What is Psychosynthesis?
Psychosynthesis is a therapeutic approach that focuses on personal growth and development, based on the belief that individuals tend to synthesize various aspects of the self to become more evolved and self-actualized. This method of therapy can be viewed as a transpersonal approach because it integrates many aspects of the human experience, including spiritual, emotional, cognitive, and physical aspects. While Assagioli agreed with Freud that developing a healthy ego by healing childhood trauma was a necessary aim of psychotherapy, he held that human growth could not be limited to this alone, seeking to address human growth and unlock human potential into what Abraham Maslow later identified as self-actualisation, and further still, into the spiritual or transpersonal dimensions of human experience.
Psychosynthesis has also been described as a psychology of the Self, in that the realms of human experience also include matters of soul and spirit, alongside physical and emotional experiences and thoughts and mental processes. The approach distinguishes between the personal self (the ego or “I”) and what Assagioli termed the Higher Self or transpersonal Self—a spiritual center that represents one’s essential identity.
Origins & Lineage
Psychosynthesis psychology was developed by Roberto Assagioli (1888–1974), who was a medical doctor, contemporary of Freud and Jung, and the first psychoanalyst in Italy. The Italian founder of psychosynthesis, Dr. Roberto Assagioli, initially trained as a doctor in neurology and psychiatry. In the 1920s Assagioli began to crystallize his psychological ideas, which had roots as far back as 1909 with his work in psychoanalysis and “psychagogy,” which he had adopted from a concept of Plato’s that combined theory and practice with a focus on healthy people rather than on pathology.
In 1926 he founded The Institute of Culture and Psychic Therapy in Rome, and in the following year he published A New Method of Healing: Psychosynthesis, which was the first public mention of the psychological approach with which he would thereafter be identified. 1927 is an important date because Psychosynthesis is officially born, when Assagioli published in English the booklet “Psychosynthesis – A new method of healing” in which he outlines some significant points of the psychosynthetic model: the importance of body-psyche interaction; the need to integrate systematically various approaches and methods.
Roberto Assagioli’s book, ‘Psychosynthesis – a Manual of Principles and Techniques’, was published in 1965 and The Psychosynthesis in Education Trust was registered as an organisation the same year. In the 1960s, along with Maslow, he was one of the founders of the emerging field of transpersonal psychology, helping to define essential transpersonal concepts such as peak experiences and the transpersonal or Higher Self. At this time both Roberto and Nella had been writing articles for the theosophical magazine Ultra, and Roberto had become connected with the Arcane School of Alice Bailey, which was an offshoot of the theosophical movement.
How It’s Practiced
At a basic level, psychosynthesis is a type of talk therapy that, like psychoanalysis, involves focus on introspection and exploration of the unconscious, with empathic self-exploration highly encouraged in order to consciously explore various aspects of the self to increase insight and allow for growth and development. Guided imagery, symbolic artwork, and journaling might all be used to help an individual become more introspective, along with meditation, gestalt techniques, and encouraging creativity.
A central technique involves work with subpersonalities. Roberto Assagioli called these “subpersonalities,” and recognized that they are part of everyday normal behavior, noting that “you behave differently in your office, at home, in social interplay, in solitude, at church, or as a member of a political party,” and that ordinary people shift from one to the other without clear awareness, with only a thin thread of memory connecting them, and that subpersonalities form a central strand in psychosynthesis thinking. Psychosynthesis therapists often use guided imagery to help clients identify and work with their subpersonalities. Working directly with subpersonalities involves learning to recognise when a particular inner voice or pattern has taken centre stage, developing compassion for it and understanding its function, and gradually helping it to evolve beyond its current limited role.
Assagioli was a pioneer in the use of guided imagery as a therapeutic tool, and through carefully facilitated visualisation, clients can encounter subpersonalities, explore the higher unconscious, and make contact with their true Self in ways that bypass the analytical mind’s tendency to understand rather than directly experience. Psychosynthesis utilizes meditative techniques to focus on increasing awareness and understanding of bodily sensations, breath, feelings and thoughts, or to evoke and engage images from the unconscious.
Psychosynthesis Today
The Institute of Psychosynthesis was founded In 1973 by Joan and Roger Evans under the personal guidance and sponsorship of Roberto Assagioli to develop the principles and practice of Psychosynthesis in the UK. In 1975 The Institute went on to create the first professional psychosynthesis training programme in Europe, and later became a founding member of the UK council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).
Today, psychosynthesis is taught at specialized institutes worldwide. Programs include MA’s in Psychosynthesis Psychology as well as Psychosynthesis Leadership & Organisational Coaching, with MA programmes available in person and online distance learning cohorts. Training is usually 4-5 years, with each training centre having its own approach to the professional training depending on their country’s professional bodies and regulations, and trainings can be accredited by professional bodies such as UKCP (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy) or FF2P (Fédération Française de Psychothérapie et Psychanalyse).
All training at psychosynthesis institutes is experiential—rather than teach psychosynthesis theory in a series of lectures, the aim is to give participants an experience that resonates at a deeper level, and then apply the theory. Seekers encounter psychosynthesis through individual psychotherapy sessions, weekend workshops, long-term training programs, online courses, and guided imagery recordings.
Common Misconceptions
Psychosynthesis can become equated with subpersonality work or guided imagery—common confusions—and what is forgotten is that these are simply two among many possible methods which can serve the unfoldment of the human being, and in fact, psychosynthesis can be practiced without either. Psychosynthesis is not a series of techniques to be learnt, it is a psychology for life and a context from which to live.
Psychosynthesis is not a quick-fix therapy focused solely on symptom removal. It requires patience, introspection, and a willingness to engage with both psychological wounds and spiritual aspirations. It is distinct from humanistic psychology in its explicit inclusion of transpersonal and spiritual dimensions, and distinct from traditional psychoanalysis in its emphasis on future potential rather than solely past trauma.
The approach should not be confused with eclectic therapy that simply borrows techniques from multiple sources. Psychosynthesis has a specific theoretical framework centered on the model of the Self, will, and the integration of personality around a spiritual center.
How to Begin
The most direct entry point is Assagioli’s foundational text, Psychosynthesis: A Manual of Principles and Techniques (1965). Piero Ferrucci’s What We May Be offers a more accessible introduction with practical exercises. Those seeking direct experience can attend introductory workshops often called “Fundamentals” courses offered by psychosynthesis institutes, typically three-day experiential programs. Fundamentals as a standalone course is often described as life-changing.
For therapeutic support, seek practitioners trained through accredited psychosynthesis institutes. The Institute of Psychosynthesis (UK), The Synthesis Center (US), and similar organizations worldwide maintain directories of certified practitioners. Many now offer online sessions and programs, making the approach accessible beyond major urban centers.
Beginners can also explore guided imagery recordings designed for psychosynthesis practice, which introduce techniques for working with subpersonalities and contacting the Higher Self through visualization exercises.