Transpersonal Psychotherapy
At its essence transpersonal psychotherapy means to go beyond the personal (that is to say, the ego) – but what does this look like in a session with a transpersonal psychotherapist?
A transpersonal therapist is attuned and open to their client’s essence, including more indistinct elements, such as the client’s spiritual nature. A transpersonal therapist is conscious of their client’s innate potential. This potential may be masked under their limiting beliefs, and the impact of life experiences that may have influenced how free they feel to express themselves in the world.
Transpersonal therapy involves the whole person – emotional, physical, mental and spiritual – in the therapy. The aim is to encourage personal growth and tap into creativity; there is much more of a spiritual focus than in most counselling or therapy. Methods such as imagery, meditation, affirmation, journal writing and body awareness exercises are commonly used.
As an integrative therapeutic approach, I draw from varied psychological models and considers what it means to be human on many levels: psychologically, physically, behaviourally, cognitively, and spiritually.
Our experiences are important, especially those in early life when we adapt to our environment and our caregivers. During those first few years of life we learn what is acceptable to others and what is not. This information is taken in consciously or unconsciously through our relationship with our caregivers, in our educational settings and from social and cultural influences.
The beliefs we pick up about ourselves then influence our sense of self and how much of ourselves we feel confident to express. Transpersonal psychotherapy welcomes the interconnectedness of all aspects of our human and spiritual selves. When being present with a client’s psychology and taking into consideration their spiritual selves, the therapeutic relationship offers an understanding of self that is beyond merely the cognitive idea of self.
Through the use of creative imagination in sessions I may suggest incorporating creativity through the use of art, breath work, the inner child, meditation, guided visualisation and dreams, to name just a few techniques. Sometimes this takes us to something in one’s body and by noting responses in our body we may be taken to information of something that perhaps is being held onto emotionally in the energetic system and influencing the physical body. An energetic release can occur when a connection is made to difficult feelings that have been buried. This is an example of both the physiological elements incorporated with the psychological.
Dreams are full of symbolism and through them the psyche can freely find expression without needing to decipher concrete meaning; dreams are open to exploration and interpretation. Sometimes in dreams archetypal images may emerge and although messages may not be immediately obvious they can be powerful to delve into. An archetype is an unconscious energy that carries through time, a form of expression that we intuitively know and understand. An example of an archetype is the Great Mother, this image held in our psyches can be then seen and recognised for some as Mother Nature, for example. Archetypes are within each of our individual psyches and can be discovered across cultures, in books, imagery or our dreams. These images are carried down over time and are a collective experience.
Who benefits from transpersonal therapy?
Transpersonal therapy focuses on the whole person, making it valuable for most people, especially those who seek a more spiritual aspect in therapy. Anything which affects growth and self-development, such as low self-esteem, PTSD, anxiety, depression, stress and relationship issues, can be addressed with transpersonal therapy. It shares much of its philosophy with psychosynthesis.
I completed the foundation course with the Society of Analytical Psychology in the Summer of 2024. I was driven to refresh my knowledge of Jungian concepts and to further explore how I can best integrate the model into my practice. The theories of Jung and the post Jungian theories continue to inform and underpin my work, although it is unlikely that I will pursue this further.
"Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darkness's of other people. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely. Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."
Carl Jung
"We don't get wounded alone and we don't heal alone."
Carl Jung
At its essence transpersonal psychotherapy means to go beyond the personal (that is to say, the ego) – but what does this look like in a session with a transpersonal psychotherapist?
A transpersonal therapist is attuned and open to their client’s essence, including more indistinct elements, such as the client’s spiritual nature. A transpersonal therapist is conscious of their client’s innate potential. This potential may be masked under their limiting beliefs, and the impact of life experiences that may have influenced how free they feel to express themselves in the world.
Transpersonal therapy involves the whole person – emotional, physical, mental and spiritual – in the therapy. The aim is to encourage personal growth and tap into creativity; there is much more of a spiritual focus than in most counselling or therapy. Methods such as imagery, meditation, affirmation, journal writing and body awareness exercises are commonly used.
As an integrative therapeutic approach, I draw from varied psychological models and considers what it means to be human on many levels: psychologically, physically, behaviourally, cognitively, and spiritually.
Our experiences are important, especially those in early life when we adapt to our environment and our caregivers. During those first few years of life we learn what is acceptable to others and what is not. This information is taken in consciously or unconsciously through our relationship with our caregivers, in our educational settings and from social and cultural influences.
The beliefs we pick up about ourselves then influence our sense of self and how much of ourselves we feel confident to express. Transpersonal psychotherapy welcomes the interconnectedness of all aspects of our human and spiritual selves. When being present with a client’s psychology and taking into consideration their spiritual selves, the therapeutic relationship offers an understanding of self that is beyond merely the cognitive idea of self.
Through the use of creative imagination in sessions I may suggest incorporating creativity through the use of art, breath work, the inner child, meditation, guided visualisation and dreams, to name just a few techniques. Sometimes this takes us to something in one’s body and by noting responses in our body we may be taken to information of something that perhaps is being held onto emotionally in the energetic system and influencing the physical body. An energetic release can occur when a connection is made to difficult feelings that have been buried. This is an example of both the physiological elements incorporated with the psychological.
Dreams are full of symbolism and through them the psyche can freely find expression without needing to decipher concrete meaning; dreams are open to exploration and interpretation. Sometimes in dreams archetypal images may emerge and although messages may not be immediately obvious they can be powerful to delve into. An archetype is an unconscious energy that carries through time, a form of expression that we intuitively know and understand. An example of an archetype is the Great Mother, this image held in our psyches can be then seen and recognised for some as Mother Nature, for example. Archetypes are within each of our individual psyches and can be discovered across cultures, in books, imagery or our dreams. These images are carried down over time and are a collective experience.
Who benefits from transpersonal therapy?
Transpersonal therapy focuses on the whole person, making it valuable for most people, especially those who seek a more spiritual aspect in therapy. Anything which affects growth and self-development, such as low self-esteem, PTSD, anxiety, depression, stress and relationship issues, can be addressed with transpersonal therapy. It shares much of its philosophy with psychosynthesis.
I completed the foundation course with the Society of Analytical Psychology in the Summer of 2024. I was driven to refresh my knowledge of Jungian concepts and to further explore how I can best integrate the model into my practice. The theories of Jung and the post Jungian theories continue to inform and underpin my work, although it is unlikely that I will pursue this further.
"Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darkness's of other people. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely. Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."
Carl Jung
"We don't get wounded alone and we don't heal alone."
Carl Jung