- P.O. Box 1691, Santa Cruz, CA 95061
- Saybrook University, College of Psychology and Humanistic Studies, AlumnusSofia University (USA), MA Spiritual Guidance program, Faculty MemberThe Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Spiritual Guidance, Faculty Memberadd
- Psychology, Ethics, Adult Education, Creativity and Consciousness, Ritual, Dance/Movement Therapy, and 14 moreEcopsychology, Expressive Arts Therapy, Therapeutic Relationship, Tarot, Integration after workshops, Transformative Learning, The History of Mind/Body Medicine, Philosophy, Cultural Studies, Leadership, Religion, Social Psychology, Philosophy Of Religion, and Autoethnographyedit
- Selene is a licensed psychotherapist (California MFC #32604) and consultant in private practice, as well as adjunct faculty at Saybrook University's College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences. Selene’s work with movement and other experiential modalities evolved over many years of teaching and developing approaches to facilitating self-exploration and connection in workshops and courses. She has taught at... moreSelene is a licensed psychotherapist (California MFC #32604) and consultant in private practice, as well as adjunct faculty at Saybrook University's College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences. Selene’s work with movement and other experiential modalities evolved over many years of teaching and developing approaches to facilitating self-exploration and connection in workshops and courses. She has taught at the Institute for Transpersonal Psychology (now Sofia University), Bastyr University, JFK University, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and has served as president of Santa Cruz CAMFT (California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists). Selene has published chapters on the use of mind-body and psychospiritual approaches to the treatment of anxiety, and the use of movement practices in psychospiritual growth and psychotherapy. She was editor of the Spiritual Emergence Network Newsletter, and co-authored The Sevenfold Journey: Reclaiming Mind, Body, and Spirit through the Chakras (Crossing Press, 1993), which has been translated into six languages.edit
Participants in workshops often report enormous shifts in perspective, changing basic beliefs about themselves and the world. However, returning to daily life routines may entail difficulties ranging from inability to incorporate newly... more
Participants in workshops often report enormous shifts in perspective, changing basic beliefs about themselves and the world. However, returning to daily life routines may entail difficulties ranging from inability to incorporate newly learned attitudes, behaviors, and communication modalities outside the workshop setting to "spiritual emergencies" where pre-workshop levels of functionality cannot be established. This multiple case study explored challenges facing workshop participants and supports for sustaining transformations and integrating a new worldview, self-image, and value system into daily life. Study participants included five individuals who had difficulty integrating new perspectives and behaviors into everyday life after a transformative experience in a workshop. They ranged in age from 36 to 55 with transformative workshop experiences occurring between 2 years and 36 years before this study. Data consisted of face-to-face interviews with participants and one spouse, telephone interviews with two workshop leaders, email correspondence, journal and notebook entries, and photos of art projects. Data analysis focused on content analysis and identification of major themes. Material gathered from questionnaires used to screen participants was included in theme descriptions.
Four major theme groupings emerged: challenges to integration, supports for integration, relationship with the teacher, and outcome. Challenges at the workshop were processing personal experience, not feeling understood, and self-doubt and questioning. External challenges were communication with others and difference between norms at the workshop and in the external world. Internal challenges were the incompatibility of previous beliefs, personality, training, and history with new ideas and behaviors; fading of the “high”; meaning-making; grounding; and intensification of the inner critic. Supports for integration were practices after the workshop, practices at the workshop, social support, workshop factors, awareness/perspective/attitude, impact of the work; rooted traditions, remembering the experience, preparation for leaving, transpersonal perspective or experience, and previous work. Relationship with the teacher themes were view of the teacher; follow-up and accessibility; projection and transference; providing a safe, strong container; and feeling deeply seen. Major outcome themes were understanding/insight/awareness; shifts in orientation, motivation, emotional state, self-efficacy, self-esteem, direction, and action taking; tools; presence in the moment and connecting to the numinous; heart and/or spiritual opening; and discernment and authenticity.
