Erik Erickson and epigenetics

Erik Erickson described how an individual’s psycho-social development functions by the epigenetic principle. This principle says that we develop through a predetermined unfolding of our personalities in eight stages. Progress through each stage is determined by our success, or lack of success, through all the preceding stages. (Erikson, 1959)

A summary of these can be found at:
http://psychology.about.com/library/bl_psychosocial_summary.htm

At each level of development, the individual struggles with how to be “whole” and in satisfying relationship with others vs. feeling “dis-integrated” and out of harmony with the outside environment.

This model is the basis for thinking about how people develop both normally and abnormally, and had a profound effect on my approach as a treatment provider. Organizations are as "organic" as individuals, it seems to me, and move through developmental stages also.

I wanted the readers to know I have based my explorations on Erickson's broad shoulders.