The current training of psychologists in psychotherapy at universities in post-apartheid South Africa: Some thoughts on the integration of transpersonal psychotherapy into the training programme

This chapter focuses on and examines the current training of psychologists in psychotherapy at universities in post-apartheid South Africa. It describes the training programme as well as what kinds of psychotherapy modalities trainee students are exposed to in their training. It is recognized that training in psychotherapy, and even training in psychoanalysis, does occur outside of the university context. Critical issues about psychologists' training in psychotherapy are documented and discussed. These include issues regarding the selection process, relevancy of psychotherapy modalities, as well as contextual concerns such as the lack of psychologists in the country, poor access to mental health services, and language difficulties between client and therapist. During my many years of experience as a lecturer in the training programme, I have come to some realization about psychotherapy and training. One of these realizations is the enormous gap in the training of students of psychotherapy that transcends the 'talking cure'. While modalities that champion the talking cure are valuable, those that do not are equally valuable. I offer some thoughts on the introduction to training programmes at universities for these kinds of psychotherapies that bypass the intellect. I emphasize that there has been an increase in bringing the body into psychotherapy, as well as non-ordinary states of consciousness as mechanisms of healing and transformation. To this end, I offer some of my thoughts on the integration of transpersonal psychotherapy into the training programme. As a way of context, this chapter presents a brief history of psychotherapy or the world of psychotherapy.