counseling process is philosophical counsellors or practitioners applying the work of philosophers to inspire, educate and guide their counselees in dealing with life problems. For example, Logic-Based Therapy (LBT), a method of philosophical counselling developed by Elliot Cohen, provides a rational framework for confronting problems of living, where the counselor helps the counselee find an uplifting philosophy that promotes a guiding virtue that acts as an antidote to unrealistic and often self-defeating conclusions derived from irrational premises. We present the argument that Holism is one such uplifting philosophy which can be of utility to philosophical counselors or practitioners to help their counselees with confronting problems of living. Furthermore, we argue that Smuts' articulation of freedom can act as a guiding virtue within this uplifting philosophy of Holism in accordance with the methodology of LBT. Smuts' contribution to philosophy and psychology is arguably inadequately credited, and for this reason, and to the best of our knowledge, Smuts' theory of Holism has yet to be discussed in the context of philosophical counseling or practice. Given these omissions, we begin this article with a discussion of his influence on 20th Century Anglo-American psychology. We then provide a brief historical context, and an introduction to the central argument of Smuts' Holism, as well as a brief overview of the origins of Smut's Holism and an introduction to his book Holism and Evolution. In the remainder of the article, we discuss several foundational concepts that underlie Smuts' theory of Holism, as articulated and developed in his book Holism and Evolution, to substantiate our arguments. We conclude by highlighting the limitations of our article, limitations to Smuts' model, and the challenges inherent in the use of a now largely antiquated theory, even by Smuts' own admission nineteen years after its publication, for the purposes of contextualizing and substantiating the arguments and recommendations presented herein. "To be a free personality represents the highest achievement of which any human being is capable."-Jan Smuts 1
International Journal of Philosophical Practice, 2019
In this essay I argue that a comprehensive understanding of addiction and its treatment should in... more In this essay I argue that a comprehensive understanding of addiction and its treatment should include an existential perspective. I provide a brief overview of an existential perspective of addiction and recovery, which will contextualize the remainder of the essay. I then present a case study of how the six-step philosophical practice method of Logic-Based Therapy can assist with issues that often arise in addiction treatment framed through an existential perspective.
Addiction is one of the most significant problems facing contemporary society. Consequently many ... more Addiction is one of the most significant problems facing contemporary society. Consequently many scholars, institutions and clinicians have sought to understand this complex phenomenon, as is evident in the abundance of etiological models of addiction in existence today. A literature review pointed that there is little consensus regarding the nature and etiopathogenesis of addiction, and integrative models have not yet been able to provide the sought-after integration. In addressing this problem, this study offers a theoretical analysis of the paradigmatic and meta-paradigmatic suitability of Integral
Theory in the design of an integrated metatheory of addiction. The data consisted of the most prominent etiological theories and models of addiction. The study focused on several essential features constituting the architectonic of any metatheory that attempts to provide conceptual scaffolding for the construction of a comprehensive metatheory of addiction. The criteria for the construction of a metatheory were conceptual integration,
ontological span, ontological depth, empirical validity and internal consistency. Integral Theory was critically assessed in terms of each of the abovementioned criteria. The study
suggests that Integral Theory is eminently suitable as a philosophical foundation for the development of an integrated metatheory of addiction.
Key words: Integral Theory, Addiction, Substance abuse, Substance dependence, Etiological models of addiction, Ontological foundation, Integral Enactment Theory,
Integral Methodological Pluralism, Integral Ontological Pluralism, Integral Epistemological Pluralism.
In previous work I explored how Integral Theory can be applied as a metatheoretical and transdisc... more In previous work I explored how Integral Theory can be applied as a metatheoretical and
transdisciplinary framework, in an attempt to arrive at an integrally informed metatheory of addiction.
There was an overemphasis on Integral Methodological Pluralism in that thread of research,
without clarifying the ontological pluralism of addiction as a multiple object enacted by various
methodologies. To arrive at a comprehensive integral metatheory and integral ontology of addiction,
I believe it is necessary to include the conception of Integral Pluralism and Integral Enactment
Theory as posited by Sean Esbjörn-Hargens. Integral Enactment Theory highlights the phenomenon
of addiction as a multiple and dynamic object arising along a continuum of ontological complexity;
it adeptly points out how etiological models “co-arise” in relation to methodology (methodological
pluralism) to enact a particular reality of addiction (ontological pluralism) while being mediated by
the worldview of the subject (epistemological pluralism) applying the method. This article briefly
explores the significance of including Integral Pluralism and Integral Enactment Theory in the quest
of an integral metatheory and integral ontology of addiction.
