What is Psychosynthesis?

Psychosynthesis is a psychology of hope, with its eye not only on history, but also on a purposeful future giving individuals the capacity to reorient their lives in the direction of meaning and values. Psychosynthesis has also been described as a psychology of the Self, in that the realms of human experience also include matters of soul and spirit, alongside physical and emotional experiences and thoughts and mental processes.

A woman sitting on a dock looking at the mountains.

Behind our many identifications resides a deeper knowledge of Self that can be felt, nurtured and strengthened with compassionate attention, a process Dr. Roberto Assagioli referred to as ‘Disidentification’. It is the action of attending to this more integral sense of Self – that includes both the uniquely personal and the transpersonal – that lies at the heart of Psychosynthesis practice.

Embracing Wholeness

Dr. Assagioli, the founding father of Psychosynthesis psychology, stressed the importance of the human ‘impulse towards wholeness’ and of the longing and striving for a more authentic and truer experience of Self, recognising the unfolding potential inherent in that. And as that conscious connection to Self becomes more integrated, the relationship inevitably extends beyond the personal to a sense of connection and responsibility too for the ‘greater whole’ – whether that is expressed in terms of the planet, our ecological footprint, community, our contribution to something of meaning or our interconnectedness with all things.

A black and white photo of a man with a beard.
A woman sitting on a hill overlooking the ocean at sunset.

Navigating Crisis

Personal crises and difficulties in the here and now may bring up resonance with past wounding and will often spark a desire to explore the psychological and relational worlds more deeply and with greater purpose. Working within a Psychosynthesis framework these crises and difficulties are not only viewed as disturbances, but are also considered as opportunities and potential communications for meaningful change. Holding bi-focally present psychological disturbances as well as a context of creative possibility within the disturbances, we create a field for what 'may yet be' to emerge.  In Psychosynthesis language we are creating a space for a conscious connection to Self.

Roger H. Evans, Co-founder The Institute of Psychosynthesis

As a basic introduction to Psychosynthesis this podcast describes this unique approach to psychology developed by Dr. Roberto Assagioli.

"In every human being there is a special heaven, whole and unbroken."
A black and white drawing of a man wearing a hat.

Paracelsus