What is Transpersonal Psychotherapy? A Conceptual Template
Alef Trust, Gabriel Fernandez-Borsot
International Journal of Transpersonal Studies December 31, 2024 DOI: 10.24972/ijts.2024.43.1-2.41 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Transpersonal psychology Psychotherapist |
| Key points | Proposes that a model of five components can systematize transpersonal psychotherapy and remedy its fragmentation. |
Abstract
Transpersonal psychotherapy (TPT) lacks systematization, as it lacks a model that characterizes what qualifies a psychotherapy as transpersonal. Due to this situation, TPT has been developed in a state of fragmentation, through a multiplicity of idiosyncratic approaches. This idiosyncratic fragmentation jeopardizes the theoretical development of the field, undermines the possibilities of obtaining a wider recognition, and hinders the training and the research. To remedy this, this paper proposes a model of five components which characterize TPT: (1) purposeful use of states of consciousness, (2) transpersonal therapeutic framework, (3) transpersonal techniques, (4) focus on spirituality and/or existential meaning, and (5) suitable phenomenology and therapeutic demands/goals. Given that each component admits varied implementations, the model serves as a conceptual template able to cover the rich variety of transpersonal psychotherapies while providing the much-needed systematization.