Psychotherapists’ altered states of consciousness
Colin Agnew
Consciousness, Spirituality & Transpersonal Psychology October 15, 2020 DOI: 10.53074/cstp.2020.8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 6 |
| Population | Counsellors and psychotherapists |
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness |
| Keywords | Therapy Therapeutic relationship Healing Professional development |
| Key findings | Mutual openness in the therapeutic dyad can lead to intense, altered states of consciousness in the therapist that deepen healing and foster professional growth. |
Abstract
The majority of research that has been conducted around counselling and psychotherapy has been directed towards the evaluation of client outcome and client experience. Studies concentrated solely on therapist experience during the therapeutic encounter are largely in the minority. The purpose of this study was to explicate a deeper understanding of the unusual and unforgettable events that led to dramatic shifts in consciousness experienced by some counsellors and psychotherapists during the therapeutic hour. A study group of six participants was assembled via open invitation. The group comprised of three student counsellors nearing the end of their studies and three qualified therapists of varying degrees of experience. A semi-structured interview process provided transcriptions of the participant experiences, and an interpretative phenomenological analysis was conducted. This study found that the willingness to be open to the presence and essence of another, on both sides of the therapeutic dyad, had the potential to contribute to the intense, powerful and profound experiences arising in the therapist. In all cases, the unusual events and altered states led to the deepening of the healing potential within the therapy whilst simultaneously providing developmental propulsion for each practitioner.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on altered states of consciousness, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensory Isolation in Flotation Tanks: Altered States of Consciousness and Effects on Well-being Patients with depression, burn-out syndrome, and chronic pain | 2015 | Qualitative study | n = 8 |
| A Shaman's Cure: The Relationship Between Altered States of Consciousness and Shamanic Healing1 Nepalese shamans and their patients | 2009 | Ethnography | |
| Psychedelic Drugs: A Study of Drug-Induced Experiences Obtained by Illegal Drug Users in Relation to Stanislav Grof's Model of Altered States of Consciousness Anonymous former illegal drug users | 2000 | Qualitative study | n = 16 |
| Spiritual experiences and altered states of consciousness – Parallels between BDSM and Christianity Self-defined BDSM practitioners in Sweden | 2020 | Qualitative ethnographic study | n = 29 |
| When Seconds Turn Into Minutes: Time Expansion Experiences in Altered States of Consciousness People who reported Time Expansion Experiences | 2020 | Qualitative study | n = 74 |
Citations in the library
Cites 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
- What binds us? Inter-brain neural synchronization and its implications for theories of human consciousness Neuroscience of Consciousness 2020
- Open Awareness: Holding the Liminal Space in Transpersonal Coaching and Therapy Integral Transpersonal Journal April 1, 2018
- Altered States of Consciousness and Psychotherapy A Cross-Cultural Perspective 2002