IAS: Sufism Psychology Forum

Theory and Practice: A Panel Presentation

This years Sufism and Psychology panel was a very successful event. Each panelist addressed the theme: Theory and Practice, which was also the theme of the Symposium. The moderator, Jamal Granick, MFT, talked about the relationship between theory and practice across disciplines, emphasizing the importance of congruence between intention and action in psychology and spirituality. Rahmaneh Lynn Larkin, LCSW, a practicing psychotherapist in Seattle, lead the audience in and experiential exercise and discussed the parallels between Sufism and Psychosynthesis. Tony Roffers, Ph.D., a practicing psychologist in Oakland did a practical demonstration of the impact of using energy to resolve trauma using Seemorgh-Matrix work. Finally, Shauna Shapiro,Ph.D., a professor at Santa Clara University, discussed the beneficial effects of practicing mindfulness meditation for both clients and therapists. All in all, in was an afternoon of rich conceptual and experiential learning.