Jeffrey J. Magnavita, Ph.D. Founder and Project Co-Coordinator

Jeffrey J. Magnavita, Ph.D., ABPP is a psychologist in active clinical practice and a leader in the movement toward unified clinical science. In 2006, he received the American Psychological Association’s Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Independent or Institutional Practice in the Private Sector for his work in unification and personality systematics. Additionally, Dr. Magnavita was the Connecticut Psychological Association’s Recipient of Distinguished Contribution to the Practice of Psychology Award in 2000 as well as the Connecticut Psychological Association Recipient of Distinguished Contribution to the Science of Psychology in 1995. He has been influential in advancing the field of unified clinical science through his numerous publications in personality, psychopathology, and psychotherapy.

Dr. Magnavita is a leading psychotherapist, theorist, and clinical researcher who along with writing and editing eight professional volumes has been featured in the APA psychotherapy video series. His approach to working with personality dysfunction in both single session, andpsychotherapy over time formats, has been produced.

Over the course of his career he has utilized audiovisual technology to distill some of the essential components of psychotherapy culminating in the Unified Psychotherapy Project. He presents his work widely both nationally and internationally.

Publications

Magnavita, J .J. (1993). The treatment of passive-aggressive personality
disorder. Part I. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 8(1), 29-41.

Magnavita, J. J. (1993). The evolution of short-term dynamic psychotherapy:
Treatment of the future? Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 24(3), 360-365.

Magnavita, J. J. (1993). The treatment of passive-aggressive personality
disorder: Intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy. Part II. >International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 8(2), 93-101.

Magnavita J. J. (1993). Book Review. Psychodynamics, training and outcome
in brief psychotherapy. Malan, D. & Osimo, F. (1992). International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 8(2), 109-110.

Magnavita, J. J. (1993). Psychotherapy update: Research and practice: How
short is short-term psychotherapy? Connecticut Psychologist, 46(4), 8-9.

Magnavita, J. J. (1993). Psychotherapy update: Research and practice.
Psychotherapy: psychology’s forgotten calling? Connecticut Psychologist, 47(1), 15.

Magnavita, J. J. (1993). Psychotherapy update: Research and practice.
Psychotherapy: Still the safest and most powerful treatment? Connecticut Psychologist, 47(3), 12.

Magnavita, J. J. (1994). The process of working through and outcome: The
treatment of the passive-aggressive personality disorder. Part II. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 9(1), 1-17.

Magnavita, J. J. (1994). On the validity of psychoanalytic constructs in
the twentieth century. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 25(3), 198-199.

Magnavita, J. J. (1994). Premature termination of short-term dynamic
psychotherapy. International Journal of Short-Term Psychotherapy, 9(4), 213-228.

Magnavita, J. J. (1994). Book Review. Character styles. Johnson, S. M.
(1994). New York: Norton Press. Psychotherapy, 31(4), 744-745.

Magnavita, J. J., & Mika, K. L. (unpublished manuscript). Mastering short-term
dynamic psychotherapy: Therapists’ perceptions of crucial elements.

Magnavita, J. J. (1995). Review. Treating time effectively: The first session in
brief therapy—videotape. Budman, S. H. (1994). New York: Guilford Press. Psychotherapy, 32(2), 369-370.

Magnavita, J. J. (1996). Understanding and changing personality. Self-Health
Networker, September 1 & 27.

Magnavita, J. J. (1997). Restructuring personality disorders: A short-term
dynamic approach. New York: Guilford Press.

Magnavita, J. J. (1997). Treating personality disorders: Psychotherapy’s
frontier. Psychotherapy Bulletin, (32)1, 23-28.

Magnavita, J. J. (1997). Reflections on the mid-winter convention—Essay.
Psychotherapy Bulletin, 32(2), 33.

Magnavita, J. J. (1997). Updating your clinical toolbox: New accelerated
approaches to treating personality disorders. Psychotherapy in Private Practice, 16(4), 17-34.

Magnavita, J. J. (1997). Book Review: Combating destructive thought
processes: Voice therapy and separation theory. Firestone, R. W. (1997). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. Psychotherapy, 34(3), 337-338.

Magnavita, J. J. (Ed.). (1998). Introduction. Advancements in the treatment of
personality disorders. Special Edition: In Session: Psychotherapy in Practice, 4(4), 1-4.

