Nicholas Opyrchal

PhD Student

Biography

Nicholas Opyrchal is a transpersonal psychotherapist in full time private practice, having qualified from the Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education (PgDip), where he now works as an academic marker. He has an additional MA (distinction) in Transpersonal Psychotherapy Research from Northampton, where Nick researched similarities and differences between the theory and practice of Lacanian and post-Lacanian psychoanalysis and Transpersonal psychotherapy. He also has a BSc (1st, hons) in psychology from the Open University.

Before becoming a psychotherapist Nick was a professional martial artist. He has black belt or instructor qualifications in four arts: Shotokan Karate, White Crane Kung Fu, Muay Thai and Lapunti Arnis/Escrima and has taught martial arts for 22 years. He was also a professional Thai boxer to English title level.

PhD research

Nick’s research looks at the impact of identity politics and identitarian ideology upon transpersonal psychotherapeutic practice. His doctorate is in the form of a portfolio. In the first small scale research project he looked at the experiences of transpersonal psychotherapists who experience conflict in being asked to adopt frameworks of identity politics to their practice. In his larger applied research project, Nick will be looking at how psychotherapists experience ‘culture war’.

The aim of these studies is to develop a transpersonal approach to understanding ideology and to help enhance the ability of the psychotherapeutic profession to develop reflexivity around current ideological influences.

Publications

Opyrchal, N. (2023). Psychotherapy, Ideology, and the New Aristocracy. In V. Thomas (Ed.), Cynical Therapies: Perspectives on the Antitherapeutic Nature of Critical Social Justice. Ocean Reeve Publishing.