Psychosynthesis blends psychological and spiritual elements to help people become spiritually and psychologically whole. Developed by Roberto Assagioli, it explores personal and transpersonal development through tailored therapy options, including talk therapy, artwork, and spiritual texts. The egg and star diagrams are used to visualize the process of development. Therapy is a long-term process, with therapist and client working together to identify areas for personal development.
Psychosynthesis is a branch of the discipline of psychology that blends psychological and spiritual elements. Practitioners of psychosynthesis believe that an important part of treatment is to help people become spiritually and psychologically whole and to explore the ways people harmonize various aspects of themselves. People interested in psychosynthesis as a form of therapy can find practitioners in many regions of the world.
This approach was developed in the early 1900s by Roberto Assagioli. He was intrigued by psychoanalysis, but he felt that psychoanalysis alone was not enough to benefit patients, as he focused on psychological issues, but did not address spiritual ones. Assagioli’s psychosynthesis approach has been adopted by a number of practitioners, and has been expanded and further developed over the years.
The practice of psychosynthesis differs from personal or psychological development and from transpersonal or spiritual development. Both aspects of development are believed to be important in psychosynthesis and can be explored in many different ways, with the practitioner tailoring the approach to the patient’s needs. Treatment options may include simple talk therapy, producing artwork, and discussing spiritual texts.
A key aspect of psychosynthesis counseling is the exploration of the diagrams developed by Assagioli to help visualize the process. The egg and star diagrams are probably the most famous and most used, illustrating the coming together of personal and transpersonal elements and helping people work through the stages of their development. Throughout therapy, therapist and client work together to identify areas where the client may need work and explore ways to enrich personal development.
Some people value this approach to therapy because they feel that a purely psychological approach does not fully meet their needs. Clients who struggle with spiritual issues and want an opportunity to discuss or elaborate may find psychosynthesis a more balanced approach, as it recognizes the different aspects of personal development as a whole, rather than focusing on one or the other.
As with many other types of therapy, psychosynthesis does not happen quickly. Ideally, therapist and client work together over an extended period, sometimes months or years, as they sequentially uncover issues and delve into various topics. Some people believe that therapy is never truly complete, because people are ever-changing, and people absolutely shouldn’t go into therapy with fixed ideas about how long it will take.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN