A Psychospiritual Exploration of the Transpersonal Self as the Ground of Healing

Summary

The paper argues that the transpersonal Self is a key healing factor in psychotherapy and addiction recovery, drawing on the Internal Family Systems model and nondual wisdom traditions from Advaita Vedanta and Kashmir Shaivism. It explores obstacles to recognizing the Self, approaches to facilitating this recognition, and therapeutic benefits such as overcoming depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and addiction. The author draws on personal experience with these models and examines psychotherapeutic interventions that support contact with the Self, along with implications for relationships, behavior, and inner experience.

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Abstract

This paper focuses on the transpersonal Self as the psychological and spiritual healing factor in psychotherapy and addiction recovery, and illustrates the importance of bringing awareness of the Self and the energy of wholeness into focus with clients in the therapeutic process. The concept and experience of Self is explored through the psychospiritual therapeutic model of Internal Family Systems and through a spiritual lens of the nondual wisdom traditions derived from Advaita Vedanta and aspects of Kashmir Shaivism. Obstacles to the recognition of Self, approaches to facilitating this recognition, and the therapeutic benefits of knowing the essential Self are examined through the author’s personal experience with these models and their use in overcoming depression, anxiety, eating disorders and addiction. Psychotherapeutic interventions that support making contact with the Self are examined as well as the implications of Self-knowing on personal relationships, behavior and inner experiences, as well as how one relates to others and the world.

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