Course Catalog:
Residential Doctorate Programs
Listed below are brief descriptions of courses offered at the Institute. Not all courses are offered in an annual enrollment cycle nor is every course available in each program.
New courses may be developed to meet changing curricular requirements. The Institute reserves the right to substitute an equivalent course for any course listed in any curriculum. Some courses which offer special topics may be repeated for credit.
For a list of all classes for all programs, click here.
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To see all classes as listed online, click here.
Proseminar in Creative Expression
An experiential review of the contribution of creative expression to psychospiritual development and healing processes. The course introduces a variety of media including claywork, water media, creative writing, and movement to explore archetypal themes.
Transformative Fiction
Students will write, edit and revise their own original fiction. Basic skills for plot, character, and themes will be presented. We will also see how fiction writing supports personal development.
Poetry Workshop
Students will use poetic elements and make poems that explore the deep roots of feeling, the playfulness of language, the blessings of common things, and the presence of paradox and mystery.
Independent Study: Creative Expression
Self-directed faculty supervised study of some aspect of creative expression.
Outside Study: Creative Expression
Outside off-campus faculty-supervised study of some aspect of creative expression.
Arts, Diversity, and the "Other"
The “Other” has been defined as the one that is different. Literature in Multicultural-Diversity issues talks about the image of them” and “Us as human separated Consciousness or identities. Exploration of collective/individual consciousness imbedded in the presence of the “Other” within Multicultural Diversity will be done. Course content includes psychological and transpersonal theoretical explanations in the nature of formation of the concept of the “Other”. Exploration of some public art representations, class discussions, expressive arts activities, and presentations are done as well. Students mindfully delve into their different art products, as they would talk about their diverse presence in the world and individual Consciousness realities. Reflections upon the political, social, psychological, spiritual, and personal implications.
Human Sexuality
This course will present psychological and transpersonal aspects of human sexuality. Topics will include male and female sexuality, sexual communication, sexual orientations, relationships, sexual attitudes and behaviors (i.e., sexuality and spiritual practices), and commonly-seen sexual problems. Coverage will also include material from the DSM on sex and gender; laws pertaining to the practice of psychotherapy with respect to human sexuality; and ethical principles from the primary professional organizations.
Hypnosis
Clinical Hypnosis Intensive is an introduction to Transpersonal Hypnotherapy. This Intensive offers an understanding of the essence of the Transpersonal approach, the history of hypnosis, the language of hypnosis, and the application of hypnosis to psychotherapy. The course covers several hypnotic inductions, provides instruction on how to monitor trance states, and how to prepare for and utilize self-hypnosis. Students will have the opportunity to learn and practice journeywork in a supportive environment, where each individual has the opportunity to be a student-client and a student-therapist. Feedback to student-therapists from student-clients and the teaching staff offers each student the opportunity to enhance their therapeutic skills, languaging and effectiveness working with clients
Transpersonal Growth Psychologies
This experiential course explores transformations of the self through various transpersonal systems of growth and development. For example: emphasis may be placed on psychosynthesis practice, dream work, psychospiritual integration, creative expression, and others as applied to personal experience and development.
Psychopathology and Diagnosis
This advanced graduate course will cover clinical assessment, written clinical evaluation, use of differential psycho-diagnostics, development of treatment objectives and goals, and clinical analysis of outcome data from the perspective of transpersonal systems. Students will acquire differential diagnostic skills and an understanding of the use of current clinical paradigms in an understanding and classification of psychopathology from a cross-cultural perspective.
Forgive for Good
The primary focus of this class is to learn and practice a research proven method of training forgiveness. In this class forgiveness will be explored first for forgiving others and secondarily for forgiving oneself. The forgiveness method taught is based from behavioral medicine practices that include journaling, breath meditation, heart centered meditation, changing narratives and using cognitive disputation. In addition, forgiveness as it relates to both clinical practice and political violence will be explored. The course includes readings, lecture, discussion and in depth personal practice of the “Forgive for Good” methodology.
Indigenous Psychology and the Medicine Wheel
Covers the major themes of indigenous psychology and spirituality such as cultural appreciation, marginalization of indigenous people, the current world situation and our collective responsibility, and the restoration of the nation’s hoop. Students will gain an understanding of how indigenous people view psychology and spirituality. Special emphasis will be placed on understanding, applying, and working with the Medicine Wheel as a tool for transformation.
Spiritual Emergence and Transpersonal Psychology
Exploration of spiritual emergence, and how our ongoing psychological and spiritual development, when considered in tandem, can illuminate unexamined aspects of each other.
Law and Ethics
Overview and decision-making problems that arise out of ethical standards and legal issues in the practice of psychotherapy. Focus is on legal and ethical issues that arise for therapists and clinicians, including confidentiality, multiple relationships and conflicts of interest, and informed consent.
Parapsychology
This intensive course surveys case studies, laboratory research, and clinical applications of psychic phenomena.
Biological Bases of Behavior: Neuropsychology
An exploration into the biological dimensions of clinical psychology from a transpersonal perspective. A review of scientific research and study in neuro-psychology will be considered, including: the sleep/wakefulness cycle, the neuro-psychology of consciousness, psychopathology, clinical neuro-anatomy and physiology, altered states of consciousness, immunology, and the neurophysiology of stress. Clinical and counseling applications will be considered in the context of a transpersonal perspective.
Independent Study: Clinical
Self-directed faculty-supervised topic.
Outside Study
Outside off-campus faculty supervised spiritual topic.
Lifespan Development and Aging
Enhanced graduate level understanding of content, context, skills, and applications within a lifespan psychology perspective, with special attention to life transition interventions and developmental autobiography. Traditional child psychology focus is balanced with added units on prenatal/birth and adult phases of life and death, and transpersonal aspects of human development.
Psychosynthesis
This course intends to provide students with a beginning understanding of psychosynthesis theory and practice, especially as it applies to their own personal and professional experience. The seminal work of Assagioli will be presented and subsequent theoretical developments in the field will be discussed, with the intention of providing a historical and contemporary understanding of this evolving approach.
Transpersonal Practicum
Practicum for non-clinical, non-specialized doctoral students.
Transpersonal Practicum
Practicum for non-clinical, non-specialized doctoral students.
Transpersonal Practicum
Practicum for non-clinical, non-specialized doctoral students.
Creative Expression Transpersonal Practicum
Three course series for creative expression students. If the student is also clinical, the 3-course advanced clinical practicum may serve to fulfill this requirement as well as long as creative expression is used and documented throughout the course series. If the student is not pursuing a clinical degree, the creative expression field study can be pursued within a spiritual emphasis, a personal-practice emphasis, or with a professional application emphasis
Creative Expression Transpersonal Practicum
Three course series for creative expression students. If the student is also clinical, the 3-course advanced clinical practicum may serve to fulfill this requirement as well as long as creative expression is used and documented throughout the course series. If the student is not pursuing a clinical degree, the creative expression field study can be pursued within a spiritual emphasis, a personal-practice emphasis, or with a professional application emphasis
Creative Expression Transpersonal Practicum
Three course series for creative expression students. If the student is also clinical, the 3-course advanced clinical practicum may serve to fulfill this requirement as well as long as creative expression is used and documented throughout the course series. If the student is not pursuing a clinical degree, the creative expression field study can be pursued within a spiritual emphasis, a personal-practice emphasis, or with a professional application emphasis
Advanced Psychosynthesis
This course will allow students to begin to apply psychosynthesis to the practice of individual psychotherapy.
Indigenous Psychology and Spirituality
This course will cover some of the major themes in indigenous psychology and spirituality such as cultural appropriation, marginalization of indigenous people, the current world situation and our collective responsibility, and the restoration of the nation’s hoop. Students will gain an understanding of how indigenous people view psychology and spirituality. Special emphasis will be placed on understanding, applying, and working with the Medicine Wheel as a tool for transformation.
Advanced Training
TERS advanced training course establishes professional skills in teaching and research methodologies in academia, emphasizing skills of leading transformative education and transpersonal psychological research. Two variants of the course, offered on alternate years, differ in predominance of educational or research focus.
Group Process
Study and experience of various forms and uses of groups. Includes study of human communication including transpersonal dimensions of communication in group settings. Opportunities to develop transpersonal group theory. Interpersonal group process and basics in leading a variety of groups.
Group Process
Study and experience of various forms and uses of groups. Includes study of human communication including transpersonal dimensions of communication in group settings. Opportunities to develop transpersonal group theory. Interpersonal group process and basics in leading a variety of groups.
Group Process
Study and experience of various forms and uses of groups. Includes study of human communication including transpersonal dimensions of communication in group settings. Opportunities to develop transpersonal group theory. Interpersonal group process and basics in leading a variety of groups.
Experiential Immersion: Inner Work I
Topics vary and are designed for positive personal growth and understanding.
Experiential Immersion: Inner Work II
Topics vary and are designed for positive personal growth and understanding.
Experiential Immersion: Psychodrama Intensive
Intensive course, providing experience with therapeutic and educational uses of scripted roles to increase flexibility and effectiveness in interpersonal relationships.
Experiential Immersion: Meditation
Topics vary and are designed for positive personal guidance and development.
Spiritual Psychology: Sufism
Sufism, usually defined as the esoteric part of Islam, contains a well developed psychology with personal, theoretical and clinical applications which has been developed and refined for at least the last 1200 years. In class we will read, work with, and discuss stories, poems and short selections from a wide range of Sufi sources. Students are expected to read and write about additional stories and poems as well as to observe their own reactions to these materials.
Spirituality in Everyday Life
This course is designed to provide students with a variety of experiential "re-framing" exercises to facilitate their recognition of the potential spiritual value and significance of a number of "mundane" daily chores and experiences. There is also an emphasis on the recollection and application of the deeper spiritual energy and multiple levels of meeting in dreams as well as daily waking encounters.
Methods in Spiritual Guidance: Dreams
Organized religious and spiritual practice all over the planet reveals certain archetypal consistencies. Among these patterns of intuition and praxis we can find a thread of suggestion that evolved spiritual life most often reflects itself in an elevated and intensified quality of consciousness associated with the most mundane and "ordinary" tasks and experiences. The religious and spiritual traditions of the world also speak with one voice in their unanimous assertion that people are in more direct communion with "the Divine", (for lack of a better term), in our sleeping dreams than in any other ordinary state of consciousness.
Spiritual Emergence
Crises developing from spiritual experiences and transpersonal growth; diagnosis, types of transformative experience, support and counseling for spiritual emergence and emergencies.
Dark Goddess
Exploration of the psychological aspects of the Dark Goddess.
Mindfulness
Exploration of the concept of Mindfulness as a psychological process employed in everyday life for lessening the effects of consensus trance.
Psychology of Spiritual Development
A study of the views of several traditions on the stages of spiritual development; criteria for discernment; and helps and hindrances to spiritual development.
Psychology of Spiritual Guidance
Focuses on different aspects of spiritual guidance. Topics include: the role and importance of spiritual guidance, activities involved, relationship between involved parties, qualifications of one offering and one receiving spiritual guidance, and skills and knowledge needed to offer spiritual guidance. Includes in-class spiritual guidance practice.
Spiritual Guidance Practicum
Students will learn spiritual guidance through giving and receiving spiritual guidance sessions and through weekly group practice and discussion. In addition, students will learn different styles of spiritual guidance approaches and techniques and gain experience both as spiritual guide and guidee.
Spiritual Guidance Practicum
Students will learn spiritual guidance through giving and receiving spiritual guidance sessions and through weekly group practice and discussion. In addition, students will learn different styles of spiritual guidance approaches and techniques and gain experience both as spiritual guide and guidee.
