A Transpersonal Approach to Psychotherapy

Pioneered by Freud around 100 years ago, the field of Western psychology has concentrated on the outer self-mind, heart, and body as the foundation for an individual’s growth and experience. Psychotherapy has mostly focused on healing the fragmented self, a repercussion of childhood psychological wounding.  With the conception of Humanistic Psychology in the 1950’s, Maslow, an instrumental force in widening the scope of psychology, studied the healthy individual’s desire for greater self-awareness and self-actualization.  Responding to the evolutionary nature of the psyche, Maslow and other theorists like Carl Rodgers and Carl Jung introduced a spiritual dimension to psychology, thus giving birth to Transpersonal Psychology. Transpersonal psychology includes the psychoanalytic, cognitive/behavioral, and humanistic/existential schools and extends beyond to include timeless shared spiritual wisdom from the ages.

In this paper, I will describe a transpersonal or psychospiritual approach to psychotherapy highlighting the main principles of transpersonal psychology, including the therapist consciousness, the client’s orientation and various techniques/modalities commonly practiced in a session. Furthermore, I will share how I plan to personally integrate these practices in my life to use with myself and others.

What is Transpersonal Psychotherapy?

Though difficult to fully define because of it’s all-inclusive and evolving nature, Transpersonal psychotherapy can be described as an integrative experiential depth psychotherapy that synthesizes developments in modern psychology with wisdom from the perennial spiritual traditions of the world.  More concisely, the transpersonal approach merges the psychological with the spiritual, the personal with the transpersonal, self with spirit and the ordinary with the extraordinary. Within this framework, the importance is on both the understanding and healing of the fragmented self as well as the exploration of the source and depth of our own being, or soul. Transpersonal psychology, so importantly, includes and integrates parts of the human experience that was before kept separate or thought unimportant.

Special to transpersonal psychotherapy are the underlying principles of a deeper spiritual existence. Instead of “labeling” or “fixing” the client, transpersonal psychotherapy sees psychological processes as a part of the spiritual unfoldment of the individual. Even though every being is innately “whole”, the quest for the embodiment of this wisdom takes time. In connecting to this greater reality, a deeper meaning for the soul’s advancement can easily be gleaned as an experience on the path in the expansion of consciousness. When one is devoted to living the spiritual process, a new dimension to the sacredness of everyday life can be sensed with each moment bringing more clarity, truth and fulfillment within the divine plan. With this new awareness, the individual can see, feel and experience their relationship in the interconnectedness to the Whole. This is an exciting opportunity for the Self who aspires for Self-Actualization and oneness with the Divine.  Ultimately, the goal of Transpersonal Psychotherapy is to support each client’s process of mind, body, spirit integration for emergence of their soul or authentic nature.  When the soul fully embodies the being, a joyful, pure, peaceful presence guides the liberated Self.

What is the consciousness of a transpersonal psychotherapist?

More important than the specific technique administered in a session, the consciousness of the therapist is influential to the client’s inquiry into the self. Unlike psychoanalysis in which the therapist is dominant and energetically distant from the client, the transpersonal therapist sees the client within a non-dual orientation as an equal companion on the same level of shared consciousness. Within this connected state, the therapist’s loving empathic presence supports a deep heart space for the client to get in touch with their feelings. This deep palpable energy field invites the client to directly experience their inner feelings while connected to their deeper spiritual essence. In order for the therapist to fully engage the consciousness of the client, the therapist’s own inner depth exploration is essential to navigate the client through the realms of multi-dimensional consciousness. The therapist’s own meditation and spiritual practices contribute to content of the session as well as the underlying evolving spiritual development of therapist.

What type of clients are attracted to transpersonal psychotherapy?                      

Like traditional psychotherapy, some clients are attracted to transpersonal psychotherapy to address common issues such as childhood wounding, depression, trauma, personal growth and other life challenges. For these clients, the integrated transpersonal approach adds a spiritual dimension of consciousness to expand, deepen and reframe their lives. Other clients are called more specifically for guidance with questions along their own unique spiritual path. Many spiritual seekers that have experienced “Spiritual Emergencies”, Kundalini awakening, Altered States of Consciousness, and Near Death Experiences find meaningful grounded professional support in a transpersonal therapist, often difficult to find in conventionally oriented psychotherapists. Sometimes, shifts in consciousness resemble disturbing psychopathologic states, though are actually breakthroughs in the soul’s emergence towards greater self-awareness.  Additionally, meditators on the path to self-realization can benefit from having an educated spiritual companion assist them in incorporating psychological issues that arise with spiritual development. Similarly, transpersonal psychotherapy can assist more psychologically oriented people to see beyond their limited blocks and expand toward a more expansive range of human potential.  Most importantly of all, these clients are interested in a psychospiritual style of therapy in which all aspects of their multi-dimensional being-emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual-are seen, welcomed and encouraged to blossom.

What does a transpersonal psychotherapy session look like?

