Counseling Those With Anomalous Experiences
Ontological Shock, Meaning-Making, and Safe Integration A grounded guide for experiencers, investigators, counselors, and truth-seekers Introduction: When Reality Itself Is Shaken Some experiences do more than surprise us. They shake the foundations of reality . An anomalous experience—whether paranormal, mystical, intuitive, near-death, or psychedelic—can disrupt how a person understands: what is real who they are how meaning works where safety comes from This disruption is known as ontological shock . Ontological shock is not a failure of character, reason, or sanity. It is a human response to encountering something that does not fit one’s existing worldview. What Are Anomalous Experiences? Research shows that one-third to one-half of people report at least one anomalous experience in their lifetime. These may include: sensed presences or apparitions precognitive dreams or impressions near-death or out-of-body experiences mystical or unity sta...