Integral psychotherapy
Integral Psychotherapy (IP)
Integral psychotherapy (IP) is a therapeutic procedure that all insights on life are composed of partial truths and that weaving together a range of cultural, socioeconomic, psychological, spiritual, biological, and behavioral perspectives can produce hope for healing, increased mindfulness, and social and cultural evolution. IP is founded upon several theoretical orientations, and relies heavily on theories of transpersonal psychology.
What to expect?
Integral psychologists assumes that all human experience can fit into five elements. The elements involved are levels, lines, states, types, and quadrants. Mixing insights from academic psychology with elements of New Age philosophy and spirituality, integral psychotherapy is an overarching philosophy, and not just a type of therapy, hence not all practitioners of integral psychotherapy are therapists.
How does it work?
Integral psychotherapy relies heavily upon the theories if the transpersonal psychology notion that all individuals are unique. It should be understood that the procedures of integral psychotherapy is not stringent. Instead the procedure involves the practitioners to knit their approach to the beliefs, needs, and cultural contexts of the people they work with by drawing understanding from mainstream psychotherapy traditions. Which indicted that the therapeutic procedure can involve, mindfulness meditation as and when required, the understanding of unconsciousness as per requirement, catharsis processes or even expressive arts in the process of achieving its goal of ensuring a better well being of the client.
Those who practice integral psychotherapy tend to view it as a method of guidance which is nonjudgemental and assist people to move through levels of development and improved consciousness, cultivate insight, and cash upon vicarious learning and modeling.
Practitioners of integral psychology considers that life provides constant opportunities for growth and evolution, creating awareness and connection that can enhances an individual’s search of meaning in life, this part of the therapy is adapted to provide the individual undergoing the therapy with a meaningful life.
When is it used?
Integral psychotherapy is a broad New Age philosophy which aims at overall betterment of the client, and is not a targeted treatment for any specific mental health issue or disorder. Practitioners have used it to address a wide range of issues, which includes lack of self-esteem, relationship concerns and trauma.
Though psychotherapists might employ integral theory, its use is not restricted to mental health practitioners. Many proponents of the theory draws on web-based support groups, various community organizations and self-help publications, to learn about and practice integral psychotherapy. Since integral psychotherapy is a general philosophy and not a specific program of disorder management or treatment, research about its effectivity almost exclusively restricted to publications created by integral theory proponents.
Role of therapist:
The Certified Integral Therapist training program trains life coaches, therapists, and other mental health professionals to successfully conduct IP. The practitioners does not require any formal mental health credentials to learn IP. Level one of the program allows a broad overview and is available online, while from level two onwards it starts becoming more and more comprehensive, requiring one-to-one training, self-analysis and development of insight. Since IP is not barely involved in treating the disorders, it should be noted here that practitioners without credentials in mental health profession but with training in IP might practice it, but are not entitled to provide disorder diagnosis.
REFERENCE
Grof, S. (2008, January 1). A brief history of transpersonal psychology. California Institute of Integral Studies.
Integral psychotherapy. (n.d.). CIT Certified Integral Therapist.
Kazlev, M.A. (2009, December 9). The Wilberian-inspired integral community (or the “Integral movement).
Our philosophy. (n.d.). Integral Psychotherapy and Family Counseling, LLC.
Wolberg, L.R (2013),The Technique Of Psychotherapy, Fourth Edition., Copyright © 2013, 1988 Lewis R. Wolberg: United States America.