| Shamanic Counseling has been suggested as an effective and suitable alternative approach to counseling. This study investigated the lived experience and the psychospiritual change of 27 participants with no shamanic experience as they were initiated into the ancient spiritual practice of the shaman's journey. Fifty-seven participants were recruited by flyers, ads, and word of mouth from Northern California. The Integral Inquiry approach, a two group randomized experimental design, which blended quantitative and qualitative methods, was employed. Of the 28 measures that were analyzed, 17 showed statistically significant improvements for the Treatment Group over the Control Group in the areas of anxiety, forgiveness, health, hope, and spiritual orientation. Qualitative results indicated that all 27 participants of the Treatment Group were able to journey without any harmful side effects. Participant reports included an experience of empowerment, a calming effect, and a deepening of spiritual life. Results provide evidence that the use of the shamanic journey can have supplemental psychospiritual therapeutic benefit for clients in spiritual guidance, counseling, and psychotherapeutic settings. |
