Power animal journeying in Western psychotherapy: Applications, therapeutic safety, and future promises

Power animal journeying, a guided imagery technique from shamanic traditions, may help clients uncover hidden inner resources, enhance self-understanding, facilitate emotional processing, and deepen the therapeutic alliance with psychotherapists. However, it carries risks for clients with past trauma, psychotic disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, or autism spectrum disorder. Fourteen licensed psychotherapists and counselors were interviewed, and thematic analysis identified both potential benefits and the need for systematic support, clinical sensitivity, and follow-up integration of experiences. The method shows promise for wider use in Western therapy if properly managed.

Study at a glance

Abstract

• Power animal journeying fosters uncovering hidden inner resources in psychotherapy. • It enhances self-understanding, emotional processing, and meaning-making. • It may deepen the therapeutic alliance between client and psychotherapist. • Power animal journeying requires proper integration of the experiences in the client. • It is risky for clients with psychotic disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, and autism. A decolonial turn in psychology has inspired the practice of Western psychotherapy and clinical psychology. Recently, an increasing number of therapists have begun using the method of power animal journeying. This is a guided imagery-based technique originated from shamanic healing traditions. However, its use opens many questions regarding clinical applicability within the Western psychotherapeutic context. The study aimed to explore the therapeutic use, mechanism, suitability, risks, and future promises of power animal journeying for Western psychotherapy. Fourteen licensed psychotherapists and counselors ( F =11, M =3) took part in semi-structured qualitative interviews. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Participants identified the potential of the method in its positive impact on enhancing self-understanding, accessing and uncovering hidden inner resources, fostering meaning-making, facilitating emotional processing, and deepening the therapeutic alliance between client and psychotherapist. On the other hand, they considered it to be risky for some groups of clients, e.g., clients with past traumatic experience, psychotic disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, or autism spectrum disorder. Power animal journeying seems to have good potential for future wider clinical applicability within Western therapeutic contexts, but therapists highlighted the importance of systematic psychotherapeutic support, the use with clinical sensitivity, and follow-up guidance for proper integration of the experiences in the client.