QUALIFICATIONS
Curriculum Vitae
Emma Bragdon, PhD.
Phone: 802-674-2919 in Windsor, VT
Email: EB@IMHU.org
Intention: to support a more integrative and scientific approach to mental healthcare via education, personal coaching, and organizational development.
Current Positions:
Executive Director: Integrative Mental Health University, IMHU.org
Director: Foundation for Energy Therapies, Inc., (both are not-for-profit, 501c3 organizations)
Both are dedicated to education and research.
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-------Academic Training:
1975: BA cum laude from Sonoma State University, CA/ Psychology
1982-1987: MA and PhD in Transpersonal Psychology from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology
-------Clinician and Workshop Leader:
Group Workshop Leader
2008-present: Leading workshops internationally for health professionals
and consumers interested in an integrative approach to mental healthcare
2001-2012: Spiritual guide for those visiting spiritual healers in Brazil
1990-2002: Teaching internationally-2, 5, and 9-day experiential workshops for spiritual evolution & managing attention
1994-present: Coaching/consulting individuals
1988-1994: Private practice in California as a licensed Marriage, Family Child Therapist.
1985-1988: Led workshops in “Women's Spirituality”, and “Transforming Spiritual Crises into Positive Growth”.
Clinical Private Practice: Process-Oriented Psychotherapy
2021-present: Ketamine-assisted Psychotherapy teamwork with Benjamin Asher, MD
1995-present: personal coaching
1987-1995: Process-Oriented psychotherapy
1973-1985: Neo-Reichian therapist. Taught Peer-Counseling.
Consultant to Residential Treatment Centers & Hospitals
2018: Staff meetings at Cooper-Riis in Asheville, NC
2017: Staff meetings at Ellenhorn Psychiatric Recovery Program in Arlington, MA
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Certifications in Pastoral Counseling/ Energy Work:
2011: Certified as a minister of the Sanctuary of the Beloved, a New York State Licensed Church.
2009-2010: Certification as a Bio-Energy Therapist
1972-1985: Studied with a variety of innovative master therapists involved with body-mind-spirit psychotherapies, and assisted them in their training workshops. This included giving workshops to guide a form of Holotropic Breathwork taught by Gay & Katie Hendricks, PhD, and assisting Ed Jackson, MD teach Reichian Therapy at ITP. Emma led weekly group breathwork sessions for community of ITP for one year, 1984.
------Published Author and Film Producer
Published Author:
2013: The Newest DSM: Deliberately Seeking Mental Health
2013: Second revised edition, “The Call of Spiritual Emergency: From Personal Crisis to Personal Transformation,” Lightening Up Press
2012: “Resources for Extraordinary Healing: Schizophrenia, BiPolar and Other Serious Mental Illnesses,” Lightening Up Press.
2011: “Spiritism and Mental Health,” Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Singing Dragon imprint, in UK and USA
2004: “Kardec’s Spiritism: A Home for Healing and Spiritual Evolution,” Lightening Up Press
2003: "Quantum Vibrational Therapy: Practical Devices for Rejuvenation" Lightening Up Press
2002: "Spiritual Alliances: Discovering the Roots of Health at the Casa de Dom Inacio," Lightening Up Press
2000: "A Collection of Articles About the Value of the Avatar Course: Regarding Education, Health, Cults, Personal Growth Groups, Psychotherapy and Spiritual Traditions," Lightening Up Press
1990: "The Call of Spiritual Emergency: From Personal Crisis to Personal Transformation," HarperSanFrancisco
1988 & 1994, 2006 (3rd edition): "A Sourcebook for Helping People with Spiritual Problems"-- It was first published by Lightening Up Press in 1988 (as "A Sourcebook for Helping People in Spiritual Emergency").
1990-92: Editor-in-Chief and Founder of "Spiritual Emergence Network Journal." Editor of Newsletter for Spiritual Emergency Network
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A Selection of Articles and Book Chapters:
“Mental Healthcare in Brazil’s Spiritist Psychiatric Hospitals” in The Journal of Spirituality and Paranormal Studies. January, 2013.
“Spiritist Psychiatric Hospitals in Brazil” in The International Journal of Healing and Caring. Spring, 2011.