Books by Guy Du Plessis
Current Approaches in Addiction Psychology., 2023
.
Human Sciences Research Council Press, 2029
Utah State University, 2020
Peer Review Conference Presentations by Guy Du Plessis
5t International Conference of Philosophical Counseling and Practice, 2023
Central to the philosophical practice is the application of philosophers' work by philosophical p... more Central to the philosophical practice is the application of philosophers' work by philosophical practitioners to inspire, educate, and guide their clients. For example, in Logic-Based Therapy (LBT), a philosophical practice methodology developed by Elliot Cohen, philosophical practitioners help their clients to find an uplifting philosophy that promotes a guiding virtue that acts as an antidote to unrealistic and often self-defeating conclusions derived from irrational premises. In this essay, I will explore the existential ethics of Simone de Beauvoir, a French existentialist philosopher, and writer. I present the argument that Beauvoir's existential ethics, more specifically her articulation of ambiguity, can act as an uplifting philosophy, as per LBT methodology, which could be of value to philosophical practitioners to inspire, educate and guide their counselees for confronting problems of living. I will present my discussion of Beauvoir's existential ethics in the context of ideological obsession and ideology addiction, which is often supported by the reasoning that underlies the cardinal fallacy of existential perfectionism. I will argue that Beauvoir's existential ethics could serve as a prophylactic for ideological obsession and ideology addiction. I will also suggest that LBT may be particularly suited when addressing the selfdefeating, unrealistic conclusions derived from irrational premises in practical reasoning that may fuel ideological obsession because it could provide a methodology to address irrational beliefs in a way that could mitigate the fragmentation anxiety that may arise when relinquishing maladaptive self-object organizations.
Presentation at the 4th International Conference of Philosophical Counseling and Practice, 2022
In my presentation I argue for the utility of a philosophical counseling method, called logic-bas... more In my presentation I argue for the utility of a philosophical counseling method, called logic-based therapy (LBT), in the treatment of addicted populations. In the context of addiction treatment LBT could be also classified as a philosophical psychotherapy. Philosophical psychotherapy can be understood as an umbrella term for interventions designed to treat mental health disorders, with theoretical foundations that are philosophical. Philosophical psychotherapy would be distinct from philosophical counseling, as the latter does not directly treat mental health disorders. I suggest that LBT has utility beyond philosophical counseling and is a viable intervention in the treatment of certain mental health disorders, like substance use disorders. I provide a brief overview of LBT and then discuss a LBT case study with a client suffering diagnosed with a substance use disorder. In the case study the client was advised to apply the moral philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche as an uplifting philosophical framework to counteract his unproductive worldview and fallacious thinking. Considering that there is an ostensibly low efficacy rate for the treatment of addiction, articulating the value of philosophical psychotherapies in the context of addiction treatment can assist in the development of novel philosophically-based addiction treatment and recovery-oriented programs––thus expanding the treatment and recovery options available for those seeking recovery from addiction.
Keynote presentation given at the 2nd Annual Mind-Body Bridging Conference 2019, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Presentation given at the 2nd Annual Mind-Body Bridging Conference 2019, Salt Lake City, Utah., 2019
Presentation given at the 2nd Annual Mind-Body Bridging Conference 2019, Salt Lake City, Utah., 2019
International Journal for Philosophical Practice, 2022
In this essay I explore the notion of philosophy as a way of life as a recovery pathway for indiv... more In this essay I explore the notion of philosophy as a way of life as a recovery pathway for individuals in addiction recovery. My hypothesis is that philosophy as a way of life can be a compelling, and legitimate recovery pathway for individuals in addiction recovery, as one of many recovery pathways. I will focus on logic-based therapy (LBT) applied in the context of addiction recovery. The aim of presenting a case study is to show how a client receiving LBT is provided with techniques and a worldview that can contribute to a philosophically oriented recovery program. In the case study the client was advised to apply the moral philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche as an uplifting philosophical framework to counteract his unproductive worldview and fallacious thinking. Considering that there is an ostensibly low efficacy rate for the treatment of addiction, articulating the value of philosophy as a way of life as a recovery pathway provides a conceptual and methodological framework for the development of novel philosophically-based addiction treatment and recovery-oriented programs-thus expanding the treatment and recovery options available for those seeking recovery from addiction.
