For those of you who have either been to therapy before or are seeking therapy, as you look around for a therapist, consider more importantly what you are looking for in therapy. Most types of psychotherapy offered are based on either the “medical-model,” or a “psychodynamic” approach.  The term “psychodynamic” is often associated with the common expression of “psychoanalyzing” and refers to the notion of your therapist working with your unconscious as a way of helping you find insight.  Another common and effective form of therapy is CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which refers to your therapist teaching you techniques to help you correct dysfunctional emotions, thoughts or behaviors.   If you have been grappling and struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, sleep problems or physically-based mental health issues, a psychodynamic or CBT- trained therapist may be able to help you.

For those of you who are looking for a therapist and have a curiosity about yourself spiritually, have a spiritual practice or are experiencing a spiritual “emergence” of some sort, working with a psychotherapist with a transpersonal psychology background may suit your needs.

Wikipedia defines transpersonal psychology as:

Transpersonal psychology is a form of psychology that studies the transpersonal, self-transcendent or spiritual aspects of the human experience.
A short definition from the Journal of Transpersonal Psychology suggests that transpersonal psychology “is concerned with the study of humanity’s highest potential, and with the recognition, understanding, and realization of unitive, spiritual, and transcendent states of consciousness” (Lajoie and Shapiro, 1992:91). Issues considered in transpersonal psychology include spiritual self-development, self beyond the ego, peak experiences, mystical experiences, systemic trance and other sublime and/or unusually expanded experiences of living.

excerpt from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transpersonal_psychology

A therapist with a transpersonal psychology background will have a different orientation to working with you.  Other spiritual or soul aspects of your being that go beyond thoughts, feelings, behaviors and the ego will be considered as you work together towards your therapy goals.  Therapists with a transpersonal education also are trained to be sensitive to your own unique spiritual needs and issues.

To find a therapist with a Transpersonal Psychology or “Spiritually-Oriented” background, you can search the below directories.

Directories for Transpersonal Therapists:
http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_search.php?s6=9
http://atpweb.org/Professional/ProfDir.asp