Reigniting the Vision of a Complete Psychology:
Dr. David O’Connell’s Endorsement of Our Unique Coaching/Therapy Program

"I feel compelled to recognize and add perspective to Dr. Matthew Braunstein’s work in developing a new system of psychology and counseling—one that is both urgently needed and unparalleled in the field. I am including my thoughts and ideas based on my understanding of and involvement in this program and my years of experience as a counseling, medical and forensic psychologist.

As a licensed psychologist with 45 years of clinical experience, I specialize in addiction, forensic psychology, medical psychology, and psychopharmacology. I am a DEA-registered prescribing medical psychologist and have held prescriptive authority for over a decade. I am also a certified forensic mental health evaluator. I have authored, co-authored, and edited nine books and my work has been published in clinical journals such as the Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, Archives of Medical Psychology, The Journal of Drug and Alcohol Education, and The Hill.

I served as Corporate Clinical Director of the Caron Foundation, a nationally recognized addiction treatment program in the U.S., and have been a trainer and consultant for Lifeworks in London, a specialized mental health and addictions program. I’ve trained mental health clinicians across the United States and Europe and have developed specialized substance-abuse programs at two colleges and universities. Additionally, I created a unique program for impaired professionals and executives, which resulted in my book Managing Your Recovery—one of the few in this field. I have held hospital privileges for two decades, served on the editorial board of the Journal of Adolescent Chemical Dependency, and spent years alongside experienced psychiatrists evaluating and treating patients with severe, chronic psychiatric disorders using psychotropic medications.

From this vantage point, I can say without hesitation that modern psychology is failing to meet the demands of the escalating mental health crisis we face today. It remains fragmented and ineffective, overwhelmed by the surging rates of substance abuse, psychiatric disorders, and adolescent suicide—problems fueled by increasing social fragmentation, digital alienation, and the collapse of community structures. Additionally, there is no psychotherapeutic system for those practicing Transcendental Meditation [“effortless meditation techniques”], leaving meditators frequently misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and subjected to treatments that distort natural impulses and conflict with TM [“effortless meditation technique”] principles.

Despite an ever-expanding array of psychological approaches, training programs, and treatment modalities, mental health disorders continue to rise. This is not simply a failure of application—it is a failure of fundamental understanding. Traditional psychology is fragmented and incompatible, leading to symptom management rather than true healing addressing the underlying cause. The field needs a precise and effective system that recognizes our critical psychological and spiritual yearnings.

This is exactly what Matthew Braunstein has created.

I’ve had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the creation of a true breakthrough in psychology and counseling—one that defines the most profound elements of our existence and identifies universal laws and drives that govern human behavior, grounded in principles of consciousness.

This program doesn’t just manage symptoms; it identifies and addresses the very root causes of psychological suffering. It offers practical techniques for applying these principles to both therapy and spiritual growth. What I find truly remarkable is how the therapy is in alignment with the natural reactions, passions and development of the individual, resulting in holistic, lasting solutions for even the most complex issues, like addictions and major depression.

I’ve experienced firsthand how this approach stands apart from anything I’ve encountered before. Many psychologists are used to seeing the same techniques and approaches simply renamed and repackaged, often believing there is nothing new under the sun. However, this is not another repackaging. It is completely novel, breaking from old frameworks and introducing a fundamentally new paradigm with original techniques. It has already produced transformative effects in my diagnostic and therapeutic work—unlike anything I have encountered in my career.

For the past four months, I have been participating in the certificate training program in Self-Referral Facilitation with the Institute for Emergence, and even in this short time, I have experienced a distinct, elevating, and refining effect on my diagnostic and psychotherapeutic work, as well as in my social and intimate relationships. I have NEVER had such an experience with ANY other educational course in my career as a psychologist.

Moreover, this program has fulfilled a long-standing need—a psychology and psychotherapy approach that truly aligns with the knowledge and shifts in consciousness I have experienced over 50 years of practicing Transcendental Meditation, the TM-Sidhis program, and Maharishi Ayurveda.

This program does not simply incorporate Vedic knowledge into existing psychological frameworks—it has an understanding of the deepest elements of our existence, yearnings, and development, and integrates the scientific principles of psychology, neuroscience, and human development into a cohesive system that bridges the missing links in both fields. This integration is critical because people struggling with everything from addictions to career choices are seeking solutions that don’t just address their emotional and material needs, but also align with their neurophysiology and the deepest spiritual yearnings of life. It ensures that therapy is not only scientifically valid but also profoundly true to the essence of human experience, leading to lasting transformation rather than temporary relief.

As a trainer of mental health professionals for many years, I have found the education of most mental health professionals consists of a random blend of often incompatible or even opposing therapeutic principles. Psychotherapy training often responds to trends, and education beyond graduate school is not integrated. However, I can confidently say that this program corrects those deficiencies by offering a structured, coherent system that enables both new coaches, even those with limited theoretical background, and experienced clinicians to apply it systematically, achieving consistent and lasting results in a remarkably short time.

One of the most striking aspects of this program is its clarity in diagnosing the fundamental drives behind mental health conditions. As a prescribing psychologist and psychopharmacologist, I am deeply familiar with the biological, neurochemical, and psychological dimensions of mental health. This program is the first I have encountered that integrates all of these factors into a cohesive, actionable system that also embraces the innate tendencies of consciousness.