International Journal of Philosophical Practice, 2022
This article explores the potential utility of the theory of Holism as developed by South African... more This article explores the potential utility of the theory of Holism as developed by South African philosopher, British Commonwealth statesman and military leader, Jan Smuts, for philosophical counselling or practice. Central to the philosophical counseling process is philosophical counsellors or practitioners applying the work of philosophers to inspire, educate and guide their counselees in dealing with life problems. For example, Logic-Based Therapy (LBT), a method of philosophical counselling developed by Elliot Cohen, provides a rational framework for confronting problems of living, where the counselor helps the counselee find an uplifting philosophy that promotes a guiding virtue that acts as an antidote to unrealistic and often self-defeating conclusions derived from irrational premises. We present the argument that Holism is one such uplifting philosophy which can be of utility to philosophical counselors or practitioners to help their counselees with confronting problems of living. Furthermore, we argue that Smuts' articulation of freedom can act as a guiding virtue within this uplifting philosophy of Holism in accordance with the methodology of LBT. Smuts' contribution to philosophy and psychology is arguably inadequately credited, and for this reason, and to the best of our knowledge, Smuts' theory of Holism has yet to be discussed in the context of philosophical counseling or practice. Given these omissions, we begin this article with a discussion of his influence on 20th Century Anglo-American psychology. We then provide a brief historical context, and an introduction to the central argument of Smuts' Holism, as well as a brief overview of the origins of Smut's Holism and an introduction to his book Holism and Evolution. In the remainder of the article, we discuss several foundational concepts that underlie Smuts' theory of Holism, as articulated and developed in his book Holism and Evolution, to substantiate our arguments. We conclude by highlighting the limitations of our article, limitations to Smuts' model, and the challenges inherent in the use of a now largely antiquated theory, even by Smuts' own admission nineteen years after its publication, for the purposes of contextualizing and substantiating the arguments and recommendations presented herein. "To be a free personality represents the highest achievement of which any human being is capable."-Jan Smuts 1
International Journal of Philosophical Practice, 2019
In this essay I argue that a comprehensive understanding of addiction and its treatment should in... more In this essay I argue that a comprehensive understanding of addiction and its treatment should include an existential perspective. I provide a brief overview of an existential perspective of addiction and recovery, which will contextualize the remainder of the essay. I then present a case study of how the six-step philosophical practice method of Logic-Based Therapy can assist with issues that often arise in addiction treatment framed through an existential perspective.
Addiction is one of the most significant problems facing contemporary society. Consequently many ... more Addiction is one of the most significant problems facing contemporary society. Consequently many scholars, institutions and clinicians have sought to understand this complex phenomenon, as is evident in the abundance of etiological models of addiction in existence today. A literature review pointed that there is little consensus regarding the nature and etiopathogenesis of addiction, and integrative models have not yet been able to provide the sought-after integration. In addressing this problem, this study offers a theoretical analysis of the paradigmatic and meta-paradigmatic suitability of Integral
Theory in the design of an integrated metatheory of addiction. The data consisted of the most prominent etiological theories and models of addiction. The study focused on several essential features constituting the architectonic of any metatheory that attempts to provide conceptual scaffolding for the construction of a comprehensive metatheory of addiction. The criteria for the construction of a metatheory were conceptual integration,
ontological span, ontological depth, empirical validity and internal consistency. Integral Theory was critically assessed in terms of each of the abovementioned criteria. The study
suggests that Integral Theory is eminently suitable as a philosophical foundation for the development of an integrated metatheory of addiction.
Key words: Integral Theory, Addiction, Substance abuse, Substance dependence, Etiological models of addiction, Ontological foundation, Integral Enactment Theory,
Integral Methodological Pluralism, Integral Ontological Pluralism, Integral Epistemological Pluralism.
In previous work I explored how Integral Theory can be applied as a metatheoretical and transdisc... more In previous work I explored how Integral Theory can be applied as a metatheoretical and
transdisciplinary framework, in an attempt to arrive at an integrally informed metatheory of addiction.
There was an overemphasis on Integral Methodological Pluralism in that thread of research,
without clarifying the ontological pluralism of addiction as a multiple object enacted by various
methodologies. To arrive at a comprehensive integral metatheory and integral ontology of addiction,
I believe it is necessary to include the conception of Integral Pluralism and Integral Enactment
Theory as posited by Sean Esbjörn-Hargens. Integral Enactment Theory highlights the phenomenon
of addiction as a multiple and dynamic object arising along a continuum of ontological complexity;
it adeptly points out how etiological models “co-arise” in relation to methodology (methodological
pluralism) to enact a particular reality of addiction (ontological pluralism) while being mediated by
the worldview of the subject (epistemological pluralism) applying the method. This article briefly
explores the significance of including Integral Pluralism and Integral Enactment Theory in the quest
of an integral metatheory and integral ontology of addiction.