“South American Spiritism: Spiritist Hospitals and Healing Centers in Brazil”, in Micozzi, M. [ed] “Fundamentals of Complementary and Integrative Medicine”, 4th edition, St. Louis: Saunders/Elsevier Press, pp.551-559, 2011
“ The Group Field” published online in 2010
“BioEnergy Therapy” published online in 2010
“What is a Spiritual Hospital?” in “New Dawn Magazine,” 2009
“Who is John of God?”, in “New Dawn Magazine,” September, 2009
“Good Spirits of Brazil”, in “Spirituality and Health”, June/July, 2009
“Spiritist Healing Centers in Brazil” in “Seminars in Integrative Medicine”, Elsevier Press, June, 2005
“Christianity and Reincarnation”, in “Bulletin of the Academy of Religion and Psychical Research”, December, 2004
“What to Do in a Spiritual Emergency”, chapter in “Divine Intervention: The Unexpected Journey from Chaos to Clarity” by Susan Anderson, Beyond Words, 1999.
“The Magnificence Right Here, Right Now”, chapter in “On Holy Ground: The Impact of Psychotherapists’ Spirituality on Their Practice”, by John P. Sullivan, University Press of America, Inc.,1998
Executive Producer of Documentary Films:
2008: “Spiritism: Bridging Spirituality and Health“
2006: “I Do Not Heal, God is the One Who Heals: A Tribute to John of God”
--------Research
Research/Study:
2001-2015: Traveling through Brazil to diverse Spiritist Centers and Hospitals in order to develop working relationships, initiate and support scientific research on the efficacy of Spiritist therapies
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-------Public Presentations
Conference Coordinator:
1985: Organized and hosted the first two invited conferences for spiritual teachers, psychologists and psychiatrists to define "Spiritual Emergency" (crises of spiritual awakening) and distinguish it from psychopathology. Sponsored by Esalen Institute, CA, and the Spiritual Emergency Network.
Live Public Presentations: (see buzz page for podcasts and recent interviews)
2014-present: ongoing online and live presentations through IMHU.org
2017: Alternatives, Boston, MA, Presentation on “Spiritual Emergency”
2015: Speaker for Online Summit on “Spiritual Emergency,” sponsored by Shades of Awakening
2015: "Effective Help for People in Spiritual Emergency," 2-day workshop
and Keynote speaker, Annual conference, Spiritual Crisis Network, UK
2015: Effective Help for People in Spiritual Emergency, a 3-day workshop sponsored by Gestalt Institute of Claudio Naranjo in Puebla, MX.
2014: Center for Inner Enlightenment, NY, NY
2013: IANDS, Santa Barbara. “Near Death and Spiritual Emergency”
2013: Plenary Speaker, “Compassionate Care and Feeding of STE in Brazil” American Center for the Integration of Spiritually Transformative Experiences, Washington, DC
2012: Workshop on "Spiritual Emergency" at the Annual Children’s Mental Health Summit, Syracuse, NY
2012: Presentation on "Spiritist Psychology" at Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Los Altos, CA
2012: One day workshop on "Spiritual Emergency" sponsored by All Hallow’s College, Dublin, Ireland
2012: Psychiatric Institute of Federal University of Sao Paulo on “Spiritism and Mental Health”, Sao Paulo, Brazil
2008-2012: public talks at Spiritist Centers in USA and Ireland/ radio interviews in the USA
2004-2012: public talks in Abadiania, Brazil on Spiritism
2009, Keynote: Yoga Research Society Annual Conference, “Spiritism”
2009, Keynote Presenter, Colloquium on “Spiritism” at Institute of Transpersonal Psychology
2008, Goddard College, Masters Program in Health Sciences and Culture
2007, Presentation on Spiritism, Sun Valley Idaho Wellness Festival
2005,Whole Person Health Summit
2000, Spirituality in Mental Health and Mental Illness Conference
1993, “Spiritual Emergency” Presentation at Parliament of World Religions
1988, "Spiritual Emergency" workshop at Association of Transpersonal Psychology Annual Conference
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-------Grants Received:
the following have supported Dr. Bragdon’s research, writing and film production: Laurance Rockefeller, Rudolf Steiner Foundation, Marion Institute, Lloyd Symington Foundation, Emergent Phenomenology Research Continuum/ EBenefactors, and many generous individuals including Louisa Putnam.
-------Recognition Received:
2009 Named to the “Council of Sages” at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (ITP), an exemplary, advisory board of a handful of leaders in the transpersonal psychology movement. ITP was renamed “Sophia University” in 2012
2021 Inducted into the Circle of Honor as a Pioneer in the field of spiritual emergence and spiritual emergency through Spiritual Awakenings International.
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