Client-Centred Therapy and
The Transpersonal

Congruence

Congruence is a state of mind, a way of being which is transparent, genuine, unassuming, refraining from pretense, and one which brings the reality of what the practitioner is experiencing into the therapeutic process. If one is open and honest about their experiences in their interaction with their client, the therapist is not sitting back as an all-wise oracle of knowledge and power, but is more on equal terms with the client, offering their own humanness to create a more level playing field. Also, importantly, congruence allows the therapist to share thoughts or feelings which arise, which are personal in nature, but which may provide important cues or sparks from which the client may find new insights, however obtuse.

For example, in a session I might have a recurring thought or concept enter my mind, and it seems rather random. If I mention it, usually the client will say it makes sense to them and sparks a new and valuable direction in the session.

Empathy

Empathy is a powerful and essential internal way of being in the therapy setting. To feel understood. To feel believed. To feel supported in your version of reality, in your experience of your life, as it is for you, is the foundation of feeling safe, of being able to open, of developing trust with the therapist. It is only from here that a client will feel comfortable to go to those places that they need to, in order to work through the issues that are coming up for them. Empathy is not a mental process, but a feeling one. In my training we viewed it as a ‘whole body’ or ‘whole being’ felt awareness. A sensing in to how the client is feeling and a connecting in with that sense.

For example, a client will intuitively know if a therapist feels empathy for what they are experiencing or expressing in a session. When it is there, a client can feel deep relief in a way not dissimilar to the phrase ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ in that the combination of sharing and being genuinely heard, can release repressed or old wounds. Alternatively, if true empathy is not present, the person can just feel like they are talking to a wall.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Unconditional positive regard involves always seeing the client through positive lens, a light which always ‘holds space’ for their potential for healing, growth and wisdom, no matter what behaviour, ideas or thoughts they present to you. No matter what obstacles keep coming up in the session. No matter what confronts the client. This underpinning, positive energetic approach helps the client feel safe and comfortable in your sessions, an essential component for a successful therapeutic relationship.

For example, a client may have experienced only being given approval or acceptance under certain conditions or if they behave in a certain way (conditional positive regard). The feeling of being accepted unconditionally, no matter what the behaviour, is essential in paving the way for a good therapeutic relationship, and assisting in a client’s overall growth or healing.

The Transpersonal

A transpersonal approach views clients from the perspective of them as a ‘whole person’, including the spiritual, physical, mental, emotional and environmental components of who they are in the moments they are with you.

A transpersonal therapist may use tools such as meditation, guided visualisation, movement, music, breath-work or dream-work, to bring about a state of consciousness or ‘condition’ conducive to healing. One element or benefit to this is it can help to bypass or pause the ‘inner critic’ and assist in us accessing the ‘knowing’ or intuitive parts of ourselves.

Environmental circumstances are given legitimacy as components influencing a person’s health and wellbeing and can become aspects of the discussion. It may be that a move in residence or employment or taking action in the physical realms of life, are necessary pathways in resolving a situation.

Times of disorientation, overwhelm, anguish or similar, can be regarded as, rather than depression, or psychosis, for example, rather, as a spiritual awakening or spiritual crisis.

During transitions in life, we can go through all sorts of new and unusual sensations, thoughts and experiences. The transpersonal paradigm acknowledges transitions as opportunities for growth, rather than seeing it as an illness and attributing to it a diagnosis, (even though at times these can be helpful in some circumstances).

Drawing from the way in some cultures, the shaman helps to guide a young person in to adulthood, the transpersonal therapist will see the symbols and imagery that come up metaphorically and assist in an investigation in to their importance for the client on their journey.

Concepts of epigenetic memories, past lives, generational trauma, spiritual experiences, collective consciousness, dreams etc, all inform the client and are important components of the path they are on. 

My Aproach

I am a transpersonal art therapist and I use the foundational components listed above in my consultations with clients. I am also a spiritual healer and feel that the ‘invisible’ things that go on during an art therapy session, such as an empathetic approach, as mentioned above, are the most important aspects of the session.

Most importantly we all need to feel accepted for who we are, as whole people and particularly as we live in a world where it is often what we ‘do’ or how we ‘behave’ that is rewarded (or punished!)… hence establishing the elements above as a foundation in the process.