Meggan: “…That was just the first component of my education. Next came embodying the theory. This was truly transformational.”
I am taking the time today to express deep gratitude for what I learned as a student at Meridian.
I left the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology with my masters, searching for an education that embraced more theories than just the Transpersonal and where an experiential approach to learning theory was core to their pedagogy. I was longing for greater containment of the student’s experience and greater academic rigor. I found this at Meridian. I remember my interview with Melissa Schwartz. Halfway through our time I knew I found the right place, even when Melissa shared with me that Meridian (at that time) was not accredited through WASC and might not obtain accreditation. This did not matter because I knew that this school was grounded in both theory and practice. Since then, Meridian has become accredited by WASC, the same organization that accredits, for instance, such institutions as Stanford, Berkeley, and UCLA.
The first thing, as a student, that struck me was the depth and breadth of research, knowledge, and theory contained within Meridian’s distinct approach to transformative learning. I saw the ways that Depth, Humanistic, Transpersonal, and Cognitive/Behavioral and others came together to create a firm foundation of theory to launch from. Through this academically rigorous foundation, I found my passion for theory and the ways the theories weave together to create a dynamic web of knowledge. This then gave rise to a profound and deep reverence of my thought ancestors across multiple disciplines, from social psychology, to depth, to neuroscience.
That was just the first component of my education. Next came embodying the theory. This was truly transformational.
I can easily sum this up in this metaphorical statement: I started Meridian as Meggan Waite and ended school as Meggan Hartman, PhD, mother of two, owner of a small private practice, and educator. This journey began with dipping a toe, then diving into practices that manifested in my increasing ability to meaningfully respond to challenging situations (versus reacting and playing the victim). Meridian created a safe container for me to explore my growing edges that can only be achieved through vulnerability, and in the midst of the vulnerability cultivating the awareness of what was arising for me. I learned about deep curiosity, the courage needed to convey my experience while being receptive to others, and clarity about my gifts to share in the healing profession.
The majority of the faculty inspired me in different ways. Teaching through the transformative educational approach has its inherent challenges. It requires a different level of presencing, knowledge, and reflexivity to support what is emergent for each individual student.
Aftab Omer especially embodies these qualities in ways that demonstrates deep care for each student whether the student understands this or not. I remember the first lecture I heard from Aftab, and I was blown away in part by the combination of his empathy and poetic wisdom. Maybe not the most descriptive way to put this, but truly that was my felt sensation. Imaginal Process, Meridian's distinct approach to transformative learning was refreshing and exhilarating. I knew in that moment, this is where my soul would thrive.
In addition to the core faculty, Meridian was brilliant in bringing in outside speakers to run mini-in-house workshops. I sat in intimate settings with some of the most profound psychological leaders of our times, including Angeles Arrien, Joanna Macy, David Abram, Shawn McNiff, Jean Houston, Natalie Rogers. All of these people brought in perspectives on the Arts, Ecology, and Cultural Leadership. This served to broaden my perception of what is possible, inspired me, and offered a different lens to psychology.
Living into the theories, I remember an evening when our cohort dynamics became challenging. In response to the issues that had surfaced, the faculty had us write descriptively what happened and then our interpretation of what happened. I went through one round of writing, then a week later the next round of writing, and then the third round. To my amazement, each round changed. Although frustrating at the time, within a short while, it became a powerful insight into the ways perception changes which added a depth to understanding open vs closed mindset. There were so many of these moments; it would take a novel to relay them all. What I can say is that each moment deepened my capacity for empathy, courage, self-confidence, curiosity combined with inquiry, and the ability to stay with the emergent without prematurely drawing conclusions.
In my professional life, the moment that pops out in my mind first is when I started teaching at Warren Wilson College. During one of my classes, I verbally stumbled and angered a student. It wasn’t the theory, but the words I used to relay the theory. Because of my education and the building of capacities, I was able to listen, to hear her, and to be humble. This moment evolved into an event of connectivity. When class ended, I went straight to the library and started researching. Through humility and the inspired drive to keep learning, I immersed myself into the current gender research, so I could grow, and that I did.
In my private practice, Meridian fostered within me the ability to be able to be fully present with my clients while tracking my own internal process, checking my reactions, and surrendering to curiosity. Through this training, I also developed the proficiency to allow both the archetypes and the theories to create a particular alchemy in the room that opens the exploration. All of this comes from Meridian; I have no doubt.
All of this is written out of deep love for the school and for the person I have become. I continue to grow, and I hope I always do.
In gratitude,
Meggan Hartman PhD
Educator and Integral Life Coach
