The Science of Psychotherapy Academy

Susan Blackmore is a pioneering figure in consciousness studies whose work bridges psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy. Beginning her career exploring paranormal experiences, she shifted toward a scientific, skeptical approach that emphasizes neurological explanations for altered states such as out-of-body experiences. Her influential contributions include the theory of memetics—viewing ideas as cultural replicators—and the radical proposition that the self is an illusion, a narrative constructed by brain processes. These views inform and challenge traditional psychotherapeutic concepts of identity, perception, and cognition. Blackmore’s writings—such as The Meme Machine and Consciousness: An Introduction—offer practical insights for therapies including mindfulness-based approaches, cognitive-behavioral techniques, trauma treatment, and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, encouraging therapists to view consciousness and selfhood as dynamic, emergent phenomena rather than fixed realities.