Keywords: Psychospiritual, Integration, Workshops, Transpersonal psychology
Four major theme groupings emerged: challenges to integration, supports for integration, relationship with the teacher, and outcome. Challenges at the workshop were processing personal experience, not feeling understood, and self-doubt and questioning. External challenges were communication with others and difference between norms at the workshop and in the external world. Internal challenges were the incompatibility of previous beliefs, personality, training, and history with new ideas and behaviors; fading of the “high”; meaning-making; grounding; and intensification of the inner critic. Supports for integration were practices after the workshop, practices at the workshop, social support, workshop factors, awareness/perspective/attitude, impact of the work; rooted traditions, remembering the experience, preparation for leaving, transpersonal perspective or experience, and previous work. Relationship with the teacher themes were view of the teacher; follow-up and accessibility; projection and transference; providing a safe, strong container; and feeling deeply seen. Major outcome themes were understanding/insight/awareness; shifts in orientation, motivation, emotional state, self-efficacy, self-esteem, direction, and action taking; tools; presence in the moment and connecting to the numinous; heart and/or spiritual opening; and discernment and authenticity.
Keywords: Psychospiritual, Integration, Workshops, Transpersonal psychology
Research Interests:
Participants in workshops often report enormous shifts in perspective, changing basic beliefs about themselves and the world. However, returning to daily life routines may entail difficulties ranging from inability to incorporate newly... more
Participants in workshops often report enormous shifts in perspective, changing basic beliefs about themselves and the world. However, returning to daily life routines may entail difficulties ranging from inability to incorporate newly learned attitudes, behaviors, and communication modalities outside the workshop setting to "spiritual emergencies" where pre-workshop levels of functionality cannot be established. This multiple case study explored challenges facing workshop participants and supports for sustaining transformations and integrating a new worldview, self-image, and value system into daily life. Study participants included five individuals who had difficulty integrating new perspectives and behaviors into everyday life after a transformative experience in a workshop. They ranged in age from 36 to 55 with transformative workshop experiences occurring between 2 years and 36 years before this study. Data consisted of face-to-face interviews with participants and one spouse, telephone interviews with two workshop leaders, email correspondence, journal and notebook entries, and photos of art projects. Data analysis focused on content analysis and identification of major themes. Material gathered from questionnaires used to screen participants was included in theme descriptions.
Four major theme groupings emerged: challenges to integration, supports for integration, relationship with the teacher, and outcome. Challenges at the workshop were processing personal experience, not feeling understood, and self-doubt and questioning. External challenges were communication with others and difference between norms at the workshop and in the external world. Internal challenges were the incompatibility of previous beliefs, personality, training, and history with new ideas and behaviors; fading of the “high”; meaning-making; grounding; and intensification of the inner critic. Supports for integration were practices after the workshop, practices at the workshop, social support, workshop factors, awareness/perspective/attitude, impact of the work; rooted traditions, remembering the experience, preparation for leaving, transpersonal perspective or experience, and previous work. Relationship with the teacher themes were view of the teacher; follow-up and accessibility; projection and transference; providing a safe, strong container; and feeling deeply seen. Major outcome themes were understanding/insight/awareness; shifts in orientation, motivation, emotional state, self-efficacy, self-esteem, direction, and action taking; tools; presence in the moment and connecting to the numinous; heart and/or spiritual opening; and discernment and authenticity.
Four major theme groupings emerged: challenges to integration, supports for integration, relationship with the teacher, and outcome. Challenges at the workshop were processing personal experience, not feeling understood, and self-doubt and questioning. External challenges were communication with others and difference between norms at the workshop and in the external world. Internal challenges were the incompatibility of previous beliefs, personality, training, and history with new ideas and behaviors; fading of the “high”; meaning-making; grounding; and intensification of the inner critic. Supports for integration were practices after the workshop, practices at the workshop, social support, workshop factors, awareness/perspective/attitude, impact of the work; rooted traditions, remembering the experience, preparation for leaving, transpersonal perspective or experience, and previous work. Relationship with the teacher themes were view of the teacher; follow-up and accessibility; projection and transference; providing a safe, strong container; and feeling deeply seen. Major outcome themes were understanding/insight/awareness; shifts in orientation, motivation, emotional state, self-efficacy, self-esteem, direction, and action taking; tools; presence in the moment and connecting to the numinous; heart and/or spiritual opening; and discernment and authenticity.