Magnavita, J. J. (1998). Challenges in the treatment of personality disorders:
When the disorder demands comprehensive integration. In Session: Psychotherapy in Practice, 4(4), 5-17.

Magnavita, J. J. (1998). Methods of restructuring personality disorders with
comorbid syndromes. In Session: Psychotherapy in Practice, 4(4), 73-89.

Magnavita, J. J. (1998). Comprehensive treatment of personality
disorders. 15th Annual Cape Cod Symposium. Audiocassette series. New England Educational Institute: Pitsfield, MA.

Magnavita, J. J. (1999). Brief therapy with patients with disorders of personality:
Selection timing and methods or restructuring personality. The evolution of psychotherapy. In J. Zeig (Ed.).

Magnavita, J. J. (1999). Treating personality disorders—Practice
Guidelines. Professional Information Clearing House (PICK), APA: Division 42—Independent Practice.

Shea, M. T., Benjamin, L. S., Clarkin, J. F., & Magnavita, J. J. (1999).
Personality disorders: A discussion of current status and future directions for research, practice, and policy. Journal of Clinical Psychology/In Session: Psychotherapy in Practice, 55(11), 1371-1384.

Magnavita, J. J. (1999). When targeting symptoms doesn’t work: Accelerated
psychodynamic treatment for personality disorders. Audiocassette series. New England Educational Institute. Pittsfield, MA.

Magnavita, J. J. & Dornelas, E. A. (1999). High impact therapy for smoking
cessation. Unpublished Treatment Manual. Funded by Hartford Hospital.

Magnavita, J. J. (2000). Relational therapy for personality disorders. New York:
John Wiley & Sons.

Magnavita, J. J. (2000). Psychodynamic psychotherapy of personality
disorders: Theory, methods and phases of accelerated treatment. Psicoterapia psicodinamica para los trastornos de personalidad: Teoria, metodos y fases de tratamiento acelerado. Argentina Journal of Clinical Psychology—Revista Argentina de Clinica Psicologica. 9, 211-225.

Magnavita, J. J. (Ed.). (2000). Introduction: The growth of relational therapy.
Journal of Clinical Psychology/In Session: Psychotherapy in Practice, 56(8), 999-1004.

Magnavita, J. J. (2000). Integrative relational therapy of complex clinical
syndromes: Ending the multigenerational transmission process. Journal of Clinical Psychology/In Session: Psychotherapy in Practice, 56(8), 1051-1064.

Magnavita, J. J. (2001). A century of the “scientific” study of personality: How far
have we come. Journal of Contemporary Psychology. (pp. 514-516). Book review: Personality Disorders in Modern Life, T. Millon (2000).

Magnavita, J. J. (2001). Affirmation and active defense restructuring:
Accelerating access to the unconscious. Quaderni di Psichiatria, 6(17/18), 77-79.

Magnavita, J. J. (2001). Restructuring personality disorders to metabolize affect
associated with trauma. Quaderni di Psichiatria, 6(17/18) 149-156.

Dornelas, E. A., & Magnavita, J. J. (2001). High-impact therapy for smoking
cessation. Journal of Clinical Psychology/In Session: Psychotherapy in Practice, 57(11), 1311-1322.

Magnavita, J. J. (2002). Theories of personality: Contemporary approaches to
the science of personality. John Wiley & Sons.

Magnavita, J. J. (Ed.). (2002). Psychodynamic and object relations: Vol. 1. In
F. K. Kaslow (Series Ed.). Comprehensive handbook of psychotherapy, Vol. 1-4. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Magnavita, J. J. (2002). Psychodynamic approaches to psychotherapy: A
century of innovation. In F. Kaslow & J. Magnavita (Eds.). (pp. 1-12). Comprehensive handbook of psychotherapy. Vol. I: Psychodynamic/object relations. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Magnavita, J. J. (2002). Relational psychodynamics for complex clinical
syndromes. In F. Kaslow & J. Magnavita (Eds.). (pp. 435-453). Comprehensive handbook of psychotherapy. Vol. I: Psychodynamic/object relations. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Magnavita, J. J. (2002). Contemporary psychodynamics: Major issues,
challenges and future trends. In F. Kaslow & J. Magnavita (Eds.). (pp. 587-604) Comprehensive handbook of psychotherapy. Vol. I: Psychodynamic/object relations. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Magnavita, J. J. & Carlson, T. M. (2004). Short-term restructuring
psychotherapy: An integrative model for the personality disorders. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 13(4/4), 264-299.