Spiritual Guidance Practicum
Students will learn spiritual guidance through giving and receiving spiritual guidance sessions and through weekly group practice and discussion. In addition, students will learn different styles of spiritual guidance approaches and techniques and gain experience both as spiritual guide and guidee.
Independent Study: Spiritual
Faculty-supervised and approved self-directed study of spiritual topics.
Introduction to the Goddess
This course is open to men and women who seek a psycho-spiritual and cultural introduction to both the ancient and modern traditions of Goddess in order to begin an exploration of what the Divine Female means for westerners today. Through the application of cross-disciplinary methods, it will also facilitate an increased capacity to understand the function of the archetypal Feminine in Self and World. How does She inform contemporary consciousness? What is Her history and place in society today?
Goddess Spirituality and the Divine Female Force
A psycho-spiritual and cultural introduction to both the ancient and modern traditions of Goddess.
Spiritual Psychology: Wicca
This course will focus on WICCA as a living spiritual tradition. Students will learn the history and basic beliefs of the Craft. Ritual will be incorporated into each class meeting as a way of experiencing the process.
Integralizing Goddess
This course will explore the ancient and modern roots of goddess spirituality with an emphasis on archetypes, esoteric traditions, and personal experience in order to foster new understanding and create new meanings through the transpersonal for elucidation of problems affecting women in religion, feminist theology, the men's movement, the evolution of consciousness, and the various crises of our time (ecological, spiritual, economic).
Advanced Spiritual Guidance
This course is for students who have completed the basic academic and practicum courses in spiritual guidance. Three themes will be explored in depth: the art of spiritual discernment; "dark nights" and the role of the guide in these key transitions; the relationship between personal spiritual development and social transformation.
Psychology of Women's Spirituality
This course serves as an introductory inquiry into women-centered spirituality and women’s spiritual development. Evaluation of women’s participation and female representation in established religious traditions as well as emergent women-centered spiritual practices (to be determined collectively by the core interests of the class participants) as core elements of the course. Utilizing feminist, transpersonal, and psychological theories, as well as exploring sacred texts and art from the traditions and practices that are the foci of class discussion, this course seeks to establish foundational understanding of, theoretical and critical analysis of, and personal connection to the variety of voices and experience that currently fall under the rubric Women’s Spirituality.
Shamans, Mystics, & Saints: Expressions of Ecstasy, Love, and Yearning for the Divine
For many people, culture, tradition, and religion provide boundaries for what is considered an acceptable relationship with the unseen world. However, a special yearning for the Divine (God/ess), or special search for divine healing has often taken shamans, mystics, and saints, both men and women, into ecstatic states of consciousness that lead to alternative behavior. This course seeks to engage students through historical review, literature, poetry, discussion, and reflection to develop and deepen awareness of ecstatic trance states and divine madness as they occur on the path of the shaman, mystic, and saint.
Pathways of the Soul: Exploring the Human Journey
Psychospiritual development doesn't have to be a static, linear, or hierarchical process; rather, it can be a dynamic, spiraling journey from the personal to a more transpersonal way of being and living. In this class, we will make use of Hillevi Ruumet's "Soul Map" model to guide us "through some common pathways of the human journey." Here, we will explore, experience, and embody various stages and cycles of personal growth and spiritual development as a way to discover, uncover, or recover our unique path to wholeness and self-realization.
African Spirituality
This course begins with an overview of the Spiritual Cultures of the West African Diaspora (Brazil, Haiti, Cuba, and New Orleans specifically). Students will become familiar with the concepts of Ache, Ori, and Orisha, three important Elements of the Spiritual Culture and its rituals. Students will be introduced to practices such as altar building, praise poetry, and the sacred arts of, music and dance.
Sacred Sexuality
Spiritual feminist as well as transpersonal analysis of the post modern world indicates there has been a split between mind and body - a split between male and female, a split in perspective on the interdependence of humans and the earth in the western experience. Is it no wonder then that sexuality and spirituality - often linked in the sacred traditions of other cultures - have lost their interconnection in the west? How do we make meaning of our own intertwining experiences of the sacred and erotic in a world which disallows their connection? To begin the journey, we will explore theories about how and why the West has lost this integral connection. To continue - we will review sacred sexual practices across time and culture - including ancient goddess cultures, western mystery traditions, tantric and Taoist traditions
Spirit-Centered Leadership
The purpose of this course is to provide students with the concepts, application, and direct experience of becoming centered in the spirit while enabling leadership in their lives and work. We focus on individual and collective leadership in a world that is more interconnected than any time in history with regard to business, society, and the environment.
World Religions
This course will explore how various religions of the world view themselves, drawing from the primary sources of each tradition's scriptural inheritance. The history and development of each tradition will be addressed, in an atmosphere both critical and appreciative. Specific attention given to the transpersonal foundations of each faith. Attention will also be given to practical needs of members of each faith for spiritual guides and therapists who may be serving them.
Mind-Body Integration: Aikido
The practice and theory of Aikido. Practical training in maintaining center and awareness under pressure, and learning to blend and harmonize with others. Emphasis on relationship between Aikido, daily life, teaching, and counseling.
Mind-Body Integration: Aikido
The practice and theory of Aikido. Practical training in maintaining center and awareness under pressure, and learning to blend and harmonize with others. Emphasis on relationship between Aikido, daily life, teaching, and counseling.
Mind-Body Integration: Aikido
The practice and theory of Aikido. Practical training in maintaining center and awareness under pressure, and learning to blend and harmonize with others. Emphasis on relationship between Aikido, daily life, teaching, and counseling.
Mind-Body Integration: Tai Chi
A study of the history and theory of Tai Chi. Practical training in maintaining center, relaxation, health, and self-defense through learning and practicing Tai Chi Chuan.
