Transpersonal connection within psychotherapy

Abstract

Of Clarkson’s (1995) five facets of relating within psychotherapy, the transpersonal relationship is the least known or understood, despite the suggestion that it can be facilitative of rapid change. There is, therefore, a need for research to gather therapists’ experiences and understanding of working in this way, and to place these into the arena for discussion. This exploratory study used interviews and questionnaires to further these objectives, drawing upon transpersonal therapy literature for a framework. Results were analysed using IPA, and suggest that such experiences occur naturally within many kinds of therapy, and may not be recognised as transpersonal by either therapist or client. They arise from the relationship and vary from ‘just knowing’ to a ‘deep and wonderful sense of connectedness’. They leave both parties with an awareness that ‘something special’ has happened, and help clients move on. For 50 per cent of interviewees this aspect of therapeutic relating had been either ignored in their training, or highlighted as something to avoid.In consequence, therapists may, therefore, be unaware of, or avoiding, this potentially valuable way of working. An initial exploratory study, this research suggests that further enquiry into such experiences would be of value and, in particular, the varying ways in which they are conceptualised within different schools of psychotherapeutic practice.