Coexperiencing Psychotherapy as a Psychotechnical System

Abstract

The main challenge of contemporary psychology is to fill the increasing split between research psychology and psychological practice. A creative response to this challenge is found in a general methodological approach, which L.S. Vygotsky called the “philosophy of practice” or “psychotechnics.” This article describes a psychotechnical system called “coexperiencing psychotherapy.” This psychotechnical system combines science, practice, and education. From the perspective of general psychological theory the article describes a model of an “integral unit of psychological analysis,” in which the main general psychological categories (activity, set, relationship, and communication) are synthesized. In addition, the article presents a theoretical interpretation of experiencing (perezhivanie) as a productive meaning-generating activity. Finally, conceptual models of levels, registers, and structures of consciousness are proposed. From a psychotherapeutic practice perspective, a system of a “psychotechnical unit” of the psychotherapeutic process and structure of situation is given. The general method of coexperiencing psychotherapy is “understanding.” The educational dimension of the psychotechnical system remains outside the scope of the current article.