What Is Transpersonal Psychology According to ATP?

According to the Association for Transpersonal Psychology (ATP), transpersonal psychology is a field of scientific, social, and clinical work focused on inquiry and action that promotes eco-spiritual transformation. ATP describes its mission as encouraging practices and perspectives that lead to a conscious, sustainable, co-evolution of culture, nature, and society — recognizing that our actions and our world are reciprocal. In short, ATP frames transpersonal psychology not just as a study of individual consciousness but as work that connects personal transformation with ecological and cultural change.

How ATP Defines the Field

ATP's own description emphasizes several connected ideas:

• Eco-spiritual transformation — the goal of transpersonal inquiry and action, linking inner experience with ecological awareness.
• Reciprocity between actions and world — the recognition that how we act shapes our world, and our world shapes us.
• Conscious, sustainable co-evolution — culture, nature, and society evolving together rather than in isolation.
• Scientific, social, and clinical work — ATP positions transpersonal psychology as spanning research, community, and therapeutic practice.

This definition places transpersonal psychology at the intersection of consciousness studies, ecology, and social change, rather than treating it as purely an individual or spiritual pursuit.

What ATP Does as an Organization

ATP describes itself as a membership-supported international coordinating organization serving the world community. Its activities reflect that role:

The organization also maintains a calendar, a professional directory for finding members, and subscription information for its journal.

Who This Is For

ATP's framing suits people who want to understand transpersonal psychology as more than a therapeutic modality — specifically those interested in:

• The relationship between consciousness and ecological/social systems
• Academic or clinical work in transpersonal psychology
• Connecting with an international professional community
• Accessing journals, newsletters, and archives in the field

If you are looking for a definition of transpersonal psychology that centers individual spiritual experience alone, ATP's version is broader: it ties personal inquiry to cultural and environmental transformation.

A Concrete Example

ATP's upcoming online forum (scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2026, with guest speaker Vladimir Maykov, President of the Russian Association of Transpersonal Psychology and Psychotherapy) illustrates how the organization puts its definition into practice — bringing together international voices to discuss transpersonal work that spans scientific, social, and clinical dimensions.

Where to Start on the Site

If you want to explore further, ATP's site organizes key entry points under:

• About — About Us, Board of Directors
• Resources — Professional Member Directory, newsletters, Grof Photo Archive, schools and programs
• Journal (JTP) — content, subscription information, archive, and ordering
• Members Only — member resources and login
• News & Events — events and announcements

For direct contact, ATP lists [email protected] and a mailing address at P.O. Box 50187, Palo Alto, CA 94303.