Altered states of consciousness during psychotherapy: a historical and cultural perspective.
International Journal of Social Psychiatry 1979 DOI: 10.1177/002076407902500207 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | The ubiquitous nature of altered states of consciousness across disparate cultural psychotherapeutic contexts suggests they may be a universal component of psychotherapy. |
Abstract
This paper reviews the frequent phenomenon of altered states of consciousness in disparate cultural psychotherapeutic contexts. The historical antecedents of contemporary Western psychodynamic psychotherapy are examined and the central importance of altered states in the therapeutic effects of religious institutions such as the Dionysian rite and the Asclepia is illustrated. The continued presence of this phenomenon in Western psychotherapy from Mesmerism to psychoanalysis is shown. The use of trance states in the healing rituals of non-Western societies is culturally variegated therapeutic settings. The ubiquitous nature of the altered state phenomenon in such widely varied cultural contexts suggests the possibility of its being a universal component of psychotherapy.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on altered states of consciousness, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Subjective Effects of Psychedelics Are Necessary for Their Enduring Therapeutic Effects. | 2020 | Review | |
| Psychobiology of Altered States of Consciousness. | 2005 | Review | |
| Intrinsic Brain Activity in Altered States of Consciousness | 2008 | Review | |
| Dynamic functional connectivity and brain metastability during altered states of consciousness | 2017 | Review | |
| A default mode of brain function in altered states of consciousness. | 2013 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- The Altered States of Consciousness in Transpersonal Approach Psychotherapy: Systematic Review and Guidelines for Research and Clinical Practice. Journal of Religion and Health December 1, 2019
- Transpersonal Psychotherapies Wiley eBooks August 20, 2026
- Psychedelics and hypnosis: Commonalities and therapeutic implications. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2018
- Between innovation and tradition: the paradoxical relationship between eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and altered states of consciousness. Transcultural Psychiatry March 1, 2004