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The AIP is a non-profit research and
educational organization. Our studies enable us to gain greater
understanding about the anomalous aspects of human experience.
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Research within the Institute covers all topics within
parapsychology including (but not limited to):
Extra Sensory
Perception (ESP), Psychokinesis
(PK), Post-Mortem
Survival (PMS), Apparitions, Hauntings and
poltergeists, Hypnosis, Paranormal
dreams, Psychic
criminology, Out‑of‑body and
near‑Death Experiences, Mediumship /
Channeling, Personality
characteristics associated with paranormal belief and experience, Cults and occult
practices, Altered states
of consciousness, Dissociative
states, including dissociative identity disorder, The psychology
of psychic readings, The psychology
of superstition, Hallucinations, Sleep‑related
disorders, including sleep paralysis, Religious
experiences and religious beliefs, Critical
evaluation of specific paranormal claims, The media and
the paranormal, Psychic healing, Alternative and
complementary medicine, Astrology and
other divinatory techniques, Reincarnation, UFOs and alien
abduction, Possession and
supernatural assault, Dowsing
Education
AIP conducts courses on parapsychology, aimed at the general public.
AIP maintains a library specializing in parapsychology, abnormal
psychology and occult / mystical studies. This collection includes
several hundred books, audio-visual materials and issues of the main
parapsychology journals.
The Institute also has its association of supporters, members of
which receive the institute’s quarterly bulletin. Other publications
in progress include a series of treatises on several
parapsychological topics, mostly written for the general reader.
This series will become available at schools and public libraries.
Counseling
AIP provides a counseling practice in clinical parapsychology. Many
regular physicians and psychotherapists neglect the authenticity of
psi‑related experiences. To fill this gap, we are preparing special
courses and texts to improve expertise in this field. We consider
this development a step towards the integration of parapsychology
with more regular disciplines.
AIP offers free information and counseling for people with unusual
experiences. The Institute responds to all informational requests
concerning anomalous phenomena and the status of scientific research
in the field of Parapsychology. Individual counseling sessions are
possible for people who have experienced unusual phenomena. In
addition, AIP offers the opportunity for psychotherapeutic treatment
for people with unusual experiences. These treatments take place in
the Institute’s counseling center.
Informational services
The Institute responds to requests for information from the
public, institutions and mass media regarding topics such as the
phenomenology of anomalous phenomena, the status of international
Parapsychology research, questions about literature or training in
this field and so forth. The reference library will be open for
general use at the AIP center.
The Media
With regard to media requests, our policy is to confine the
appearance of staff members to news programs, scientific programs,
and other programs which allow for serious attention to the topic
with ample time. As an indirect consequence of this policy, some
psychics, psychic healers and "talk show personalities" are
mistakenly thought of as "parapsychologists" by the general public.
There is a certain advantage in this, however, in that we are not
called on to predict the main events of the next millennium, or to
amuse the public in cheap discussions with skeptics.
Organizational and Financial Situations
The American Institute of Parapsychology (AIP) is a foundation which
includes a board of directors and an advisory board. The board
members will guarantee a matter‑of‑fact view on organizational
matters. As director of the Institute, Dr. Nichols regards the
Installation of this board as one of his highest priorities.
Another source of income stems from our courses and publications.
Furthermore, members of a donor organization pay an annual
subscription, and the AIP is currently seeking registration as a
501(c) 3 not‑for‑profit organization with tax exempt status.
Historical Roots
In 1992 Dr. Andrew Nichols founded the AIP, (originally called the
Center for Paranormal Studies) intending to expand the traditional
research orientation of parapsychology to include clinical and
educational services, and to focus on qualitative, humanistic
approaches to parapsychological experiences.
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