Like an artist has a palette of colors available to use, the transpersonal therapist has a wide spectrum of experiential mind, body and heart techniques to assist the client in bringing more coherence to the surface self and full emergence of their soul. Instead of having particular specific techniques, sessions are guided by an all-inclusive theoretical transpersonal framework creating spaciousness for a variety of explorations. Depending on the content, context, process, and experience of the therapist, a therapist will usually draw on conventional psychotherapeutic processes such as Psychoanalysis, Cognitive/Behavioral and/or Humanistic/Existential therapy while also incorporating more experiential techniques such as mindfulness meditation, visualization, and somatic practices (breathwork, hakomi, bodywork) and other exploratory exercises. Because the goal is expansion of consciousness, the technique provides the initial structure or “launch pad” for the client and therapist to begin the inquiry.

What  psychological orientations, spiritual traditions and practices would I like to incorporate  into my work?

            As a budding Transpersonal psychotherapist in the world today, I feel grateful to have such a vast array of theories and practices available to use on this journey into consciousness. The eclectic framework of transpersonal psychotherapy allows me to continuously grow as an integrated being incorporating my own unique collection of mind, body, and spirit modalities to use with a client. Within the spirit of the Purna Advaita Ventanta path, I feel my body, heart and mind mostly connected to Somatic practices, Humanistic/Existential psychology, the Diamond Approach along with the universal wisdom of Carl Jung. Central to my practice, I will focus on the present state of the body as the window into the unspoken truth of the soul’s process. Through a blend of energetic bodywork (Rosen Method), breathwork, mindfulness meditation and movement, the body has an opportunity to access hidden thoughts, memories and feelings the right side of the brain may be unconscious to.  In my opinion, tapping into body awareness creates a wonderful foundation for the therapist-client to move in and out of the mind and heart space.  From this experiential place, the therapist-client can investigate what is happening in consciousness underneath the surface allowing the intuition of the therapist to guide the session. With a positive client-centered humanistic/existential focus, personal needs, desires and life questions can be addressed connecting the client within. Tapping into unmanifest creativity, imagination, dreams and the “conscious collective” can also unlock doors to the higher spiritual realms bringing more of one’s fullest potential forward.

            In conclusion, Transpersonal Psychotherapy is continuously being molded, formed and shaped as consciousness, practices and techniques evolve through time. Could transpersonal psychotherapy be the “norm” in psychotherapy in the next 20 years? I believe so. As consciousness wakes up to itself and sees all life grounded in the sacred, possibly the patterns of thought and behavior which alienate us from the divine can be understood and addressed. When the sacred ground which we are all part of is recognized, then psychotherapy can be truly Transpersonal.

Over the past two decades, organizational structure, governance and capacities have undergone critical examination, but largely remain bureaucratic.  In order to thrive in the 21st century, organizations must go beyond examination and experimentation into application.  New technologies, globalization, voluminous cross-platform-multi-channeled information, and rapidly changing market-social-economic-political conditions are requiring the application of dynamic whole-systems organizational tool chests rather than the one-size-fits-all command and control hierarchical tool(s) of the last 100 years.

It is time for a new generation of whole-systems organizations, governance and leadership that are conscious, evolved, integrated and responsive to the rapidly changing circumstances and information flows of the 21^st century.  These organizations and leaders must balance the needs of their shareholders for profit and growth with conscious choices that promote the good of their employees, their customers, their distribution channel, their community, society and the environment.

Whole-systems dynamics is the process of understanding the interconnected, interdependent interactions within a whole system. For example, whole-systems in nature examine the relationships of elements within ecosystems such how air, water, fire, wind, soil conditions, plants and the movement  of animals work together for the ecosystemic survival, sustainability or failure.  In organizations, whole systems dynamics are applied to optimize the interactions, efficiencies, experiences and impact of people, structures/infrastructure, communications, capital, information, resources, market dynamics, communities, environment, customers, channel partners, strategic relationships, inventory, governance and processes that work together to make an organization healthy and socially responsible.

Ludwig von Burtalanffy is credited as the founder of General Systems Approach dating back to 1969.  So this is not new technology. Whole systems dynamics arose out of the general systems approach and was used mostly in science and economics, but within the last 10 years has been adopted by pioneering corporations and government organizations with great success.  Whole systems approaches are now entering an early adopter phase and will see much more rapid adoption and application. 

Another interesting application of natural whole systems approaches to organizational governance and manufacturing processes is Biomimicry.  Biomimicry (from bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate) is a new discipline that studies nature's best ideas developed by the planet over 4.5 billion years and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. Studying a leaf to invent a better solar cell is an example - an "innovation inspired by nature."

By applying whole systems approaches and biomimicry, we can redefine "success" as more than just profit, but rather the success of the ecosystem and economic-political-social system impacted by the actions, products and services of the organization.

By applying a different definition of "success" that aligns with nature and developing metrics that provide the necessary feedback  to achieve "success,"  organizations can develop the chest of versatile tools that provide them the ability to optimally respond to a plethora of situations that arise from a universe of possibilities rather than trying to control and eliminate possibilities.

