Transpersonal psychology integrates spiritual self-development within modern psychology. It focuses on the part of humanity that is not limited to bodily experience. This is an approach to understanding the way our minds operate through our relationships with others, while holding on to the belief that there is something greater and deeper orchestrating everything that exists.
Most of us at some point in our lives ask the unknown questions about life and spirit. How did we get here? Where do we go when we die? Is there a God? For some, these questions are fleeting, but for others they can be so persistent that individuals will find themselves down a life-long path of self-discovery.
The word transpersonal is defined as “experiences in which the sense of identity or self extends beyond (trans) the individual or personal to encompass wider aspects of life and humankind.” Therefore, this method asks the clients to go beyond his or her ego in order to discover what’s truly innate within. By tapping into this divine part of self, the client is able to transcend the limits of the “I."
Transpersonal psychology is a holistic view of human psychology that goes beyond the realm in which our normal personality operates. It does this by combining a variety of methods, including behaviorism, cognitive behavioral therapy, and humanistic psychology. It also includes both Eastern and Western philosophy, mysticism, mindfulness and the world’s religions.
Transpersonal psychology looks at experiences that surpass the ordinary without judging or labeling. It examines subliminal experiences that happen in an individual’s life such as spiritual evolution, spiritual crisis, mystical experiences, religious conversion, and altered states of consciousness.
This approach requires the therapist to act as a facilitator by assisting the client in discovering their own truth and their own process. The therapist does this by reflecting back to the client his or her observation with as little of the therapist’s own baggage as possible. The therapist witnesses the client’s process from a fresh and accepting point of view.
Transpersonal psychology is a field of psychology that resonates deeply with soul searchers. If you would like to explore your spiritual self and if you would like to understand more about the realm of the human spirit, transpersonal psychology may be the method for you. Contact me today to schedule an appointment in my Longmont or Boulder, CO office.