Current Approaches in Addiction Psychology., 2023
.
Human Sciences Research Council Press, 2029
Utah State University, 2020
5t International Conference of Philosophical Counseling and Practice, 2023
Central to the philosophical practice is the application of philosophers' work by philosophical p... more Central to the philosophical practice is the application of philosophers' work by philosophical practitioners to inspire, educate, and guide their clients. For example, in Logic-Based Therapy (LBT), a philosophical practice methodology developed by Elliot Cohen, philosophical practitioners help their clients to find an uplifting philosophy that promotes a guiding virtue that acts as an antidote to unrealistic and often self-defeating conclusions derived from irrational premises. In this essay, I will explore the existential ethics of Simone de Beauvoir, a French existentialist philosopher, and writer. I present the argument that Beauvoir's existential ethics, more specifically her articulation of ambiguity, can act as an uplifting philosophy, as per LBT methodology, which could be of value to philosophical practitioners to inspire, educate and guide their counselees for confronting problems of living. I will present my discussion of Beauvoir's existential ethics in the context of ideological obsession and ideology addiction, which is often supported by the reasoning that underlies the cardinal fallacy of existential perfectionism. I will argue that Beauvoir's existential ethics could serve as a prophylactic for ideological obsession and ideology addiction. I will also suggest that LBT may be particularly suited when addressing the selfdefeating, unrealistic conclusions derived from irrational premises in practical reasoning that may fuel ideological obsession because it could provide a methodology to address irrational beliefs in a way that could mitigate the fragmentation anxiety that may arise when relinquishing maladaptive self-object organizations.
Presentation at the 4th International Conference of Philosophical Counseling and Practice, 2022
In my presentation I argue for the utility of a philosophical counseling method, called logic-bas... more In my presentation I argue for the utility of a philosophical counseling method, called logic-based therapy (LBT), in the treatment of addicted populations. In the context of addiction treatment LBT could be also classified as a philosophical psychotherapy. Philosophical psychotherapy can be understood as an umbrella term for interventions designed to treat mental health disorders, with theoretical foundations that are philosophical. Philosophical psychotherapy would be distinct from philosophical counseling, as the latter does not directly treat mental health disorders. I suggest that LBT has utility beyond philosophical counseling and is a viable intervention in the treatment of certain mental health disorders, like substance use disorders. I provide a brief overview of LBT and then discuss a LBT case study with a client suffering diagnosed with a substance use disorder. In the case study the client was advised to apply the moral philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche as an uplifting philosophical framework to counteract his unproductive worldview and fallacious thinking. Considering that there is an ostensibly low efficacy rate for the treatment of addiction, articulating the value of philosophical psychotherapies in the context of addiction treatment can assist in the development of novel philosophically-based addiction treatment and recovery-oriented programs––thus expanding the treatment and recovery options available for those seeking recovery from addiction.
Keynote presentation given at the 2nd Annual Mind-Body Bridging Conference 2019, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Presentation given at the 2nd Annual Mind-Body Bridging Conference 2019, Salt Lake City, Utah., 2019
Presentation given at the 2nd Annual Mind-Body Bridging Conference 2019, Salt Lake City, Utah., 2019
In my previous work I explored how Integral Theory can be applied as a meta-theoretical and trans... more In my previous work I explored how Integral Theory can be applied as a meta-theoretical and transdisciplinary framework, in an attempt to arrive at integrally informed metatheory of addiction, yet indispensable aspects were overlooked. Moreover, an overemphasis was placed on Integral Methodological Pluralism, without clarifyingtheontologicalpluralismofaddictionasamultipleobjectenactedbyvarious methodologies. I believe what is needed in an attempt at a comprehensive integral metatheoryofaddictionistoincludeSeanEsbjörn-HargensandMichaelZimmerman's IntegralPluralismandIntegralEnactmentTheory.IntegralEnactmentTheoryhighlights the phenomenon of addiction as a multiple and dynamic object arising along a continuumofontologicalcomplexity.IntegralEnactmentTheoryadeptlypointsouthow etiologicalmodels"co-arise",inrelationtomethodology(methodologicalpluralism)and enactsaparticularrealityofaddiction(ontologicalpluralism),whilebeingmediatedby the world view of the subject (epistemological pluralism) applying the method. This paper briefly explores the significance of including Integral Pluralism and Integral Enactmenttheoryinthequestofanintegralmetatheoryofaddiction
Abstract: Integral Theory as developed by Ken Wilber and other contemporary Integral scholars ack... more Abstract: Integral Theory as developed by Ken Wilber and other contemporary Integral scholars acknowledge many antecedent foundational influences, and proto-Integral thinkers. Curiously, the philosopher-statesman Jan Smuts’ theory of Holism is seldom acknowledged, although it has significantly contributed, albeit often implicitly, to the development of Integral Theory. This paper and presentation has two central aims: To
point out that Smuts can be counted amongst one of the great Integral thinkers of the 20th Century; that Smuts’ notion of Holism had a significant influence on the development of Integral Theory. This paper and presentation will provide a brief outline of Smuts’ theory of Holism as developed in his book Holism and Evolution and other philosophical essays.
