by Joseph Cambray, CEO-President & Provost of Pacifica
"I think we’re moving toward a deeper understanding of the natural world and understanding our relationships to these intelligences that do not function in a cognitive way as humans do." -Joseph Cambray, Ph.D.
If you look around the world, there are not many academic institutions that focus on depth psychology. There are places in Europe and South America where it is included as a part of coursework, but Pacifica is the premier academic institution devoted to depth psychology. I also feel we need to go through a revision; the ideas inherent in depth psychology have become more integrated in the mainstream of culture, and the radical nature of the project needs to be revitalized. If depth psychology is about meeting the psyche at the margins, then where are those margins today and what do they look like? Certainly they are not static, there’s a revision that needs to occur.
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A blog post by Melissa Ruisz Nazario based on an interview with Heesun Kim, LMSW.
Many times, when prospective students visit Pacifica, they describe their experience as feeling “called” to the school, perhaps because of the campus, the community of people they meet, and oftentimes, Pacifica’s mission “to tend to the soul in and of the world.”
Similarly, when Heesun Kim, LMSW, a first year student in Pacifica’s Ph.D. Program in Depth Psychology with Specialization in Integrative Therapy and Healing Practices, first arrived at the Lambert Road campus in Santa Barbara, she felt it was a homecoming.
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Posted in:
Psychology,
depth psychology,
Pacifica Students,
Pacifica Graduate Institute,
narrative,
interview,
Integrative Therapy & Healing Practices
A blog post by Melissa Ruisz Nazario based on an interview with Heesun Kim, LMSW.
About five or six years ago, Heesun Kim, LMSW, a student in Pacifica’s Ph.D. Program in Integrative Therapy and Healing Practices, was on the subway in New York City, and she noticed a woman sitting in front of her with tears streaming down her face. She was trying so hard to hold in those tears. It was a face that felt very familiar to Heesun, and she thought about the many times she had been in a similar situation.
“So I remember I was, a couple times, I ended up in the public bathroom, so I had to cry there,” she says. “And then I thought, you know, my grief, my sadness or all this sorrow needs to be respected, not in the corner of a public bathroom.”
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Posted in:
The Psyche,
transformative,
Psychology,
depth psychology,
images,
Pacifica Graduate Institute,
narrative,
somatic,
relationship,
relationships,
interview,
Integrative Therapy & Healing Practices
Pacifica Graduate Institute confers the annual Dissertation Award of Excellence to recognize original research that significantly contributes to the field of depth psychology or mythological studies. Entries are based on the presentation and clarity of ideas, sound methodology and interpretation of findings, innovative quality, and contribution to the field of depth psychology or mythological studies.
A subcommittee of the Academic Excellence Committee composed of members of that committee and any other faculty member who wanted to participate were invited. This group convened in May 2019 to assess the nominated dissertations.
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Posted in:
graduate school,
Education,
Pacifica Students,
Pacifica Graduate Institute
Just minutes from one of the most beautiful isolated beaches, nestled among old-growth oaks between the mountains and the sea, lies Pacifica Graduate Institute. Founded over 40 years ago in Isla Vista, California, Pacifica's mission is to foster creative learning and research in the fields of psychology, mythology, and the humanities, framed in the traditions of depth psychology by creating an educational environment with a spirit for free and open inquiry. Pacifica is dedicated to cultivating and harvesting the gifts of the human imagination.
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Posted in:
history of psychology,
graduate school,
Education,
Pacifica Graduate Institute
A blog post by Melissa Ruisz Nazario based on a webinar presented by Keiron Le Grice, Ph.D.
What is archetypal cosmology, and why might you want to study it? Check out the post Archetypal Cosmology, Part I: Beyond Outer and Inner Space for a more in-depth description that gives background on the field.
To summarize, archetypal cosmology is a new discipline but rooted in the ancient practice of astrology. It is based on the idea that the celestial bodies like the solar system’s planets and the sun and their relative configurations reflect the deep order of the psyche—the psyche being the totality of psychological experience, according to C.G. Jung.
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Posted in:
The Psyche,
James Hillman,
archetypes,
Psychology,
soul,
depth psychology,
psyche,
humanities,
Pacifica Graduate Institute,
sacred,
cosmology,
symbolism,
Spiritual
A blog post by Melissa Ruisz Nazario based on a webinar presented by Keiron Le Grice, Ph.D.
Astrology is the ancient practice of looking at the relative positions of celestial bodies and their relationship and influence on earth, the natural world, and humans. [1] Depth psychology has to do with psychologies and therapies involving “the exploration of the subtle, unconscious, and transpersonal aspects of human experience.” [2]
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Posted in:
The Psyche,
James Hillman,
archetypes,
Psychology,
soul,
depth psychology,
psyche,
humanities,
Pacifica Graduate Institute,
sacred,
cosmology,
symbolism,
Spiritual
A guest post by Craig Chalquist, Ph.D.
What good is the study of myth?
I love this topic so much I could write a book on it. In fact, I have, called Myths Among Us: When Timeless Tales Return to Life (World Soul Books, 2017). The book spends 658 pages on the question of what good is mythology, with real-life applications and many stories.
Here I’ll offer some brief examples taken from the life arenas of self-knowledge, work, finance, diversity, and persuasion.
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Posted in:
Joseph Campbell,
Mythology,
C.G. Jung
A blog post by Melissa Ruisz Nazario based on a webinar presented by Susan Rowland, Ph.D.
“Depth psychology is a psychology of the creative imagination,” says Susan Rowland, Ph.D., Chair of Pacifica’s M.A. program in Engaged Humanities and the Creative Life. She explains that while depth psychology originated and continues to be a powerful form of psychotherapy, its devotion to the creative imagination makes it important beyond the consulting room.
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Posted in:
Joseph Campbell,
archetypes,
Psychology,
soul,
depth psychology,
humanities,
Pacifica Graduate Institute,
sacred,
symbolism,
Spiritual
Is personal, intellectual, or creative growth one of your goals for this year, or for your life in general? Do you long to connect with others interested in the intersections of art, soul, and depth psychology? Let one of Pacifica’s upcoming events this spring be the catalyst for you to plug into our like-minded community, and get ready to experience and engage in deep, meaningful conversations where you are able to hold space for each other and learn new, exciting ways to explore your creative potential.
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Posted in:
Pacifica Events,
Pacifica News,
Santa Barbara,
graduate school,
creativity,
art,
vocation,
Education,
depth psychology,
active imagination,
Pacifica Students,
Pacifica Graduate Institute,
resources
