The Transpersonal movement have been historically neglected in the social work field.  However, if a social workers goal is to understand and help individuals as a whole person, social workers will need to understand this aspect of human behavior and the interactions of these behaviors in the environment.

“Social work ethics require that workers practice in a manner that respects religious, cultural, and other forms of diversity. Transpersonal theories can help us to build our knowledge and skills to demonstrate this respect” (Canda, Chatterjee and Robbins, 2012, p. 405).

• Recognizing that religious and spiritual diversity as important aspects of human diversity.
• Helping practitioners address the spiritual dimension of human behavior and experience.
• Being congruent with social justice orientation, the strengths perspective and empowerment practice approaches.

Transpersonal theories can help address many practice issues such as:

• adverse childhood experiences
• positive youth development
• divorce
• mental health recovery
• chronic illness
• hospice
• aging
• human service organizational management
• social work education

Robbins, S., Chatterjee, P., & Canda, E. (2012). Contemporary human behavior theory a critical perspective for social work. (3 ed.). Saddle River, NJ: Allyn and Bacon.

The transpersonal is a phenomenon or experience "in which the sense of identity or self extends beyond (trans) the individual or personal to encompass wider aspects of humankind, life, psyche or cosmos".[1] The term is highly associated with the work of Abraham Maslow and his understanding of "peak experiences", and was first adapted by the human potential movement in the 1960s.

Transpersonal theory proposes that there are developmental stages beyond the adult ego, which involve experiences of connectedness with phenomena considered outside the boundaries of the ego. In healthy individuals, these developmental stages can engender the highest human qualities, including altruism, creativity, and intuitive wisdom.

Abraham Maslow was at the fore front of interpretation and exploration of transpersonal theories, developing two foundational concepts of self-actualization and self-transcendence and creating the well known Maslow's hierarchy of needs pyramid.

The following theorist expanded on Maslow's initial transendence theory and further contributed to the Transpersonal theories:

• Wilber
• Jung
• Assagioli

In the following slides, we will present background information on these theorists and their contributions to transpersonal theory.

Spirituality, Transcendence--The Transpersonal Theory 

Welcome to week 14 and our presentation on Transpersonal Theory! A plethora of information covering Transpersonal Theory can be located in Chapter 13 of our Contemporary Human Behavior Theory book and other resources. However, our presentation will provide a basic overview on Transpersonal Theory; the definition, history, and major theorists of Transpersonal Theory; and how Transpersonal Theory is applied in the social work profession and within the context of women. We hope you find our presentation to be enlightening, helpful, informative, and personally and professionally supportive.  

Transpersonal theories are a vast and diverse topic of exploration with many interpretations. It has solid implications in the social work profession and reaches across diverse practice populations.

"If we are to develop an understanding of the whole person and the whole environment, it is crucial that we take the insights of transpersonal theories into account" (Canada, Chatterjee and Robbins, 2012, p. 408).