Key Words: Jan Smuts, Integral Theory, Holism, Evolution.
Integral Theory as developed by Ken Wilber and other contemporary Integral scholars acknowledge m... more Integral Theory as developed by Ken Wilber and other contemporary Integral scholars acknowledge many antecedent foundational influences, and proto-Integral thinkers. Curiously, the philosopher-statesman Jan Smuts’ theory of Holism is seldom
acknowledged, although it has significantly contributed, albeit often implicitly, to the development of Integral Theory. This paper and presentation has two central aims: To point out that Smuts can be counted amongst one of the great Integral thinkers of the
20th Century; that Smuts’ notion of Holism had a significant influence on the development of Integral Theory. This paper and presentation will provide a brief outline of Smuts’ theory of Holism as developed in his book Holism and Evolution and other
philosophical essays.
The International Mind-Body Bridging Conference: Origin, Theory and Practice. University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States., 2018
In the first part of the presentation we will explore issues within the Disability Sector relev... more In the first part of the presentation we will explore issues within the Disability Sector relevant to Mediation. It is important for Mediators (both in the Commercial and Family focus areas) to be familiar with issues of prejudice, misinterpretation and inclusivity. Marginalised voices may receive an opportunity to be heard during the mediation process. In the second part of the presentation, we will explore an Integral Substance Abuse Mediation (ISAM) approach. In this presentation we will explore the value mediation has within family and corporate environments when a family member or employee has substance abuse issues, and the advantage of Substance Abuse Mediation compared to Substance Abuse Intervention approaches. Our ISAM approach is informed by integral metatheory. The strength of integral metatheory is its ability to integrate vast fields of knowledge and provide a meta-theoretical framework that honours a broad spectrum of epistemological outlooks, while at the same time illuminating the parochial limitations and misconceptions of these perspectives. We propose that applying integral metatheory, as an epistemological and ontological foundation, to Substance Abuse Mediation could assist in providing a conceptual framework for the development of a comprehensive and integrated methodology for Substance Abuse Mediation.
It is rare to find a thoughtful and scholarly blend of theoretical astuteness and clinical wisdom... more It is rare to find a thoughtful and scholarly blend of theoretical astuteness and clinical wisdom in a single book about addiction. The author accomplishes this goal by the skillful application of integral theory as a framework for understanding addiction and its treatment. An Integral Foundation for Addiction Treatment belongs on the shelf of every psychotherapist who treats addiction or is interested in the topic.-Philip J. Flores, Ph.D., ABPP, author of Group Psychotherapy with Addicted Populations (3rd ed.) and Addiction as an Attachment Disorder An Integral Foundation for Addiction Treatment is a brilliant overview of a truly integral or comprehensive approach to what has now become a crisis level epidemic in America (and indeed, much of the world). The great difficulty, up to this point, is that there are several different existing approaches to addiction and its treatment, and unfortunately none of them have worked nearly as well as it was hoped they would. This has left the field facing an epidemic with no agreed upon solution. Guy du Plessis takes one of the most comprehensive metatheories now in existence-that of Integral Metatheory-and shows how it can indeed integrate and synthesize virtually every major approach to addiction now existing. The immediate benefit of such a far-reaching approach is a direct application to actual cases of addiction itself, and wherever this has been tried so far, the results are astonishingly effective.
Integral Theory as developed by Ken Wilber and other contemporary Integral scholars acknowledge m... more Integral Theory as developed by Ken Wilber and other contemporary Integral scholars acknowledge many antecedent foundational influences, and proto-Integral thinkers. Curiously, the philosopher-statesman Jan Smuts' theory of Holism is seldom acknowledged, although it has significantly contributed, albeit often implicitly, to the development of Integral Theory. This paper and presentation has two central aims: To point out that Smuts can be counted amongst one of the great Integral thinkers of the 20 th Century; that Smuts' notion of Holism had a significant influence on the development of Integral Theory. This paper and presentation will provide a brief outline of Smuts' theory of Holism as developed in his book Holism and Evolution and other philosophical essays.
Inn previous work I explored how Integral Theory can be applied as a metatheoretical and transdis... more Inn previous work I explored how Integral Theory can be applied as a metatheoretical and transdisciplinary framework, in an attempt to arrive at an integrally informed metatheory of addiction. There was an overemphasis on Integral Methodological Pluralism in that thread of research, without clarifying the ontological pluralism of addiction as a multiple object enacted by various methodologies. To arrive at a comprehensive integral metatheory and integral ontology of addiction, I believe it is necessary to include the conception of Integral Pluralism and Integral Enactment Theory as posited by Sean Esbjörn-Hargens. Integral Enactment Theory highlights the phenomenon of addiction as a multiple and dynamic object arising along a continuum of ontological complexity; it adeptly points out how etiological models "co-arise" in relation to methodology (methodological pluralism) to enact a particular reality of addiction (ontological pluralism) while being mediated by the worldview...
In previous work I explored how Integral Theory can be applied as a metatheoretical and transdisc... more In previous work I explored how Integral Theory can be applied as a metatheoretical and transdisciplinary framework, in an attempt to arrive at an integrally informed metatheory of addiction. There was an overemphasis on Integral Methodological Pluralism in that thread of research, without clarifying the ontological pluralism of addiction as a multiple object enacted by various methodologies. To arrive at a comprehensive integral metatheory and integral ontology of addiction, I believe it is necessary to include the conception of Integral Pluralism and Integral Enactment Theory as posited by Sean Esbjorn-Hargens. Integral Enactment Theory highlights the phenomenon of addiction as a multiple and dynamic object arising along a continuum of ontological complexity; it adeptly points out how etiological models “co-arise” in relation to methodology (methodological pluralism) to enact a particular reality of addiction (ontological pluralism) while being mediated by the worldview of the sub...
This article outlines an integrally informed model for addiction treatment and recovery that is b... more This article outlines an integrally informed model for addiction treatment and recovery that is being pioneered and developed at Tabankulu Secondary Addiction Recovery Center in Cape Town, South Africa. Tabankulu is the world’s first inpatient addiction treatment center to implement an integrally informed treatment model. The Integrated Recovery model is a comprehensive, balanced, multi-phased, and multi-disciplinary approach to the treatment of and recovery from addiction. Its philosophy is derived from integrating a 12 Step abstinence-based methodology, mindfulness-based interventions, positive psychology, and Integral Theory. The case is made that addiction treatment facilities, therapists working with this population, and recovering addicts will become more proficient, effective, and consequently have higher success rates by becoming integrally informed.
Addiction is one of the most significant problems facing contemporary society. Consequently many ... more Addiction is one of the most significant problems facing contemporary society. Consequently many scholars, institutions and clinicians have sought to understand this complex phenomenon, as is evident in the abundance of etiological models of addiction in existence today. A literature review pointed that there is little consensus regarding the nature and etiopathogenesis of addiction, and integrative models have not yet been able to provide the sought-after integration. In addressing this problem, this study offers a theoretical analysis of the paradigmatic and meta-paradigmatic suitability of Integral Theory in the design of an integrated metatheory of addiction. The data consisted of the most prominent etiological theories and models of addiction. The study focused on several essential features constituting the architectonic of any metatheory that attempts to provide conceptual scaffolding for the construction of a comprehensive metatheory of addiction. The criteria for the construction of a metatheory were conceptual integration, ontological span, ontological depth, empirical validity and internal consistency. Integral Theory was critically assessed in terms of each of the abovementioned criteria. The study suggests that Integral Theory is eminently suitable as a philosophical foundation for the development of an integrated metatheory of addiction. Key words: Integral Theory, Addiction, Substance abuse, Substance dependence, Etiological models of addiction, Ontological foundation, Integral Enactment Theory, Integral Methodological Pluralism, Integral Ontological Pluralism, Integral Epistemological Pluralism.