Mind-Body Integration: Tai Chi
A study of the history and theory of Tai Chi. Practical training in maintaining center, relaxation, health, and self-defense through learning and practicing Tai Chi Chuan.
Mind-Body Integration: Tai Chi
A study of the history and theory of Tai Chi. Practical training in maintaining center, relaxation, health, and self-defense through learning and practicing Tai Chi Chuan.
Mind-Body Integration: Hatha Yoga
Yogic body/mind postures and exercises are taught to enable students to free body energies and to develop greater flexibility. Advanced Mind-Body alternative course.
Mind-Body Integration: Hatha Yoga
Yogic body/mind postures and exercises are taught to enable students to free body energies and to develop greater flexibility. Advanced Mind-Body alternative course.
Mind-Body Integration: Hatha Yoga
Yogic body/mind postures and exercises are taught to enable students to free body energies and to develop greater flexibility. Advanced Mind-Body alternative course.
Mind-Body Integration: Advanced Aikido
Advanced study of the practice and theory of Aikido. Practical training in maintaining center and awareness under pressure, and learning to blend and harmonize with others.
Mind-Body Integration: Advanced Aikido
Advanced study of the practice and theory of Aikido. Practical training in maintaining center and awareness under pressure, and learning to blend and harmonize with others.
Mind-Body Integration: Advanced Aikido
Advanced study of the practice and theory of Aikido. Practical training in maintaining center and awareness under pressure, and learning to blend and harmonize with others.
Mind-Body Approaches
Examines the psychology of somatic (body/mind/spirit integrative) healing. It includes not only an introduction to a variety of body psychotherapies and their origins, but also energy work, pain control, stress reduction, and mind-body techniques. Ethical considerations for using this type of somatic integrative healing are addressed.
Mind-Body Integration: Chi Gung
Participants experience exercises in the Chi Gung systems such as: meditation, imagery, stretches, and movement that directly affect the organs, muscle, and the body's energy pathways (meridians). Alternative advanced course.
Proseminar in Somatic Psychology
Examines the major principles and the history of somatic psychology or what is currently developing into body/mind/spirit integrative psychotherapy. Experiential opportunities with concurrent theoretical reflections are part of the learning process. Ethical considerations for using this type of somatic integrative psychotherapy are addressed.
Somatic Psychology II
This class will focus on experiential, embodied dynamics of our many personalities; of the interaction of ourselves with others in a family system , and the interaction and awareness of ourselves with the transpersonal realm.
Enneagram
This course covers the Enneagram theory of personality and provides opportunities to experience the nine personality styles through the mind, the emotions, and the body.
Independent Study: Physical
Faculty-supervised and approved self-directed study of body topics.
Outside Study: Body Discipline
Faculty-supervised and approved self-directed study of a body discipline.
Somatic Psychology III
Body and Soul: Family Constellations and Myths: In this class we will explore in an experiential way the Intra-personal, Inter-personal and Transpersonal Dimensions of family systems. The instructor will draw from the theory and practice of Virginia Satir, Bert Hellinger and other system theorists and practitioners.
Orientation
Doctoral program orientation for incoming students.
Systems Theory and Group Dynamics
Survey of various approaches to group facilitation and exploration of the dynamics of how groups function.
Independent Study: Community
Faculty-supervised and approved self-directed study of community.
Psychology of Transformative Teaching and Learning
This course will address core elements of working as an instructor in higher education including developing a teaching style, creating effective learning environments, developing curriculum, maintaining ethics in research, developing leadership skills, and forming collegial relationships. Each class will serve as a laboratory for exploring new ideas and how students can bring transpersonal and transformational elements into any teaching environment.
Proseminar in Social and Community Process: Culture & Consciousness
This course integrates the two perspectives on the social aspects of the person: social psychology, i.e. behavioral perspective, and the cultural psychology, i.e. the constructivist, consciousness oriented perspective. Integration of these two approaches allows a bridge of the socio-cultural view on human self with the explorations of the mind beyond the ego, essential for transpersonal psychology. It will also explore the potential creative alliance between social psychology and transpersonal psychology.
Appreciation of Differences
Post-modern schools of thought continue to underscore the socially-constructed nature of identity and the importance of making visible the fluid nature of power, privilege, and cultural context in which we all, as individuals and communities, live. This foundational course invites students to explore their own attitudes and viewpoints related to personal and social identities. Through group dialogs, readings, and applied learning exercises, this course seeks to create an environment in which all students may broaden and deepen awareness and appreciation of differences and commonalities related to the complex intersectionality of aspects of identity such as race, ethnicity, ability, social economic status, religion, politics, gender, spiritual or religious affiliation, or sexual orientation.
History and Systems of Psychology
This course examines the foundational roots of modern psychological thought and methodology. It reviews the theory, research, and paradigm assumptions associated with the Psychoanalytic, Humanistic, Existential, Behavioral, Cognitive, and Transpersonal schools of thought and the western and eastern philosophical traditions from which they originated. It evaluates the impact of these ideas on our understanding of human development and potential, as well as our perception of psychopathology and healing. The course also examines the cultural, political and scientific Zeitgeist within which these theories emerged and the pioneers that gave rise to those ideas, such as William James, Carl Jung, Wundt, B.F. Skinner, Abraham Maslow, Sigmund Freud and many others.
Positive Psychology
This course is an introduction to the new field of Positive Psychology. This field advocates a shift from the traditional focus on clinical dysfunction, to an emphasis on human potential and the building of strengths as a method for ameliorating dysfunction. Students will be introduced to the theoretical models and empirical research in this field, as well as its applications to clinical, organizational, and everyday settings. The relationships to traditional and transpersonal models and research will be explored.
