High consciousness therapist?

[LoveandPurpose]

I want to help people and I can picture myself being a therapist. But I am questioning if the traditional way is the right one for me.

Firstly, psychology in university isn't teaching positive psychology or high consciousness material. 

Secondly, I could be limited in only using certain scientific proven theories, which don't really tackle the root cause.

 

Which jobs exist where I can help people while still having the freedom of doing that with high consciousness approaches? 

[Salvijus]

16 hours ago, LoveandPurpose said:

Which jobs exist where I can help people while still having the freedom of doing that with high consciousness approaches? 

Just an idea.

You can become Isha hatha Yoga teacher.

They offer themselfs so much to transmit tools for self-transformstion for people all over the world.

And no prior experience is required. 

Or whatever meditation that you do. Lets say you do vippassana. You can become a vippassana teacher. But it will take a long time. And you need to be serious practicioner of vippassana. But Isha hatha Yoga teacher they let people without prior experience of Yoga. 

 

Edited December 14, 2018 by Salvijus

[LoveandPurpose]

@wheelspawn With scientific unproven theories I don't talk about woo-woo stuff. I mean spiritual truths, which can be experiences and are therefore subjectively true, but cannot be objectivly proven. Yet they can have powerful impacts and help people with their problems.

[LoveandPurpose]

@Salvijus Thank you very much!

[LoveandPurpose]

@wheelspawn Yes! However, I don't quite know a job build around it.

[Shadowraix]

Ever looked into cognitive behavioral therapy?

[LoveandPurpose]

@Shadowraix Yes! It is great in my opinion.

[Elisabeth]

Imho the best teachers (people who lead personal development workshops etc.) nowadays synthesize western therapy with spirituality or new age stuff (transpersonal psychology included). 

If someone only has a background in psychotherapy, they will have limits to how deep they can go with spiritually oriented people. 

If someone only has a background in one spiritual school, they will often be dogmatic.

If someone only has self-help/new age background, or no formal education in any school at all, they will often lack structure, lack a method, and usually hold on dogmatically to their favorite theories/superstitions anyway. 

I'd much rather learn from someone who has both western AND eastern background, who has taken a training as a therapist as a basis for their work before adding spirituality on to it, than someone who has no formal background at all. 

What I'm saying is, you don't have to get a Master's in psychology specifically, but consider a training in your favorite therapeutic school. It does make a lot of sense even if you then later want to work with people in your own way. 

[LoveandPurpose]

@Elisabeth Great advice, thank you very much!

[Pilgrim]

@LoveandPurpose

Hey there! I am in the same situation wondering about exactly the same thing. There are quite a few rather alternative programs spread in the US.. the Integral Institute in SF is pretty open-minded and they have sister universities in California and all over the US.. they combine traditional education with more spiritual practice. It sounds awesome to me, but I am also wondering if it's better to take a pretty traditional route first and add spiritual practice later. I am more interested in psychoanalysis than CBT, but would be interested in hearing why you favour CBT. If you like feel free to PM me, I'd be happy to exchange with you  

[Psyche_92]

On 13-12-2018 at 9:22 PM, LoveandPurpose said:

I want to help people and I can picture myself being a therapist. But I am questioning if the traditional way is the right one for me.

Firstly, psychology in university isn't teaching positive psychology or high consciousness material. 

Secondly, I could be limited in only using certain scientific proven theories, which don't really tackle the root cause.

 

Which jobs exist where I can help people while still having the freedom of doing that with high consciousness approaches? 

Not all therapists are the same, using the same tradional ways of therapy. I don't see why you can't become a therapist and give people therapy in the traditional way, with your own touch attached to it. At least that's what i'm shooting for right now. If you think about it, that's what every therapist is already doing, because no therapist will ever be exactly the same as the other.

[Leo Gura]

On 12/13/2018 at 0:22 PM, LoveandPurpose said:

Firstly, psychology in university isn't teaching positive psychology or high consciousness material. 

There are many different universities and programs. You can certainly find universities which teach positive and transpersonal psychology.

Life coaching or hypnotherapy is another option.

Hell, you could become a psychic and get clients through Yelp (assuming you had psychic abilities). I know a psychic couple who charge $200/hr for healing.

The more woo-woo you get, the more you'll have to run your own shop, which means learning biz and marketing skillz. But that can be super rewarding.

[Forestluv]

On 12/13/2018 at 3:22 PM, LoveandPurpose said:

I want to help people and I can picture myself being a therapist. But I am questioning if the traditional way is the right one for me.

Firstly, psychology in university isn't teaching positive psychology or high consciousness material. 

Secondly, I could be limited in only using certain scientific proven theories, which don't really tackle the root cause.

 

Which jobs exist where I can help people while still having the freedom of doing that with high consciousness approaches? 

First, I would question assumptions. Do you know that positive psychology and high consciousness material is not taight in Universities? Have you researched course content in the most progressive psycology departments? Might there be some yellow-level psychology professors you aspire to? I teach Spiral Dynamics at my institution and I’ve read it’s taught at others as well. 

