“Singer has written a remarkable book. It is readable and rich in theory, research, and clinical examples. Based in a contemporary psychodynamic orientation, the author reaches back to the 'masters' of psychoanalysis (Freud, Adler, Klein, Horney, Erikson, and Frankl) and adds an empirical component that makes the work shine. He integrates the works of Bandura, Mahoney, Linehan, Luborsky, Crits-Cristoph, Mischel, and others to make this volume a meeting ground for psychodynamic and behaviorally oriented therapists.”

—Arthur Freeman, EdD, ABPP, Behavioral Science Book Service Advisory Board member


“Once upon a time, psychologists dreamed they could be healers and scientists at the same time, but the dream was lost. In this boldly integrative and beautifully written book, Jefferson Singer shows how a person-based psychology can restore the dream and bring out the best of what modern personality research and enlightened clinical practice have to offer. This landmark volume offers a new vision for 21st-century psychology—a vision which, like the book itself, is rigorous, empathic, and deeply committed to exploring the mysteries of a person's life.”

—Dan P. McAdams, PhD, Department of Psychology and Foley Center for the Study of Lives, Northwestern University


“This elegantly written volume brings psychology back to its rightful home: the study and appreciation of the whole person. It creatively integrates objective and interpretive methods and laboratory and clinical findings to fashion a full-blooded psychology of the individual. Of equal significance, the author expertly applies this knowledge to the understanding and treatment of individuals and couples in psychotherapy. Students and practitioners, whether novice or experienced, will be greatly rewarded by reading this compelling book.”

—Stanley B. Messer, PhD, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey


“Bravo to Jefferson Singer! This is the text I wish my graduate students and clinical supervisees had been assigned as undergraduates: a profoundly synthetic, mature work integrating science and practice. Written gracefully, and including riveting case material, the book is as engrossing as a good novel. It will be of great value to students of personality, clinicians, psychologists in the personological tradition, and anyone else with a passion to understand the complex phenomenon that is individual psychology. Singer's book has profound implications for practicing psychotherapy—and, for that matter, for living the examined life.”

—Nancy McWilliams, PhD, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey


“In the clinic, laboratory, and in his writings over two decades, Jefferson Singer has illustrated how personal strivings and autobiographical memories are woven together into stories and other narratives that define a person's sense of him or herself. These construals reveal critically important issues in counseling and therapy. They also are of great importance to the study of personality and social psychology, as their exploration represents an alternative to the 'trait' approach in studying individual uniqueness in social contexts. Challenging the current reductionist zeitgeist, this beautifully written book represents the very best in the study of the human personality.”

—Peter Salovey, PhD, Department of Psychology, Yale University