Healing Spiritual Emergencies

In the companion course, “Recognising Spiritual Emergence,” we noted that spiritual crises require a transpersonal context for therapy, especially in view of the constricting, “scientific method” paradigm of modern medicine, including psychological health services. We stated typical therapeutic goals for transpersonally-oriented client work, and then examined aspects of spiritual emergence, including the defining characteristics of altered states of consciousness (whether they are adaptive or not), what clues may help a mental health practitioner recognise someone in the process of spiritual emergence, the difference between “spiritual emergence” and “spiritual emergency”, and the chief forms of spiritual emergence and their typical symptoms. With the principal theoretical notions outlined in the companion course, this course offers insights into how to best facilitate the process of healing for those in spiritual emergency. For your convenience, we include a brief review of the emergence/emergency distinction and a re-listing of the chief forms of emergence. The main content areas then address the psychological problems associated with the spiritual emergence process, the decision-making process about how to help, and the role of the counsellor or therapist in guiding the client through the period, including what therapeutic methods are most advantageously used. There are also sections on how awakening clients can facilitate their own process and on how therapists can help emergence processes through more user-friendly language. Upon successful completion this course, you will be able to: Name the principal difference between spiritual emergence and spiritual emergency; List at least eight forms of spiritual emergence; Identify at least five psychological challenges associated with periods of spiritual emergence; Make therapeutically correct decisions about what help the client needs; Identify the attitudes, methods, and diagnostic considerations that are central to successful work with someone undergoing spiritual emergence (that is, the role of the counsellor/therapist); Advise clients as to how they can best help themselves through critical episodes of spiritual emergency; Choose languaging which respects clients' worldview.