Reflections on Reductionist Clinical Psychological and Neuroscience Education: Putting the “Me” Back in Mental Disorders
Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Cognitive Science January 1, 2026 Luke J. Ney
Neuroscientific methods have heavily shaped public perception of clinical psychology, but their contribution to understanding human psychology and the self is limited. This article reviews the shortcomings of a psychopharmacological approach to mental disorders and proposes a psychological model where current neuroscientific research describes symptoms, not causes. The model aligns with network theories of disorders and emphasizes the Pattern Theory of the Self, arguing that disruptions to the psychological self are central to mental disorders. The author calls for reconsidering the philosophical foundations of clinical psychology and neuroscience to develop more effective interventions.