Ecosystemic health of the organization can be achieved by shifting corporate beliefs, behaviors, processes and relationships - such as moving from command, control, blame, disempowerment and a singular "profit-at-all-costs" focus - to whole systems approaches that account for the needs of the individual; employees; the organization; the organization's customers; partners, channel and manufacturers; the infrastructure and mechanisms by which the organization delivers its products and/or services; the shareholders, investors and broader economic markets; the communities that the organization impacts; humankind; and the planet and its resources.

One-size-fits-all models generally lead back to breakdowns in the system requiring more bureaucracy.  The universe doesn't conform to man-made forms and structures.  We need tools that optimally deal with chaos and rapidly changing conditions.  We need tools that are evolutionary and work with the natural laws of the universe and the planet.  We are co-creators living within a larger system and can no longer naively expect the universe and nature to bend to the arrogant will of man. 

By letting function dictate form and using form as a functional tool, we can obtain optimal results by using the right tool under the right circumstances.   If our only tool is hammer, every problem looks like a nail. When presented with a tomato, we hit with our hammer, when presented with a nut and bolt, we hit it with our hammer.  If only we had a knife for the tomato and a wrench for the nut and bolt, the outcome of our action could be considerably more efficient and elegant.

The tool chest is provided by the adoption of Situationally Adaptive Organizations (“SAO’s”) that create "Generative Futures."

SAO’s provide us with an integrated, whole systems, multi-structure hybrid that provides us a tool chest rather than a single tool.  Each situation dictates which tool is the most appropriate.  For example, in a fire a commander-in-chief would be more effective than getting the organization together for a unanimous decision on who gets the pail, shovel or hose.  In some circumstances democracy is most effective, in others it may be a dictatorship, adhocracy, matrix, nucleus, chaord, fractal or communism.  SAO's match circumstances with governance forms and do not rigidly adhere to single form of governance.

Generative Futures provide a method of clearing past rigidity and forms to allow organizations to make rapid fire decisions.  The future is continually created in the moment of "now" and is not tied to past blame, fault, fixes or processes.  By seeing the future a blank canvas, the organization can intentionally create an innovative, inspired and transformative future looking forward rather than focusing its resources on the fixing the past and managing the risk of an unknown future.

I have a dream of great transformation and new possibilities to create a world of A.W.E. - Abundance, Wellness & Enlightenment.

This dream is not about change. It is not about fixing the old system with the same mindset, tools and behavior that created the problems to begin with.

This is a global dream that affects not only the starving children in Africa and the suffering and injustice at the bottom of the pyramid, but the children and coming generations in the richest countries in the world, like
right here in the United States.

If we do not make immediate transformation in the way we live and consume, it is we, the people of the United States of America, that will be facing starvation, severe draught, displacement from our homes and great
suffering from environmental devastation and pollution in the next 20 years. Already many Americans are losing their jobs, their homes and their pensions.

Our education, healthcare, social security and infrastructure systems are broken. Our farms are depleted and our oceans fished out. Our air, water and food are polluted with toxic and carcinogenic chemicals. Our government no longer serves the people, but rather serves multi-national corporations and the central banking
system.

We spend so much of our time, attention and energy on destroying each other and the planet. For what? Money - a bunch of worthless paper that derives its value from scarcity? So we can each have our very own piece of the latest plastic from China? For oil that destroys our environment?

There are real possibilities for a better world on the horizon. However, to manifest these possibilities will take a combination of widespread adoption of clean technologies, education reform, new infrastructure
and core economic and political reform.

More than all of these, the great impact will come from the transformation of our beliefs and behaviors from hoarding, exclusivity,disconnection and callousness to sharing, collaboration, inclusivity, respect, compassion and love.

The current economy of manufacturing, fossil fuels and the industrialized war machine will be dwarfed by the economy of restoration, regeneration, abundance, wellness, goodness, information, and transformation.

Our scientists have mathematically proven that we live in a universe of infinite possibilities. I hold that there is a possibility that we can live in abundance rather than end poverty. That we can possess wellness rather than fight disease. That we can bring forth enlightenment that shines so bright that the darkness of ignorance, selfishness, war, killing, prejudice, fear, hatred and injustice dissolves into the light creating a world that is
loving, creative, harmonious, generous and beautiful.

I am in awe of the magnificent beauty I see in our planet and the potential of humankind to rise to an equal magnificence and beauty. I am touched deeply by my connection and love for humanity and our beautiful planet earth. I am committed to creating a world of A.W.E. – Abundance, Wellness & Enlightenment. A world that is peaceful, just, and loving inhabited by humans that are environmentally conscious and socially responsible stewards of regeneration that create an abundant planet for this and future generations.

This is a collective dream that is far bigger than any one of us. Many of us share this dream, but don’t know how to realize this dream. To be realized, this dream needs help, commitment and participation by those who share this dream. I, as the founder of AWE Institute am committing my life to this dream. If this is also your dream, let’s share the dream. By giving ourselves to the dream we can realize the dream together.

For the benefit of humankind and planet, let us come together and pool our talent, our resources and our collective power to become and create the change we want to see in the world.