Magnavita, J. J. (Ed.). (2004). Handbook of personality disorders: Theory and
practice. John Wiley & Sons.

Magnavita, J. J. (2004). Classification, prevalence, and etiology of personality
disorders: Related issues and controversy. In J. J. Magnavita (Ed.). Handbook of personality disorders: Theory and practice. (pp. 3-23). New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

Magnavita, J. J. (2004). The relevance of theory in treating personality
dysfunction. In J. J. Magnavita (Ed.). Handbook of personality disorders: Theory and practice. (pp. 56-77). New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

Magnavita, J. J. (2004). Toward a unified model of treatment for personality
dysfunction. In J. J. Magnavita (Ed.). Handbook of personality disorders: Theory and practice. (pp. 528-553). New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

Magnavita, J. J., & MacFarlane, M. M. (2004). Family treatment of personality
disorders: Historical overview and current perspectives. In M. M. MacFarlane (Ed.). Family treatment of personality disorders: Interpersonal approaches to relationship change. (pp. 3-39). Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.

Magnavita, J. J. (2005). Systems theory foundations of personality disorders:
Components of a unification paradigm. S. Strack (Ed.). Handbook of personology and psychopathology. (pp. 140-163). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Magnavita, J. J. (2005). Personality-guided relational psychotherapy: A unified
approach. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Magnavita, J. J. (2005). Using the MCMI-III for treatment planning and to
enhance clinical efficacy. In R. J. Craig (Ed.). New Directions in interpreting the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCM-III). (pp. 165-184). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Magnavita, J. J. (2005). Treating personality disorders (revised). Division 42
Niche practice specialties.

Magnavita, J. J. (2006). Emotion in short-term psychotherapy: An
introduction. Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session, 62(5), 517-522.

Magnavita, J. J. (2006). The centrality of emotion in unifying and
Accelerating psychotherapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session, 62(5), 585-596.

Magnavita, J. J. (2006). Treating personality disorders (DVD). APA
Psychotherapy Videotape Series. J. Carlson (Producer). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Magnavita, J. J. (2006). In search of the unifying principles of
Psychotherapy: Conceptual, empirical, and clinical convergence. American Psychologist, 61(8), 882-892.

Magnavita, J. J. (2007). A systemic family perspective on child and
adolescent personality disorders. In A. Freeman & M. Reinecke (Eds.). Personality disorders in children and adolescents (pp. 131-181). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Magnavita, J. J. (2007). The use of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory
III in treatment planning. In T. Millon (Ed.). Personalized clinical assessment: A practitioner’s guide to the Millon Inventories.

Magnavita, J. J. (2008). Psychoanalytic psychotherapy. In J. L.
Lebow (Ed.). Twenty-first century psychotherapies: Contemporary approaches to theory and practice (pp. 206-236). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Magnavita, J. J. (2008). Can Practitioners Love Science or is the Dialectic More
than We Can Bear? Psychotherapy Practice column. Psychotherapy Bulletin, 42(4), 41-44.

Anchin, J. C., & Magnavita, J. J. (2008). Special Issue: Toward the unification of
psychotherapy: An introduction to the Journal symposium. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration 18(3(, 259-263.

Magnavita, J. J. (2008). Towards unification of clinical science: The next
wave in the evolution of psychotherapy? Journal of Psychotherapy Integration.18(3), 264-291.

Magnavita, J. J. (Ed.). (in process). Evidence-based treatment of personality
disorders. Principles, processes, and strategies. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Magnavita, J. J. (2009). Treating personality disorders six sessions over time.
DVD. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Magnavita, J. J. (2009). Psychodynamic family therapy: Toward unified relational
systematics. In J. H. Bray & M. Stanton (Eds.). Handbook of family psychology. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Magnavita, J. J. (in press). Personality systematics: Toward a unified treatment of personality disorders. In, Treating personality disorders.

Magnavita, J. J. (in process). Stuck: Prisoners of our past.