Integrated Self-Realization: A Theory-Informed Program Evaluation for Co-Occurring Substance Use and Cluster B Personality Disorders in a Correctional Setting

Justice-involved individuals with co-occurring Cluster B personality disorder and substance use disorders represent a treatment-resistant population within behavioral health systems. Conventional addiction treatments often encounter limited engagement in this group due to emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, mistrust, and structural constraints in correctional settings. Integrated Self-Realization (ISR) is a trauma-informed treatment model that integrates Carl Jung’s individuation framework with Internal Family Systems (IFS) to address internal psychological fragmentation through depth-oriented practices such as parts exploration, symbolic reflection, and structured journaling. This study reports a theory-informed program evaluation of ISR implemented with 120 probationers and parolees over a two-year period within a community corrections setting. Outcomes were examined using institutional records and routine clinical data collected as part of standard treatment delivery rather than human-subjects research. Eighty participants completed the program. Among completers, rates of return to custody were lower than historical comparison benchmarks (23% vs. 46%). Reductions were also observed in Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory–III elevations associated with borderline and antisocial traits, alongside decreases in self-reported cravings corroborated by behavioral incident reports and facilitator observations. Interpretation of these findings suggests that ISR’s depth-oriented approach may engage affective and self-regulatory processes during early abstinence, a period characterized by heightened neurobiological plasticity. Although causal inferences cannot be drawn from a program evaluation design, results indicate that an integrative Jungian–IFS framework may offer a theoretically meaningful complement to existing addiction treatment approaches for justice-involved individuals with complex comorbidity.