Roberto Assagioli (Assagioli Archives, Florence)

Psychosynthesis psychology was founded by Roberto Assagioli, M.D., a contemporary of Freud and Jung. While Freud focused on past experiences and childhood trauma, Jung developed these ideas further to define the process of individuation to include our dreams, archetypes and the collective unconscious. Assagioli went even further to include our higher human potential as an essential part of every human personality.

Roberto Assagioli: A Man of Peaceful Action

7 Remarkable Facts about Roberto Assagioli

What is the aim of Psychosynthesis?

The aim of psychosynthesis is to integrate all the human dimensions – physical, emotional, mental and spiritual – into a harmonious and synthesized whole so you can fully express yourself and live life creatively. Psychosynthesis differs from psychoanalysis in that psychosynthesis emphasizes personal and spiritual synthesis, not analysis.

Psychosynthesis also works with the will, helping you to learn how to choose freely and take action in the world. In his seminal book The Act of Will, Assagioli states that our will power is the energy that drives our life forward. We can think of the will like the engine of a car (our life) and we are the ones driving the car. In order to move closer to our full potential, it’s vital that we understand this will energy and learn how to effectively use it in our lives.

What is fundamental to Psychosynthesis?

Generally, we are only directly aware of our thoughts, emotions and sensations in an undefined way, which are acted out in the roles we play according to the relationships we have with other people and/or our surroundings. In psychosynthesis terms, these roles are called subpersonalities. In addition to integrating subpersonalities, fundamental to psychosynthesis counseling is the self-identification exercise, also referred to as the dis-identification exercise or the Body-Feeling-Mind Meditation.

Psychosynthesis sees problems and obstacles not as pathological states to be eliminated, but rather as creative opportunities that at their deepest level are inherently meaningful, evolutionary, coherent, and potentially transformative.

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