Yes, it's true I'm finally talking about therapy. Psychoadaptation psychotherapy is simple. The aim is to help the individual fit the self's conceptions to the constraints of the environment. That's easy, right? Wrong. First the individual must know the constraints. Second, the individual must be willing to compare the self's conceptions to the prevailing environmental constraints. Third, the individual must be willing to let go of prior conceptions in favor of more accurate conceptions. If these three conditions are met, the individual will adapt to the self's environment(s) and attain equilibrium. 

How is this accomplished? The therapist is like a mirror for the client. However, instead of seeing the self as the self sees the self, the mirror reflects the collective societal perceptions, what George Herbert Meade referred to as the "generalized other." As the therapist is entrusted with this task, the therapist must possess an accurate generalized other, and more important, the therapist must be able to communicate society's perceptions to the client. This is accomplished, of course, only after basic trust has been established between the therapist and the client. Once trust is established, the therapist begins to point out discrepancies in the client's views and behaviors. As such, the therapist is doing what the client should have done all along, or perhaps what the client's parents should have done when the client was a child; instill an accurate generalized other.

This is obviously a long and complicated process. It is also one fraught with dangers, as the therapist skillfully deconstructs the client's old self and then replaces it with a more accurate self. If therapy should end prematurely, the client is left at risk of self damage. Thus, the therapist and client must enter into this task willingly and with full commitment to a successful outcome.

The aim of psychoadaptation psychotherapy then is conceptual accuracy, and behavior that fits within the prevailing environmental constraints. However, one shouldn't wait until later in life to instill an accurate generalized other. The correct generalized other should be a priority from birth. Thus, parents in raising their children should aim to teach children to reflect societal views accurately. This having been accomplished, the child is able to grow up healthy and able one day to transcend the boundaries of societal convention and achieve the healthy self. However, one cannot attain a healthy self with all the trimmings (e.g., the oceanic feeling) without first adapting completely to society. Paradoxically, to become unique one must first attain perfect fit to societal expectations. It's only then that the self can truly see the follies of perfect fit and attain higher consciousness.