“Trust your soul, not your personality.”
Roberto Assagioli, M.D., Founder of psychosynthesis
Photo via The Florentine
My coaching practice is primarily based in psychosynthesis, a psychology developed in the early 20th century by Italian physician Dr. Roberto Assagioli.
Personal psychosynthesis is a client-led process and life practice. It guides individuals to understand and accept themselves more fully, and more compassionately. This can lead to more aligned and authentic expression in the world, improved relationships, and a greater sense of ease.
Psychosynthesis is a transpersonal psychology. It is a specific, scientific framework for understanding human development.
Transpersonal means “beyond the personal.” In addition to mapping the individual psyche, psychosynthesis theory asserts the interconnectedness of all things, the presence and the impact of a collective experience.
The Egg Diagram
Sometimes referred to as the “Oval Diagram,” the “Egg Diagram” is the basic framework used in psychosynthesis to understand the human psyche.
Beyond the individual, the diagram includes a greater whole- the Collective Unconscious (7). This concept, that we are all connected, is a spiritual one.
The Transpersonal Self (6) is the bridge between the individual and the Collective Unconscious.
The lines in the diagram are dashed to indicate a permeability, a give and take between the individual and the collective experience.
The body is also an essential aspect of psychosynthesis, making it a bio-psycho-spiritual approach to personal development.
“Psychosynthesis invites clients to know themselves in the fullest context possible.”
Jon Schottland
Psychosynthesis offers a way forward.
There are 4 basic stages of psychosynthesis:
- Thorough knowledge of one’s personality
- Control of the personality’s various elements
- Realization of one’s true Self: the discovery or creation of a unifying center
- Psychosynthesis: the formation or reconstruction of the personality around the new center
Through this process of self-discovery, clients can access and develop their true self: a center of pure awareness and will.
“Let us realize thoroughly the full meaning and immense value of the discovery of the will…it constitutes a most important and decisive event in our lives…a more developed will improves the effectiveness of all future endeavors.”
Dr. Roberto Assagioli
The Star Diagram
The “Star Diagram” illustrates the 6 psychological functions. At the center of the star is the self and the will.
The self is a center of pure awareness.
The self uses the will to direct and regulate the psychological functions.
Many people have at least one dominant psychological function. If left unbalanced, this over-functioning can distort how we sense the world.
It is common in practice to work with clients to strengthen their non-dominant psychological functions to create a more balanced and complete perspective.
Answering the call of Self
As clients align more fully with their true self and the will of their true self they can experience:
- greater confidence
- reduced anxiety
- enhanced creativity
- improved relationships
- less critical self-talk
Connecting with Zoë 