While the current diagnostic systems like the DSM-5 and ICD-10 have their merits, they often lead patients to identify with their disorders—labels like “Alcoholic”, “Bulimic”, or “Borderline Personality” can become constrictive identities that obscure the true nature of the individual. In contrast, this program identifies critical, healthy drives that have been unmet or thwarted, addressing the root causes of psychological suffering rather than merely categorizing symptoms. It promotes growth naturally and surprisingly effortlessly, simply because it catalyzes our innate drives and reactions. As a result, it brings remarkable clinical outcomes in a shorter amount of time.

Equally important, the program intentionally supports and cultivates the therapist’s growth—a feature I have never encountered in all the training I’ve had in counseling and therapy I have received throughout my professional life. Burnout is an unfortunate and common feature of psychotherapy, as coaches and therapists often immerse themselves deeply in the issues and despair of their clients, leading to emotional exhaustion and compassion fatigue. Dr. Braunstein considers this therapy “Therapist-Centered” because its techniques are designed not only to help the client but also to provide specific methods for the therapist’s own development, independent of the client’s progress.

In this training, alongside several other therapists, I often find myself experiencing spontaneous bursts of lightness and happiness—what I can only describe as the experience of cognizing. It’s been profoundly enjoyable, unlike other forms of professional education, which are often tedious and effortful. Rather than leaving me drained, this training energizes and refreshes me, while helping me grow in awareness and clarity, even as the patient progresses toward health and well-being.

The depth and precision of this program did not emerge from traditional academic training alone. I met Matthew Braunstein 10 years ago at MIU [“MIU, a unique university with its hallmark consciousness-based education”] when I was invited there, along with other psychologists and psychiatrists, to discuss mental health in the meditating community and the possibility of offering a counseling program at MIU. I’m aware, as some of you may be, of his unique background. Matthew spent nearly 20 years in deep solitude in Uttar Kashi [“the Himalayas, mountains”], gaining insights into human nature that conventional study could never uncover. I believe he possesses both the traditional education and the unique perspective that flows from his time in the Himalayas. I know of no other professional with his qualifications, nor any psychotherapeutic approach that is fully aligned with the Vedic wisdom brought to light by Maharishi [“contemporary sage and master/expert in the mechanics of consciousness and also in Vedic Science”]. In my opinion, only someone with his rare depth of knowledge, experience, and insight could have developed the Innate Drive Therapy approach, researching consciousness much in the way the rishis [“ancient sages”] who compiled the Upanishads [“ancient treatises on the fundamentals of consciousness”] did thousands of years ago.

From my perspective as both a practicing clinician and an academic involved in university program development, I can affirm that this program is highly scalable and practical for institutional adoption. What makes it so effective across a wide range of issues and disorders is that it doesn’t rely on a simplistic one-page summary or a single book, but is built upon a comprehensive set of structured manuals—each designed to address specific aspects of diagnosis, treatment, and therapeutic application.

The clear structure and incredibly intuitive nature of the training make it accessible to both experienced clinicians and novice coaches, ensuring that its implementation in a university setting will be both rigorous and effective. Furthermore, Dr. Braunstein has assembled an impressive team of professionals across multiple disciplines in mental health and medicine, strengthening both the depth and practical applicability of this approach.

For a long time, I wasn’t sure I would ever feel this way about psychology again. After I became a siddha [“learned advanced techniques of Transcendental Meditation”], and after my work with Dr. Skip Alexander—who openly shared with me what Maharishi had told him about psychology—I became deeply disenchanted with the field. I no longer enjoyed my work as a psychologist. Western psychology, as I saw it, was founded by the ignorant, in a state of ignorance, for the ignorant. I had grown beyond it. Everything I had studied, everything I had practiced, felt hollow—like fumbling around in the dark, treating symptoms while missing the real substance. It was depressing, alienating. I lost all interest in the profession I had spent decades building my life around.

And then, unexpectedly, this Vedic psychology course reignited something in me. Engaging with it has rekindled my passion for this work in a way I never thought possible. Where before I felt I had outgrown psychology, I now feel like I’ve finally found the version of it that should have existed all along.

The knowledge within this program parallels the experience I had learning Transcendental Meditation, acquiring higher states of consciousness, and studying deep Vedic knowledge through courses and Maharishi’s lectures. I would describe this course as blissful and “effortless effort.” I have had spontaneous inner healing experiences after I learn and practice various principles and approaches. I only wish that I had been exposed to such a program decades ago when I was a young meditator and new in the field.

I have spent my career working with complex psychiatric disorders, addictions, and forensic cases. I have been trained in countless psychotherapeutic modalities, worked with some of the leading scholars and researchers in the field, and seen many well-intended programs fall short of their intended impact. This is the first program I have encountered that I believe has the potential to revolutionize the field of psychology.

I offer my strongest endorsement for the adoption of this program. It is not just an evolution of psychology—it is a fundamental breakthrough in how we understand and treat human suffering.

I welcome any further discussion regarding my experience and evaluation of the program."

David F. O’Connell, PhD, MS, DABPS
Licensed Psychologist — PA, NM, IA
Prescribing Medical Psychologist
Author and Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluator