I don’t remember learning about transpersonal psychology in my clinical psych program. (With all that reading and lack of sleep, it’s also possible I just missed that lesson.) So I was intrigued when I recently came across the term, and decided to do some digging.
In the Foreword of The Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology, writer Ken Wilber defines “transpersonal” as “personal plus.” He explains that transpersonal work integrates both personal psychology and psychiatry but then “adds those deeper or higher aspects of human experience that transcend the ordinary and the average—experiences that are, in other words, ‘transpersonal’ or ‘more than personal,’ personal plus.”
It turns out that transpersonal psychology focuses on the spiritual. Bruce W. Scotton, M.D., one of the editors of the book, describes “spiritual” as “the realm of the human spirit, that part of humanity that is not limited to bodily experience.”
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Great summary! Thanks. As a clinician, however, I have a differing view about the role of the therapist. I would hope that the therapist is an expert at helping solve psychological issues – otherwise, what is the point? Sitting and “reflecting the patient’s truth back to them” is not worth paying for, and merely one skill in an adept psychotherapist’s complete skill set. This type of lazy thinking (not yours, but in the field) leads to a lot of unhelpful meandering therapy.
Catherine Auman
you might find more academic articles on this subject on http://www.transpersonalstudies.org/
Here’s a link to a good article on transpersonal psych by a great teacher:
http://www.johnvdavis.com/tp/overviewTP.htm (his website is full of good stuff)
The beauty of transpersonal counseling is that the therapist gets to be an active, creative presence in the therapy process, as well as a clear mirror for the client. “Transpersonal” psychology can basically be seen an umbrella term that a number of philosophies and techniques–Gestalt, Hakomi, Depth Psychology, Eco-Psychology, Mindfulness-Based, Buddhist, Somatic, Contemplative, Integral, to name a few–might fall under. However, since “transpersonal” is more of a perepective than a specific practice, that means that virtually ANY technique can be practiced from the transpersonal point of view. The graduate counseling programs at Naropa University support intellectual and spiritual inquiry, and also gives students the knowledge to form a solid clinical framework while training in their own mindfulness practices. That’s where I went for my MA, and I’m so grateful for that experience. For further reading, see also: John Welwood, Tara Brach, Byron Katie, Pema Chodron, Roger Walsh, Ken Wilber, Bill Plotkin, Joseph Chilton Pearce…
I wonder if Dr. Scotten refers to the psyche in general in his statement, “…that part of humanity that is not limited to bodily experience.” The world beyond sense perception is the psyche. Could it be that the psyche has a spiritual character and not just certain elements of it which coincide with our preconceptions?
I have had mystical experiences in my life. They became the memoir content of my recently e-published book, “Affair with the Divine”. Thank goodness I had read and kept “Beyond Ego Transpersonal Dimensions in Psychology” (edited by Roger N. Walsh, M.D.,Ph.D. & Frances Vaughan, Ph.D.). Otherwise I would have been unaware of the significant healing presented in the experiences, most importantly, easing the grief following the death of my husband. Fact 3 states: “The facilitator [who] assist[s] the client in uncovering their own truth and their own process,” Sumber said.” One’s own. That transcendent events are likely individualized, was crucial to my decision to share the premise with readers. Many people seeking personal evolution are waylaid by “this is the way” books and articles and products.
Wow! People in my profession are finally catching up to the idea that true Therapy has to go way beyond Western psychology. Healing has always been spiritual. Without guiding clients beyond their own humanness is the only way to create inner peace. True Consciousness elimenates the Ego as God and heals now and beyond our death.
I found your comments on transpersonal psychology helpful, as I try to explain my own experience as an ordinary person dealing with grief after the death of my mother and daughter. Having spent four years journaling with the intention of healing my relationship with both of my dead loved ones, I was introduced to transpersonal psychology by a professor at a local university. Even though I SAID I never heard of transpersonal psychology, I found that very word in my first page of my first letter in my journal. This was followed by with a “response” from my mother in letter form, using the word “transpersonal.” My introduction to the world of transpersonal psychology led me to explore and join the ATP, in order to learn as much as I could. In my opinion transperonal psychology will help many people, like me, who have spiritual experiences but no one to tell. Ultimately as my journals turned into a book and then workshops, I discovered thatt many “ordinary” people know, understand and use transpersonal experiences in their lives. It is an exciting time for all!
A recent visit by a friend who is experiencing a spiritual emergence caused me to start researching what is current information about the subject. I noticed that most of the sites have not been very active in years. I am questioning the general state of the profession and how social and economic stress has affected practice and practitioners. Is the treatment of individuals effective when the health of the community is in question? At what point do we begin to engage in community level treatment protocols that address the epidemic levels of mental dis-ease present in our family, friends and neighbors?