Psychedelics, Altered States and Transpersonal Psychology

Study the transpersonal nature of the psychedelic experience, altered states of consciousness and exceptional experiences. Our one-year Psychedelics, Altered States and Transpersonal Psychology Certificate Programme at Alef Trust provides a collaborative environment to study the transpersonal nature of the psychedelic experience, altered states of consciousness and exceptional experiences. With a renaissance in psychedelic research suggesting that traditionally prohibited substances such as psilocybin and MDMA might have a valuable role to play in revolutionising psychiatry and in the treatment of mental health problems, this programme offers a roadmap through the complex psychological terrain of the psychedelic experience and other altered states of consciousness within the intellectual and therapeutic envelope of transpersonal psychology. This programme of study will explore the transpersonal nature of the psychedelic experience and other altered states, drawing upon transpersonal psychology, parapsychology, cross-cultural psychiatry, neurobiology, cognitive neuroscience, anthropology, ethnobotany, and the study of religions, among other disciplines. It will cover the study of a range of transpersonal and exceptional experiences, such as mystical, shamanic and mediumistic experiences, interspecies communication, entity – e.g., divine beings – encounters, psi experiences, out-of-body and near-death experiences, insight and creativity, love, compassion, connectivity and empathy, and other experiences and concomitants of the psychedelic encounter. In addition, you will learn of recent research developments in understanding the state induced by, and the potential applications of, psychedelics. Taking a cross-disciplinary approach the programme will both encompass and challenge the prevailing ontology of materialistic-reductionism and draw upon multiple cross-cultural worldviews in the epistemology and interpretation of the psychedelic experience and other altered states.