Michelo (Michael) DelMonte is a member of The Irish Constructivist Psychotherapy Association, and Fellow of The Psychological Society of Ireland. For nearly 30 years Michelo worked in Saint Patrick’s University Hospital Dublin (linked to Trinity College) where he was Principal Clinical Psychologist. He is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College. Michelo has published circa 90 articles and chapters in professional journals and books on various aspects of psychotherapy, constructivism, mindfulness, meditation and evolution. Michelo was co-founder in 1990 of “The Transnational Network for Physical, Psychological and Spiritual Well-Being” in Tokyo. He has been a guest speaker at more than two dozen international symposia and conferences.
Open peer commentary on the article “Constructivism and Mystical Experience” by Hugh Gash. Abstract: Can mystical experience usefully inform us, and if so can this be understood via constructivism and the other psychological sciences? Or are mystical and constructivist understandings too incompatible?
DelMonte M. (2020) Mind in Flux. Constructivist Foundations 15(2): 106–108. https://cepa.info/6328
Open peer commentary on the article “I Can’t Yet and Growth Mindset” by Fiona Murphy & Hugh Gash. Abstract: The optimism of radical constructivism is contrasted with the relative pessimism of biological determinism in the context of educating young children. The plasticity of the learning brain is contrasted with the relatively fixed intelligence view linked to IQ testing.
DelMonte M. M. (1987) A constructivist view of meditation. American Journal of Psychotherapy 41(2): 286–298.
Meditation experiences are viewed from a constructivist perspective. Concentrative and mindfulness approaches are compared. It is concluded that, although these meditative techniques differ (and often are used in conjunction), they both yield insight into how the mind processes experience at both the preverbal and verbal levels.
Kenny V. & DelMonte M. M. (1986) Meditation as viewed through personal construct theory. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy 16(1): 4–22. https://cepa.info/6315
The various phenomena associated with concentrative and mindfulness meditation are conceptualized in terms of Kelly’s personal construct theory. Reports of “unstressing,” “no-thought,” “deautomatization,” and so forth are examined and described from a constructivist viewpoint. It is argued here that personal construct theory is a powerful descriptive model for making sense of meditative experiences.