Transpersonal Psychology (Master's)

Continue to explore transpersonal approaches to personal and professional growth around a particular theme. Meet transpersonal psychology faculty, classmates, and staff in person. Experience transpersonal speakers, workshops, and activities. Expand awareness of transpersonal education where the epistemologies of our hearts and intellect are embraced, embodied, and held with equal importance.

APA Style is a writing format developed by the American Psychological Association that is typically used in creating academic or professional papers at a graduate level. This course explores APA Style to learn this standard method of communication utilizing a common format for presenting information and a method of highlighting works cited in academic papers to give appropriate credit to the author(s) of that work and to avoid the risk of accidental plagiarism.

Become familiar with the concepts and theories of transpersonal studies. Learn the origins of transpersonal psychology, the contributors to the field, the research that is being conducted, and the applications of transpersonal studies to personal growth and academic fields. Discuss contemporary perspectives, counseling, education, society, and human well-being. 

This course may be taken either as an elective or the practicum requirement for the MATP.  

Identify what it means to bring consciousness to the second half of life and the dynamic role of creativity in affirming and expressing the inherent gifts to be found. Examine the tasks of becoming an elder (personal growth and transformation, increased spiritual awareness, self-transcendence, and the development of wisdom) through reading, writing, and experiential activities. 

Design and implement a practicum experience relevant for your Elderhood, focusing on service and aliveness. The practicum can have a personal focus on Self and Soul and/or it can be one of outreach into the community, local, national, global. There is a required zoom meeting in Week 1. 

Although dream science can explain many important aspects of dreams and dreaming, experiencing dreamwork and dream-arts are helpful doorways to individual and group creativity, which leads to healing and personal growth. This practicum course offers various methods of dreamwork and creative dream expression for both individual and group work. Lectures and discussions will lead to experiential group and individual activities. Over the term we will cultivate a respectful, ethical space for creative dream exploration, and you will gain valuable new tools for dreamwork. Background for this course includes an overview of dream studies drawing upon the International Association for the Study of Dreams, Kilton Stewart’s contributions and Senoi-inspired dreamwork, Montague Ullman’s Appreciating Dreams group method (aka The Ullman Method), Fritz Perls’ Gestalt Dreamwork, Gayle Delaney’s Dream Interview Method, Wilma Scategni’s Dream Psychodrama, and Angel Morgan’s Dream-Bridging Method with Dream-Arts.

To conclude the Dream Studies certificate, students will write an integration paper and give an artistic presentation in this course. One virtual session will be scheduled at the beginning of the course where students will have the opportunity to share their insights and experiences in the Dream Studies Certificate program and discuss their ideas for artistic presentations. Students will work on their integration papers and artistic presentations independently during the term. At the end of the term the final virtual gathering will include all DSC students sharing their artistic presentations. The integration papers and artistic presentations will uniquely express what the students have learned about studying dreams throughout this certificate program at Sofia.  

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and experience. Psychological trauma can lead to a constellation of persistent disorders including anxiety, depression, and recurring nightmares. This constellation, labeled Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) by the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), is a condition that follows experiencing or witnessing life- threatening events that exceed one’s coping capacity, emotional resources, and/or existential worldviews. Western mental health workers apply this socially constructed label to noticeable changes in someone’s behavior, attitudes, and/or values after an accident, natural disaster, armed combat, rape, torture, abuse, or a variety of other assaults. When the person who suffered the trauma has not been able to recover, gain equilibrium, and “get on with life,” this dysfunction is typically attributed to the traumatic experience. The problem of PTSD has increased, as an increasing number of combat veterans return to the United States in need of healing and re-integration with society. However, PTSD survivors extend well beyond combat veterans. The phenomena of cultural PTSD and intergenerational PTSD persist around the globe accompanied by a great need for transpersonal healing. There are many effective treatments for PTSD survivors, ranging from conventional to transpersonal and various combinations. This course will emphasize both the current scientific “evidence based” treatments for PTSD, and other healing methods for PTSD including alternative, holistic, cross-cultural, creative, arts-based, humanistic, existential, and transpersonal approaches.

Reflect on the value and application of a range of contemplative practices within personal and professional life. Engage in self-selected contemplative practices as well as designated practices in the areas of embodied, nature centered, and mindfully focused contemplation. Delve into Eastern and Western approaches. Envision/create a plan for the integration of contemplative practice within a personally relevant setting in society. Reflect on research evidence related to the benefits of various contemplative practices.

反思一系列冥想实践在个人和职业生活中的价值观和应用。参与自我选择的冥想练习以及在具体、以及进行以自然为中心和专注冥想领域的指定练习。深入研究东方和西方的冥想方法。反思与各种冥想练习的好处相关的研究证据。计划将冥想实践整合到与个人相关的社会环境中。