The School of Holistic Studies Counseling Psychology Department is pleased to offer a new specialization in Integral Psychotherapy. This new specialization offers individuals the unique opportunity to study in and contribute to this emerging psychology.
The Integral Psychotherapy specialization furthers the evolution of modern psychology by incorporating the integrated perspective as articulated in the All Quadrant, All Level (AQAL) model developed by Ken Wilber and others. The AQAL model brings a multi-perspective and systematic view of psychology that recognizes the importance of the four quadrants of mind, body, culture and social aspects of the human experience - namely, the individual and collective subjective and the individual and collective objective dimensions. The foundation of Integral Psychology also encompasses the "all levels, lines, states and types perspective" of the AQAL model. This perspective recognizes the importance of developmental levels as well as lines of development that include cognitive, moral, and interpersonal among others. It also acknowledges the various states and types of consciousness that are aspects of the human experience. While an emerging field in psychology, Integral Psychotherapy incorporates the techniques for psychotherapy that have proven useful over the last 40 years. It also includes traditional, modern, and post-modern approaches in an integrated and systematic way, using the AQAL model as its framework. A unique aspect of the Integral Psychotherapy Specialization is the Integral Life Practice (ILP). ILP consists of "modules" that are engaged by students to deepen their development and transformation both in terms of depth and breadth. The core modules include Body, Mind, Spirit, and Shadow. This ILP practice would take the place of the spiritual or somatic practice requirement in the Transpersonal, Somatic and Holistic specializations. Clinicians with an MA in Counseling Psychology with a Specialization in Integral Psychotherapy will be uniquely suited to administer to a growing population of people interested in a more integral approach. Furthermore, they will be among the first in the world to have a clinical degree with a specialization that is recognized and sanctioned by the Integral Institute. The Integral Psychotherapy Specialization will incorporate courses from the MA in Integral Psychology program and perspectives of the MA in Integral Studies program into the Counseling Psychology curriculum.