Transpersonal Theory and Research
The course is an overview of the transpersonal orientation, offering an engaging inquiry into the intricate relationship between psychology and spirituality. The course includes a theoretical overview, the practice of discernment and making distinctions regarding transpersonal theory and practice, experiential practices, and a fieldwork assignment. This class also supports students in the skills of critical thinking, research and writing on transpersonal topics. The course will draw from the works of Wilber, Washburn, Grof, Welwood and others.
Research Methods A: Quantitative
This course familiarizes students with quantitative approaches to research emphasizing both traditional and non-traditional methods to facilitate a clear understanding of the major concepts of quantitative research and statistics.
Research Methods B: Qualitative
This course provides an overview of the qualitative research traditions and methods used in many fields of psychology with emphasis on and application to transpersonal psychology. Among the methods covered are interviewing, case study, integral inquiry, intuitive inquiry, heuristic inquiry, phenomenology, biography, grounded theory, ethnography, hermeneutics, narrative analysis, systems theory, and complexity/chaos theory. An emphasis will be placed on the integration of these methods with quantitative methods to provide converging evidence for particular hypotheses.
Dissertation
5.0 units credit per quarter for dissertation work under faculty guidance.
Dissertation
5.0 units credit per quarter for dissertation work under faculty guidance.
Dissertation
5.0 units credit per quarter for dissertation work under faculty guidance.
Advanced Topics in Transpersonal Psychology
In-depth study of a specific topic in one of the six areas of transpersonal study. Course content varies. Course may be repeated.
Altered States of Consciousness
Survey of various states of consciousness including: hypnosis, sleep, dreaming, lucid dreaming, meditation, and psychedelic experiences.
Psychology of Men
This course will be both didactic and experiential. It will be an overview of men's psychology that will have powerful practical implications while set in an expansive transpersonal context. It has been theorized that the 20th century will be remembered for the liberation of women and the 21st century will be the time for the New Male to awaken. Often in transpersonal psychology men's issues have been overlooked. This course is for men and women to gather and honor men's sacred journey through life.
Independent Study: Theoretical Topics
Faculty-supervised and approved self-directed study of theoretical topics.
Outside Study: Theoretical Topics
In-depth study of specific topics off-campus under faculty guidance.
Scholarly Writing
This course will assist the student in the selection of topics, formulation of research questions, use of APA format, drafting of a perspective, and organization of scientific concepts. Lecture, discussion, writing exercises, and sharing of personal work will be used to develop and sustain creative interest, personal growth, and scholarly development. Students are encouraged to collaboratively work on research papers assigned for other classes in this course.
Doctoral Qualifying Paper
A twenty page scholarly (DQP) paper that demonstrates the students ability to write in a clear professional, scholarly style. Each paper is read by one or more members of the core faculty.
Dissertation Seminar
Support and assistance in the process of dissertation research and writing.
Doctoral Research: Mini-Proposal
Exploration of the dissertation process. Selection of a dissertation topic, identification of a committee, literature search, development of a research hypotheses, and preparation of a preliminary written proposal is required.
Research Methods C: Advanced Quantitative and Qualitative
This course integrates both quantitative and qualitative methods in the context of both published and graduate student dissertation research, applying the best methodology to address a specific research question.
Dissertation
5.0 units credit per quarter for dissertation work under faculty guidance for Continuation students. This course does not carry credit towards graduation.
Advanced Topics in Research
In-depth study of a specific research topic. Course content varies.
Proseminar in Transpersonal and Spiritual Psychology
Continued development of fluency in Transpersonal and Spiritual perspectives in the theory, research, and practice of contemporary psychology.
Research Group
Lead by individual faculty members, several research groups are offered every quarter. They are open to doctoral students after the first quarter of the program and thereafter. Following the classic mentor model, small groups of faculty and students collaborate on the same research projects, with students learning the methods of research on a first-hand basis. The group works together in research planning, developing research questions, research design, conducting procedures and collecting data, and analyzing the results. Frequently students will develop dissertation projects aligned with the research group, and participate in presentations at professional conferences.
Research Group
Lead by individual faculty members, several research groups are offered every quarter. They are open to doctoral students after the first quarter of the program and thereafter. Following the classic mentor model, small groups of faculty and students collaborate on the same research projects, with students learning the methods of research on a first-hand basis. The group works together in research planning, developing research questions, research design, conducting procedures and collecting data, and analyzing the results. Frequently students will develop dissertation projects aligned with the research group, and participate in presentations at professional conferences.
Research Group
Lead by individual faculty members, several research groups are offered every quarter. They are open to doctoral students after the first quarter of the program and thereafter. Following the classic mentor model, small groups of faculty and students collaborate on the same research projects, with students learning the methods of research on a first-hand basis. The group works together in research planning, developing research questions, research design, conducting procedures and collecting data, and analyzing the results. Frequently students will develop dissertation projects aligned with the research group, and participate in presentations at professional conferences.
Ken Wilber's Integral Philosophy
This course will be an in-depth exploration of Ken Wilber's Integral Philosophy and the ways that the theory can be applied to practical situations, both individual and social. Case studies will be used to highlight applications. The course will emphasize how taking a "full spectrum" and multiperspectival view of human growth can aid in being effective and compassionate. Critiques and alternative views of Integral theory will be included.
Organizational Psychology
In this discussion-based course, students will investigate the application of psychology to the challenges faced by organizations. How can psychologists use their skills to inform such issues as leadership, teamwork, and human resources management? Special attention is paid to transpersonal perspectives on the workplace.
The Internet & Scholarly Research
This course will explore the current impact of the information revolution on scholarly research practices. Particular emphasis will be placed on adapting to emerging technologies that expand the scholar's ability to locate, manage, assimilate, and present academic material. Students who take this course will: use the Internet to locate hard to find scholarly information; develop skills for coping with information overload; discover sophisticated, yet simple and free tools for managing information; gain proficiency in utilizing blogs and websites and understanding their academic uses; expand their information literacy skills; learn how advanced features and sophisticated strategies can turn an Internet search engine into a powerful scholarly tool; explore ways that the fields of scholarly research and the Internet inform each other.
