Since their inceptions, both humanistic and transpersonal psychologies have stood outside the mainstream of scientific, reductionist psychology. Both disciplines have remained outsiders, even though many of the concepts, techniques, and worldviews of humanistic and transpersonal have permeated mainstream psychological thought, appearing especially in the psychotherapy...
When we talk about foreshadowing the transpersonal: William James, the Transcendentalists and Depth Psychology, it seems to be a bit of a misnomer. William James, in fact, rather than foreshadowing, created transpersonal psychology in his book, The Varieties of Religious Experience. When I read this...
This week’s emphasis on self and culture has made a clear case for the social construction of self. Daniels provides an overview of the many concepts of self/soul throughout world religions and cultures and talks about the lack of sophistication of the English language in...
I must confess to being quite blown away by Constructing the Self – the whole concept that we’ve become a people who create our sense of self through consumerism -- I can’t stop thinking about this, considering examples in the media, in my patients, and...
What we know of as Western psychology began in the late 1880s as the fledgling discipline attempted to incorporate the scientific worldview (Hartelius, date unknown). During the previous century, in what was known as the Age of Reason, people’s relationship with God had been increasingly...
The maxim “I think therefore I am” has been lurking in my peripheral vision for as long as I’ve been a thinking person, appearing in textbooks, pleasure reading, and on coffee cups and t-shirts. I’ve never held it as much more than a historical placeholder,...
I'm applying for a doctoral program and they require an Autobiographical Statement. Here's my life organized as a progression toward a PhD:Perhaps being born into an all-American dysfunctional family is an auspicious beginning for a future psychotherapist. It took the next fifty years to overcome...
Interview with Catherine Auman, LMFT Jesse D. Mounts American Public University System May 22, 2020 PSYC498: Senior Seminar in Psychology Introduction There are many professionals in the field of psychology, and each job varies in unique ways. Counseling psychology is a very popular option for individuals wishing to help others elevate...
Psychotherapist Catherine Auman talks about psychedelics and spiritual growth:The word psychedelics might make you think of hippies wearing beads laying in the park, staring at their fingers. You’re not the only one. The image of plant medicines has been highly filtered by the propaganda. Although we are in...
The pulsating aliveness of a tree … the sensuous softness of a kiss … the mind being blessedly silent and only consciousness exists: These are experiences of mindfulness, whether brought to our attention by psychedelics or meditative awareness.“When the mind disappears and thoughts disappear you...