What is Spiritual Psychology and How Can You Use It for Self-Empowerment?

The belief that we are spiritual beings having a human experience is a game changer that can take you from a victim mentality to a victor mindset!

The Study of the Soul

The word psychology translates from its Greek origin into “psyche” meaning “soul” and logos,” which is “the study of”. It makes perfect sense to me that psychology means the study of the soul. But my question is: Why did the “soul” get taken out of the practice of modern mental health? This is not just a missing piece of the human puzzle, it is the “glue” that holds everything together–as a cohesive picture. It is the concept that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Because healing happens when clients start to realize that they have issues–but they are not their issues. This opens the door to their full potential to create a new story for who they truly are. And how they want to shine their unique light in the world.

Breaking the chains of psychological symptoms

I chose to specialize in Spiritual Psychology because it is a full spectrum psychology. It encompasses all of the best theories and techniques in the field to date —but goes beyond to include the transcendent level of the soul. Because I am in the business of helping people to transcend their pain, limiting beliefs and misidentifications of who they are that become their reality. Only treating symptoms just doesn’t cut it for me. We all deserve better and were designed to experience wholeness and liberation from the psychological wounds that bind us. And in my experience, putting the soul back into the psychological work is what breaks the chains.

Spiritual Psychology is about direct experience

I am not talking about religious beliefs, although many are compatible with Spiritual Psychology. In fact, I am alluding to the core self that is your true essence. The divine intellikey in your heart that holds the blueprint for your greatest potential as an inherently loving, worthy and glorious self. Did a light just go on inside of you when you read that last sentence? Yes, that light is you resonating with this truth! Most religions acknowledge the existence of a divine spark within. Thus, this approach is about being mindful about your thoughts, feelings, and actions. And it can be adapted to your individual spiritual beliefs. But we are aiming for direct experience with this —the space where you feel your faith in your bones and then, know it as truth. Because the universe puts a mirror right in front of you and the mask of who you are not, falls away.

Drawing out from behind the mask

Spiritual Psychology is a blend of science and spirituality. It is a sister discipline of Transpersonal Psychology, which was pioneered by William James, Roberto Assagioli, and Abraham Maslow. And my personal favorite, Carl Jung. Both focus on the study of transcending the personality or ego by viewing pathology as a spiritual opportunity. And seeing clients as having all the necessary resources for healing. In effect, my job is to help clients to build pathways to their inner resources. I know that the client has whatever is needed inside to heal –built right into the soul–which is why I can work with any level of family trauma. And I have been witness to this truth, even in the most extreme cases. The recipe of client willingness, creating pathways to inner resources, holding a compassionate space and perseverance —makes a healing alchemy that draws the authentic self out from behind the ego’s mask.

The projection process as a house of mirrors

People unconsciously project their ego masks onto those nearest and dearest to them. It is just how it works. When we reject or deeply dislike something about ourselves—it will bother us in others. These things often become what we call pet peeves. I use the analogy of thinking about projections like a house of mirrors at a carnival. When you look around it appears like there are hundreds of you, but you know that there is only one. Likewise, projection allows you to project aspects of yourself onto others. Then, you can see these disowned parts mirrored back in your relationships. Because the truth is, on a spiritual level, we are all one. And no part of ourselves is bad or unacceptable—we just sometimes look for the right thing in the wrong place or disown it entirely.

Soul searching in all the wrong places

A good example of Spiritual Psychology in action features a client I had named Jennifer. She had symptoms of anxiety, overeating and a history of using alcohol to sometimes “numb the pain”. Filtering this through a spiritual lens, I reflected the possibility that maybe she was actually soul searching–but in all the wrong places. This reframe of “looking for the right thing in the wrong place” resonated with her. And I acknowledged her courage in seeking support to find healthier ways to cope and commune with her soul. As a result, her goal became finding the “right” places where she could get her underlying needs met in self-honoring and sustainable ways.

Healing on all levels

Because healing is multidimensional, we looked at her symptoms and addressed them on each level. On the physical level she chose to do yoga several times a week to strengthen her mind-body-spirit connection. Then, we looked at the limiting beliefs she had on the mental level about perfectionism and used Cognitive Behavioral techniques–to change these beliefs to more positive ones. Next, we incorporated a Gestalt technique for the emotional level. She gave her feelings a voice to resolve any of her “unfinished business” surfacing. By holding her in unconditional positive regard —and mirroring to her the inner compassionate witness— I helped her to form a pathway to her own inner compassionate witness. And this combined with a meditation practice to address the spiritual level, facilitated building a stronger bridge to her soul.

A radiant soul having a perfectly, imperfect human experience

In summary, she recognized that her limiting beliefs of perfectionism fed into feelings of shame. This led to behaviors of overeating/drinking which resulted in a state of generalized anxiety from self-abandoning choices. But when she began to identify her true self as her authentic self, she was able to own the beauty of being a radiant soul. One having a perfectly imperfect human experience. And she reduced her anxiety by coping with her thoughts and feelings in more self-honoring ways. She began accessing her soul for soothing. Over time, she learned how to work with her anxious feelings, experiencing a more generalized feeling of peace. Ultimately, the key to healing integration is forgiveness—to project is human but to forgive is divine. Because Spiritual Psychology teaches that whatever needs healing inside of you will be reflected in your outer world. And that is why it is foundational to the Mindful Attachment Parenting approach.

Using Spiritual Psychology, I helped Jennifer learn how to connect with her soul to mindfully manifest life goals, more meaningful relationships and greater overall abundance. Since then, I have helped many more clients to heal, discover their soul’s purpose and to make heartfelt dreams come true.