Cognitive and Affective Psychology
This course provides a comprehensive survey of the theories and empirical research evidence of cognitive and affective psychology. Additionally, it provides concrete examples and opportunities to apply these topics to both each student’s ongoing research interests as well as to his or her personal development interests. Bridges between these cognitive processes and transpersonal phenomena will be actively explored as will be the transpersonal aspect of the processes themselves.
Critical Thinking in Transpersonal Psychology
Students will develop and apply critical thinking and analytic skills to the evaluation of transdisciplinary literature that informs contemporary movements in transpersonal psychology. Works will be drawn from critical theory, postmodern theory, social justice and activism literature, wisdom traditions, as well as cutting-edge transpersonal theory and research.
Research Seminar: Transpersonal Psychology
This is an interactive seminar in which each student selects and defines a scholarly project for the quarter. The work on these will be presented for class discussion during class meetings, in which students will learn through attentive listening, giving feedback, and receiving feedback. Examples of projects include but are not limited to essays, literature studies, in-depth reading of books and articles, research studies and analysis, clinical topics, and theoretical investigations. Course goals are to develop critical inquiry, new perspectives, and developing professional knowledge.
Cognitive Science
Cognitive science is concerned with the nature of cognition in humans and machines, where cognition refers to the mental processes that compose our mind: thought, reasoning, decision making, language, learning, and perception. The style of work in cognitive science is interdisciplinary, drawing upon ideas from psychology, philosophy, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, linguistics, and education. A guiding theme of work in cognitive science is the idea that the mind can be understood as a computational system, sometimes referred to as the computational metaphor of the mind. In this 3-day course, we will review the historical development of the field of cognitive sciences, its major philosophical and theoretical perspectives, as well as the most fundamental topics and ideas.
Critical Theories/Critical Thinking
The goal of this course is to enhance students' critical thinking abilities and skills as well as foster joy and enthusiasm for scholarly endeavors such as research and writing. Drawing upon interdisciplinary works such as critical theory, applied research, transpersonal psychology, and philosophy, students will be encouraged to learn how to effectively analyze the work of others as well as construct cogent, compelling original scholarly work. Assignments will include readings, group analysis of scholarly material, and writing assignments geared toward experiential applications of concepts and skills.
Biological Bases of Behavior: Psychopharmacology
Provides a basic understanding of neuro-chemical mechanisms of drug action. Topics include: sites of drug action, uptake mechanisms, the chemistry of neurotransmitters, tolerance, and course of drug action. Evaluation of drug literature and common classes of psychiatric drugs will also be covered.
Independent Study: Clinical Topics
Self-directed faculty-supervised in depth study of a clinical topic.
Diversity Issues in Clinical Practice
Social-psychological aspects of counseling within different ethnic subcultures, including the Asian-American, African-American, Hispanic, Native American, and Caucasian. Specific counseling techniques and treatment paradigms are reviewed for each ethnic group.
Clinical Practicum Seminar I
An introduction to the field of Clinical Psychology and its standards of professional practice. This three quarter class creates a foundation for future clinical development. Three elements comprise this year: (a) introduction and practice of basic psychotherapeutic skills essential for therapy, (b) participation in selected practicum settings that provide experience and training appropriate to skill level of the students, and (c) integration of the clinical practice into a professional role. This section will also address legal and ethical issues required for clinical practice. Registration for Practicum assumes completion of Year 1 coursework and accrual of 20 hours of psychotherapy.
Clinical Practicum Seminar I
An introduction to the field of Clinical Psychology and its standards of professional practice. This three quarter class creates a foundation for future clinical development. Three elements comprise this year: (a) introduction and practice of basic psychotherapeutic skills essential for therapy, (b) participation in selected practicum settings that provide experience and training appropriate to skill level of the students, and (c) integration of the clinical practice into a professional role.
Clinical Practicum Seminar I
An introduction to the field of Clinical Psychology and its standards of professional practice. This three quarter class creates a foundation for future clinical development. Three elements comprise this year: (a) introduction and practice of basic psychotherapeutic skills essential for therapy, (b) participation in selected practicum settings that provide experience and training appropriate to skill level of the students, and (c) integration of the clinical practice into a professional role. A Pass in PTCP 2149C is required to advance to Advanced Clinical Practicum Seminar.
Clinical Practicum Seminar I
An introduction to the field of Clinical Psychology and its standards of professional practice. This three quarter class creates a foundation for future clinical development. Three elements comprise this year: (a) introduction and practice of basic psychotherapeutic skills essential for therapy, (b) participation in selected practicum settings that provide experience and training appropriate to skill level of the students, and (c) integration of the clinical practice into a professional role. A Pass in PTCP 2149C is required to advance to Advanced Clinical Practicum Seminar.
Advanced Clinical Skills
Three directed clinical elective courses may be chosen by advanced clinical students from a range of offerings. Covers major schools of psychotherapeutic practice and in-depth study of treatment issues. Specific topic choices will vary from quarter to quarter.
Advanced Clinical Skills: Couples and Family Therapy
Specific techniques and theories devoted to working with couples and families using a systems theory approach.
Advanced Clinical Skills: Forgiveness, a Cognitive-Behavior Method
An elective for advanced clinical training in therapeutic skills working with forgiveness of self and others.
Advanced Clinical Skills: Counseling Children
This course covers psychotherapeutic methods, as applied to counseling interventions for children. This course emphasizes the practical acquisition of clinical skills in childhood interventions, including art and play therapy with consideration to diverse ethnicity and culture. Scientific methodologies for research and scientific data collection are included, in the context of transpersonal theory and practice.
Advanced Clinical Skills: Expressive Arts Therapy
Emphasizes the considerations relevant to becoming an expressive arts professional, whether therapist or educator/counselor.
Advanced Clinical Skills: Psychospiritual Integration and Transformation
Develops counseling skills to work with clients seeking the sacred in their lives, ultimate meanings and reality, and aspiration for purposeful lives. Integrates multiple psychological methods with a unique cosmology based on the evolution of consciousness and on principles of Integral Yoga (Aurobindo and The Mother, Mira Alfasa), Psychosynthesis (Assagioli) and Structures of consciousness (Gebser). Clinical/guiding skills are developed using models, exercises and papers reflecting students’ understanding and experience. Psycho-spiritual readings encourage reading contemplatively and integration of the meditative reading experience with writing in a spiritually attuned mode. Close, live supervision of role-playing exercises assist in the skill development and the preparation of the student as a guide/therapist.
Advanced Clinical Skills: Psychospiritual Integration and Transformation
Develops counseling skills to work with clients seeking the sacred in their lives, ultimate meanings and reality, and aspiration for purposeful lives. Integrates multiple psychological methods with a unique cosmology based on the evolution of consciousness and on principles of Integral Yoga (Aurobindo and The Mother, Mira Alfasa), Psychosynthesis (Assagioli) and Structures of consciousness (Gebser). Clinical/guiding skills are developed using models, exercises and papers reflecting students’ understanding and experience. Psycho-spiritual readings encourage reading contemplatively and integration of the meditative reading experience with writing in a spiritually attuned mode. Close, live supervision of role-playing exercises assist in the skill development and the preparation of the student as a guide/therapist.
Advanced Clinical Skills: Psychospiritual Integration and Transformation
Develops counseling skills to work with clients seeking the sacred in their lives, ultimate meanings and reality, and aspiration for purposeful lives. Integrates multiple psychological methods with a unique cosmology based on the evolution of consciousness and on principles of Integral Yoga (Aurobindo and The Mother, Mira Alfasa), Psychosynthesis (Assagioli) and Structures of consciousness (Gebser). Clinical/guiding skills are developed using models, exercises and papers reflecting students’ understanding and experience. Psycho-spiritual readings encourage reading contemplatively and integration of the meditative reading experience with writing in a spiritually attuned mode. Close, live supervision of role-playing exercises assist in the skill development and the preparation of the student as a guide/therapist.
Advanced Clinical Practicum Seminar
This 3-term 3rd year Ph.D. course is taken in conjunction with an advanced supervised practicum experience following prior coursework in clinical diagnosis, interview techniques, clinical interventions, and professional ethics. While the primary experiential component is in the directly supervised clinical work outside this course, the teaching method will include didactic, interactive, and experiential aspects. The goal is an integration of contemporary clinical approaches in multidisciplinary settings for diverse clients and client issues with the student's developing professional identity including focused special applications and interventions within the scope of the field. A passing grade in the full PTCP 2149A-C Clinical Practicum I series is required to take this class.
Advanced Clinical Practicum Seminar
This 3-term 3rd year Ph.D. course is taken in conjunction with an advanced supervised practicum experience following prior coursework in clinical diagnosis, interview techniques, clinical interventions, and professional ethics. While the primary experiential component is in the directly supervised clinical work outside this course, the teaching method will include didactic, interactive, and experiential aspects. The goal is an integration of contemporary clinical approaches in multidisciplinary settings for diverse clients and client issues with the student's developing professional identity including focused special applications and interventions within the scope of the field.
Advanced Clinical Practicum Seminar
This 3-term 3rd year Ph.D. course is taken in conjunction with an advanced supervised practicum experience following prior coursework in clinical diagnosis, interview techniques, clinical interventions, and professional ethics. While the primary experiential component is in the directly supervised clinical work outside this course, the teaching method will include didactic, interactive, and experiential aspects. The goal is an integration of contemporary clinical approaches in multidisciplinary settings for diverse clients and client issues with the student's developing professional identity including focused special applications and interventions within the scope of the field.
Advanced Clinical Practicum Seminar
This 3-term 3rd year Ph.D. course is taken in conjunction with an advanced supervised practicum experience following prior coursework in clinical diagnosis, interview techniques, clinical interventions, and professional ethics. While the primary experiential component is in the directly supervised clinical work outside this course, the teaching method will include didactic, interactive, and experiential aspects. The goal is an integration of contemporary clinical approaches in multidisciplinary settings for diverse clients and client issues with the student's developing professional identity including focused special applications and interventions within the scope of the field. Advanced Practicum can only be taken in Year 3.
Advanced Clinical Skills: Somatic
This class provides the opportunity to learn and practice basic therapeutic skills within the context of somatic psychotherapy, to learn and practice basic psychosomatic skill, to become familiar with and to grow in using basic metaskills so important in acquiring the art of psychotherapeutic practice, and to become familiar with the various uses of touch in somatic psychotherapy, the ethics of using touch and the contraindications of using touch in psychotherapeutic practice.
Advanced Clinical Skills: Power of Symbols and Imagery
This graduate clinical seminar gives clinicians the opportunity to explore in depth the psychological phenomenon of symbolic expression in their work with clients. Careful attention to the current “state of the art” and theoretical understanding will be the subject of the didactics and readings. The larger context of the course will be the transpersonal aspects of symbol formation such as the Jungian ego- SELF axis and the transcendent function.
Clinical Skills: Psychotherapeutic Techniques
This course will allow students to discover, develop, and refine their abilities to practice the art of individual psychotherapy. The core of this class will thus involve students practicing their art with each other. Each class meeting will devote a significant period to a practicum: students will work with each other in small groups; will take turns being the therapist, client, and observer; and then will examine and discuss their experience.
Treatment of Chemical Dependency
Introduction to the treatment of alcohol dependency and drug abuse. Diagnosis, treatment, co-dependency, families and children of alcoholics, and physiological effects of addiction are examined within a holistic framework.
