At its heart, psychosynthesis is about meaning and purpose. It’s how we discover who we truly are and how we live in alignment with what matters most. Many people come to psychosynthesis not only to ease difficulties but also to reconnect with a deeper sense of direction in life.

Psychosynthesis was developed by Roberto Assagioli (1888–1974), bringing together both traditional and progressive approaches to therapy. While psychosynthesis therapists may work in different ways, they all share a common orientation of the journey and development of the Self. Approaches can include integrative, psychodynamic, artistic and somatic methods.

In my own work, I don’t follow the psychosynthesis model in a fixed or prescriptive way. Instead, I hold an awareness of meaning, purpose and the unfolding of the Self lightly in the background. This provides a depth and perspective that can quietly support the work. If a client wishes to engage with psychosynthesis more explicitly, I can bring it into the foreground of our conversations. I always try to meet people where they are and work in the way that best suits their needs.

Psychosynthesis does not ‘pathologise’ our difficulties, not even those parts of ourselves that cause us the most pain, but seeks to understand how the Self may be attempting to find expression even in our most dysfunctional aspects. Understanding this, we can begin to find more helpful and creative ways of living.

It is helpful to spend time gently identifying some of the painful issues that have held us back in life. A greater awareness of our deepest feelings, even those that are most difficult, leads to a greater level of choice we have over how we act and feel. It is also important to identify our values, sense of purpose and the meaning we have made of our lives. By reconciling our past and present struggles with what gives us most meaning in life, we are freed to go forward with greater choice and creativity in our work, life and relationships.