The Future of Psychology

An Experiential Workshop with Grof Holotropic Breathwork

September 10 - 22, 2025

Casa Felacina, Centro d’Ompio, Lake Orta, Italy

This highly experiential workshop will introduce participants to Stanislav Grof’s 60+ years of research into consciousness, psychedelic therapy, holotropic states of consciousness, transpersonal psychology, experiential depth psychology, trauma, meditation, rites of passage and the wisdom of the world’s various spiritual traditions including shamanism. The Friday evening lecture and discussion are required to prepare participants to attend the Grof® Breathwork sessions.

Grof® Breathwork is the current form of holotropic breathwork authorized by Brigitta and Stanislav Grof, MD, and originally developed in 1974 by Christina and Stanislav Grof, MD. This experiential form of self-exploration provides a safe non-drug method for accessing and resolving material from early childhood, perinatal trauma, death/rebirth sequences and spiritual experiences. These experiences are similar to ones facilitated by various psychedelics, deep spiritual practices, experiential therapy, rites of passage, laboratory consciousness techniques and other technologies of transcendence.

Grof® breathwork involves powerful breath practices combined with evocative music, somatic release work, artwork and group process. Participant pair up so that one member of the dyad experiences the breathwork while the other member of the dyad acts as “sitter” providing support during the session. There will be one 3-hour breathwork session in the Saturday morning for half the group and another 3-hour session in the afternoon for the other half of the group, followed by a brief initial processing group. The Sunday group processes will work with integration of material from the experiential sessions and facilitate closure for the workshop experience. Relative contraindications for this workshop are pregnancy, cardiovascular disease, malignant hypertension, severe mental illness, bipolar disorder, epilepsy, glaucoma or retinal detachment, recent surgeries, injuries, communicable disease, if you have asthma please bring your inhaler. Many of these conditions require a more structured clinical setting and are not appropriate for a workshop setting. We will discuss this as part of the registration process.

Venue & Accommodation

Centro D’Ompio, Italy

The Centro d'Ompio is an international seminar center for congresses, seminars, workshops, trainings of integral meaning, for inspiration and learning, as well as their implementation on a personal as well as instutional level.

The seminar campus serves as an inspirational platform and as an instrument for gathering eligible initiatives for spiritual renewal in commerce, culture and society. In this manner the Centro d'Ompio supports personality and consciousness development in the individual and the development of our society.

Over the past 28 years, our cultural association has developed into one of the leading international seminar centers for a wide spectrum of learning opportunities: management and leadership training on the one hand as well as seminars on cultural, health and spirituality on the other.

The Centro d'Ompio is known beyond Europe's borders for its hospitality, for creativity and joy, freedom and care. Ethical criteria, as well as religious tolerance, wholistic health, multicultural diversity, consciousness development, attentiveness and conservation of our natural resources are practiced values.

Meet Your Teacher

Ellen Watson

Celebrates her 40th year in the staff and faculty of the Esalen Institute, in Big Sur, California, where she studies, practices and teaches various ways of meditative practice, massage and movement. Ellen is a teacher of Esalen® Massage & Bodywork, 5Rhythms by Gabrielle Roth, Holotropic Breathing, SpiritDanceSoulSong®, Vibrance®, Touching Essence ™, Wake Up & Roar. From 1984 to 2003, Ellen developed and administered the Movement Arts Program in Esalen. In 1996 she founded MovingVentures (www.movingventures.org), which offers workshops, retreats and training courses in Esalen, Bali, China and other parts of the world. Visit: www.TheVibranceCollective.com, to learn more about Vibrance.
Brack Jefferys, Ph.D., LCMHC, LCAS, RN

Brack Jefferys, Ph.D., LCMHC, LCAS, RN, is the President & CEO of the Center for Spiritual Emergence. He has been working with individuals, groups and families since 1983 and is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Certified Clinical Supervisor, Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist, and Registered Nurse and has a Ph.D. in psychology. Dr. Jefferys consults with a variety of agencies, primarily in the areas of spiritual emergency, mental health, addiction treatment, PTSD, clinical supervision and organizational development. He has worked in a variety of venues is his 30+ year career in human services including private practice, intensive outpatient treatment, inpatient programs, community mental health, prison based programs and private health care systems for profit and non-profit corporations. Dr. Jefferys has been involved in the development, management and organizational operations of several multi-site treatment systems including Director of Operations for a 23,000 patient, 18 state health care system. He has completed clinical training programs in body-mind approaches at Eupsychia Institute, Grof Transpersonal Training and the Hendricks Institute and is a Licensed Massage & Bodywork Therapist (NC#44). Dr. Jefferys also has extensive training and personal experience in Mindfulness Based Experiential Therapy and is certified in EMDR through the EMDR Institute. He has written and taught extensively on the relationship between transpersonal psychology, trauma, spiritual emergency, mental health and addiction treatment. Dr. Jefferys brings his deep commitment to an integrative health care perspective into his professional and personal endeavors.

What is the nature of the human psyche? How does spiritual experience relate to mental distress? And why does western culture have such a problem with ecstatic experience? In future years, Stan Grof will be seen as one of the most significant and revolutionary psychiatrists in history. Beginning with LSD therapy in the 1950s and 60s, he has explored the outer regions of the human psyche for decades, recording his progress in books such as 'When the Impossible Happens' and 'The Stormy Search for the Self'. He sat down with Rebel Wisdom's David Fuller to talk through his work.