Why would you be limited to only scientific theories and how do you know these scientific theories don’t tackle the root problem? Perhaps scientific theories are one tool of many that can tackle root problems. Perhaps scientific theories can be integrated with other practices to form a more holistic treatment plan tailored to an individual’s problems. For example, children that have suffered abuse/trauma have epigenetic alterations in the brain that persist into adulthood. These changes lead to altered gene expression in the brain which can contribute to neurosis. For example, an elevated baseline level of cortisol expression that is asdiciated with anxiety. Addressing this issue is one piece of a much larger puzzle. 

Another example: recent clinical studies show that patients that undergo traditional talk therapy (with scientific theories) coupled with a few guided psychedelic therapy sessions show significant improvement. These aren’t people with PTSD that are tripping in their own - it is the integration of two modes. . . This is just one example, there will be many examples of integrating various forms of psychological therapy emerging. 

I think it’s super exciting to integrate various modes such as shamanic breathing, meditation, yoga, psychedelics, talk therapy, cbt, emdr, medication etc. Imagine being a Yellow level psycologist skilled in all of these modes. A psycologist that could use logic, theory, empathy and intuition to design a custom treatment plan that utilizes various modes to best meet the needs of a patient. Communities could use more psychologists like that. 

[joeyi99]

@Leo Gura How do you develop psychic abilities?

[Leo Gura]

@joeyi99 That's a big can of worms. There are no guarantees but hardcore yogic practices are probably the best way. Most people will not get them.

Psychics usually show signs of their abilities early in life when they are still kids.

[kieranperez]

16 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

hypnotherapy is another option.

Shunyamurti got in this way. However that was back in like the 70s. I imagine it’s probably harder to do that these days and just get a certificate and you’re good.

9 hours ago, joeyi99 said:

@Leo Gura How do you develop psychic abilities?

Look into Mantra Yoga. I’m still very skeptical but at this point, I wouldn’t be too surprised if it actually does work. 

Look into Ancient Science of Mantras by Om Swami (not on Leo’s booklist)

@Leo Gura I know Om Swami has mystical experiences when he was super young in dreams and stuff but it seemed like he gained almost all his paranormal abilities post his massive enlightenment. Maybe a lot of this comes down to the investment into what type of Sadhana you do? I don’t want to say Om Swami is a perfect example in it of himself. Obviously most people who reach enlightenment don’t get paranormal abilities but I feel like a lot of it might come down to again, how deep you go into the work.

Edited December 19, 2018 by kieranperez

[Leo Gura]

@kieranperez Hypnotherapy is still viable today.

Of course hardcore spiritual practice will increase odds of developing psychic abilities by 100 fold. But still doesn't mean you will get them.

Om Swami is a hardcore monk beast. Results not typical (as they say).

Intense Kriya Yoga is the best way I know to unlock psychic abilities. Years of it.

 

 

[kieranperez]

29 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

Om Swami is a hardcore monk beast. Results not typical (as they say).

I honestly think the thing I admire most about him was what made him such a successful monk: his ABSOLUTE clarity, certainty, and commitment and resolve to his vision and deepest desire. When I read his memoir, it literally brings me to tears because, at least for me, I get this thing of “this is what matters and I really can feel this is worth giving my life to.” If you think about it, by the time he renounced to the time of his massive enlightenment, it really didn’t take him all that long if you think about it. Ive read his memoir 3 times since I got it for my birthday in May and I cry more every time I read it. I truly feel, and maybe I’m wrong and he’s just a talent,  but I do think that 100000% clarity and resolution and total surrender is what set him apart even from other yogis and monks. 

I wish I could just show his story to every seeker that says “that’s all spiritual ego, desire, and attachment! Follow the teaching!” And meanwhile I’m like “look what the people who are telling you this stuff did not what they say!” I met a guy at an Adyashanti Christmas Intensive in Palo Alto on Saturday and he became a Karma Yoga guy just because he felt that hardcore meditation was too much about attachment and spiritual ego after I told him about my vision. This is why I back 1000000000% every time you talk about vision and connecting to a DEEP desire for enlightenment and really anything.  

If I had to describe my life purpose through a few examples it would be him, Shunyamurti’s ashram and wisdom school and community (still a little iffy on the community since large groups aren’t really a strong suit), Ralston and his writing and also his application with athletics and making that a means of deepening consciousness and skill, and you with your big picture understanding (that’s always been a skill of mine as well. I’ve always had this thing, I don’t know what it is it’s almost automatic and does it on its own that just sees the interconnectedness of everything. I think that’s one of the reasons your work resonates with). 

Edited December 19, 2018 by kieranperez

[Leo Gura]

@kieranperez Sounds like you got a good vision. A diamond in the rough which you must now polish. Follow those breadcrumbs and something juicy should materialize in the end. Leave some room for improvisation and innovation in your plan. So you're not being a copycat but doing something new.

[kieranperez]

1 hour ago, Leo Gura said:

Hypnotherapy is still viable today.

Can one become a licensed hypnotherapist without a college degree? 

30 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

@kieranperez Sounds like you got a good vision. A diamond in the rough which you must now polish. Follow those breadcrumbs and something juicy should materialize in the end. Leave some room for improvisation and innovation in your plan. So you're not being a copycat but doing something new.

This honestly made my day. 

The improvision and innovation part I think is absolutely necessary for me. Especially since I’m 23 and living at home with a  in SF with no college degree. It’s so hard to backtrack something like this. And plan forward. Paricularly with where I’m at in life. It feels like the monumental impossible thing, paticulary as a wage slave.