The Altered States of Consciousness in Transpersonal Approach Psychotherapy: Systematic Review and Guidelines for Research and Clinical Practice.
Journal of religion and health – December 01, 2019
Source: PubMed
Summary
Psychotherapy incorporating altered states of consciousness shows promising benefits, particularly for substance use disorders. An analysis of 14 empirical studies, drawn from a pool of 629 articles, revealed that participants, predominantly women, experienced significant improvements in relaxation and relief from physical pain. The sample sizes varied, but the positive outcomes highlight the potential of transpersonal psychology in therapeutic settings. Future investigations should adopt rigorous experimental designs and clearly define concepts to enhance understanding and ethical practices in this evolving field.
Abstract
Transpersonal approach in psychotherapy is a controversial field, and there is a lack in scientific information. A search of Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, PsycINFO and SciELO databases using: ["Altered states of consciousness" AND "Psychotherapy"] and ["Transpersonal" AND "Psychotherapy"] in December 2017 was conducted. From 629 articles found, 14 empirical studies were analyzed. Studies were conducted with adults, most of them women. The benefits were improvement in the treatment of substance use disorder; increased sensation of relaxation, relief of physical pain. Future studies should have rigorous experimental designs; define concepts clearly; detail the method used; present clear guidelines for the ethical boundaries.