Psychecomprising

Psychecomprising is a theoretical process in cognitive and clinical psychology that describes the deliberate organization, integration, and reconciliation of diverse mental components—emotions, beliefs, memories, identities, and schemas—into a coherent self-system. By combining disparate elements rather than allowing them to operate in isolation, psychecomprising aims to reduce fragmentation, enhance self-coherence, and improve adaptive functioning.

Practitioners describe it as an integrative practice that proceeds through assessment, mapping, alignment, and consolidation. Assessment identifies salient components and their interrelations; mapping creates a cognitive or narrative representation of the psyche; alignment seeks to harmonize goals, values, and behavioral tendencies; consolidation stabilizes the integrated structure through cognitive reappraisal, experiential exposure, and reflective metacognition.

Contexts for its discussion include clinical therapy, particularly trauma-informed and narrative approaches, personal development, and speculative discussions about artificial agents where an engineered internal model requires component integration. Techniques associated with psychecomprising often involve journaling, guided imagery, schema therapy, and narrative reconstruction to facilitate coherent integration of experiences and beliefs.

Limitations and critiques emphasize that psychecomprising remains largely theoretical in mainstream psychology, with limited empirical validation. Critics warn against oversimplifying multiplicity within the psyche, potential cultural biases in defining a “coherent” self, and ethical concerns about shaping or constraining identity without consent. Proponents argue that when applied cautiously, psychecomprising can support resilience by fostering a flexible yet integrated sense of self.

See also: self-concept, identity integration, schema therapy, narrative therapy, gestalt psychology.