General Psychotherapy Theory and Approaches I
A graduate level introduction to the study of psychodynamic theories including Freud, Jung, Winnicott, Bion, Kohut, Kernberg and others.
General Psychotherapy Theory and Approaches II
A graduate level introduction to the study of the effects of systems-family, organizational and cultural-on psychotherapy.
General Psychotherapy Theory and Approaches III
A graduate level introduction to transpersonal perspectives on psychotherapy.
Advanced Clinical Skills: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy implements methods that explicitly address the expectations and beliefs that tend to contribute to anxiety, anger, depression, and other emotions that are at clinical levels of frequency, intensity, and duration. A system perspective will be introduced to evaluate the social, interpersonal, cultural, and transpersonal components that interact with those cognition-emotion interactions across the life-span. An Evolutionary Psychology perspective will be introduced to discuss the adaptive functions of particular emotion-cognition interactions in particular contexts. A Positive Psychology perspective will be introduced in terms of viewing therapy from the perspective of building strengths rather than focusing solely on pathology.
Advanced Clinical Skills: Adolescents
This course covers critical thinking with respect to diagnosis, treatment planning, and the use of interventions with adolescents (youth approximately 12-18 years of age). This includes understanding an individual adolescent’s development of self, as well as their role in their environment (family, school, employment, peers, culture, etc.).
Advanced Clinical Skills: Group Psychotherapy
A graduate level introduction to skills involved in facilitating group psychotherapy.
Advanced Clinical Skills: Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
A graduate level introduction to the skills of listening and using symbolic process, transference, and countertransference as psychotherapy skills.
Advanced Clinical Skills: Jung
The course integrates classical, modern, and post-modern contributions in analytical psychology, and provides an overview of Jungian theory, methods, and applications in psychological, cultural, and historical contexts. The course emphasizes a phenomenological approach to processes, functions, structures, and dynamics of the psyche. The course surveys archetypal constellation and the process of individuation through personal and transpersonal consciousness studies. The course provides focused concentration in the theory and methods of Jungian-oriented psychotherapy.
Advanced Clinical Practicum Seminar II
A 10 month long (500 hour) additional advanced practicum conducted at an off-campus setting that is approved by the Institute. May be taken the year after initial Advanced Practicum completed.
Advanced Clinical Practicum Seminar II
A 10 month long (500 hour) additional advanced practicum conducted at an off-campus setting that is approved by the Institute. May be taken the year after initial Advanced Practicum completed.
Advanced Clinical Practicum Seminar II
A 10 month long (500 hour) additional advanced practicum conducted at an off-campus setting that is approved by the Institute. May be taken the year after initial Advanced Practicum completed.
Advanced Clinical Practicum Seminar II
A 10 month long (500 hour) additional advanced practicum conducted at an off-campus setting that is approved by the Institute. May be taken the year after initial Advanced Practicum completed.
Advanced Clinical Skills: Wisdom Therapy
Wisdom Therapy in an integration of modern Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness Meditation (MBSR), and Humility. It has grounding in Lifespan Development, Systems Theory, Positive, Humanistic, Evolutionary, and Transpersonal Psychologies. This course will review these theoretical constructs, as well as related models, such as DBT, their integration, and the empirical outcome studies of their application as Wisdom therapy. Moreover, each meeting will have an experiential component using concrete cases and role playing as practical application to clinical settings as well as everyday life health and well-being.
Psychological Assessment I
This class will teach basic proficiency in test and measurement theory as well as the use of cognitive testing instruments. Included will be guided practice in the WISC, WAIS, WASI. In addition this class will include beginning instruction in neuropsychological evaluation.
Psychological Assessment II
The second class in the testing sequence will continue the use of psychosocial evaluation and will explore projective and non-projective assessment related to psychological, social and emotional functioning, both adaptive and dysfunctional.
Internship I
A year-long (1500 hour) internship conducted at an off-campus setting that is approved by the Institute.
Internship I
A year-long (1500 hour) internship conducted at an off-campus setting that is approved by the Institute.
Internship I
A year-long (1500 hour) internship conducted at an off-campus setting that is approved by the Institute.
Internship I
A year-long (1500 hour) internship conducted at an off-campus setting that is approved by the Institute.
Internship II
A year-long (1500 hour) internship conducted at an off-campus setting that is approved by the Institute. May be taken the same year as Internship I.
Internship II
A year-long (1500 hour) internship conducted at an off-campus setting that is approved by the Institute. May be taken the same year as Internship I.
Internship II
A year-long (1500 hour) internship conducted at an off-campus setting that is approved by the Institute. May be taken the same year as Internship I.
Internship II
A year-long (1500 hour) internship conducted at an off-campus setting that is approved by the Institute. May be taken the same year as Internship I.
Psychological Assessment III
This course will help students develop the ability to use a variety of cognitive and psychological assessment tools and to present the information gained from psychological assessment with intellectual rigor and interpersonal concern.
Child Abuse Assessment, Reporting and Treatment
This seven-hour certificate course fulfills the state of California requirements for training in child abuse assessment, reporting and treatment. Course content includes a review of the mandatory reporting law, legal definitions and clinical indicators of child abuse, cross-cultural concerns, crisis intervention guidelines, treatment issues of abused children and their families, counter-transference issues, and use of adjunctive resources.
Spousal Abuse Assessment and Reporting
This fifteen-hour workshop fulfills the state of California requirements for training in spousal/partner abuse. Course content includes theoretical explanations of intimate violence, assessment and intervention strategies, heterosexual and same sex dynamics, cultural factors, counter-transference issues, legal options, and use of adjunctive resources.
Aging and Long-Term Care
The aging process affects the physical, social, cognitive, emotional, economic and spiritual dimensions of our lives. In this 10-hour intensive course, the individual, familial and social implications of aging will be examined from clinical, cross-cultural, biopsychosocial, and transpersonal perspectives.
