Moments of Complexity: An Interview with Dr. Joseph Cambray, CEO-President of Pacifica Graduate Institute. Part II of II

Posted by Angela Borda on Jun 10, 2022 10:07:13 AM

Joseph Cambray, Ph.D., has been the President and CEO of Pacifica for 5 years, and previous to that served as Provost. He is retiring this year, and while he will be very missed, I’m excited to hear from him about his take on teaching and what’s ahead in his endeavors.

“Joe Cambray is the consummate teacher. Blending the capacity for deep listening with erudition and insight, he creates an environment for engaged learning. He can speak about complex concepts with ease and provide examples from both clinical experience and other venues which serves to create an aliveness with the material. He speaks eloquently, pulling from a vast resource of integrated work, citing quotes and references without the use of notes while inviting active discussion. In addition to his skill in teaching, his exceptional quality of character and temperament contribute to the overall experience of his presence in the learning environment. I have the greatest respect for him.”

—Juliet Rohde-Brown, Ph.D., Chair, Depth Psychology: Integrated Therapy and Healing Practices Specialization

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Posted in: Santa Barbara, Education, Pacifica Graduate Institute

Upcoming Pacifica Events: Spring 2019

Posted by Melissa Ruisz Nazario on Jan 31, 2019 11:55:48 AM

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

Quick Steps to Navigating the Admissions Process

Posted by Krystyna Knight on Jan 14, 2019 8:36:32 AM

"By extending the concepts of psychology and mythological studies beyond the personal, beyond the consulting room, and beyond the classroom, we see psychological life as an evolutionary development within nature, alive in all the phenomena and systems of our world. In studying and working with these multidimensional exchanges, we facilitate contributions to the contemporary concerns of our world through dialogues between the psyche of the individual, the mythologies of the culture, the collective human imagination, and the living planet."

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Posted in: Santa Barbara, graduate school, Education, Pacifica Graduate Institute, resources, admissions

May 19th: Community & Connections—Inspiring Resilience and Hope

Posted by Krystyna Knight on May 14, 2018 12:36:42 PM

Community & Connections—Inspiring Resilience and Hope.  Pacifica’s “Coming Home 2018”: JOIN US ON CAMPUS or ONLINE May 19th  

In Homer’s ancient Greek classic, The Odyssey, the hero Odysseus, who has spent ten years of his life in exile, is described with eyes never dry and with his life force flowing away with his tears as he weeps for home. Many Pacifica alumni and students who have studied depth psychology, mythology, ecopsychology, somatic psychology, or related topics at Pacifica Graduate Institute can relate to the feeling that Pacifica serves as a sort of “home” for them, and once their studies end, they often long to return to the soulful landscapes of the people and the place. In his book, "At Home in the World: Sounds and Symmetries of Belonging," Jungian analyst John Hill (2010), suggests “home” is, in part, the need we each hold to create shared meaningful experiences. *

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Posted in: Alumni, Pacifica Events, Pacifica News, Santa Barbara, Pacifica Graduate Institute

Holding Your Fire

Posted by Nikole Hollenitsch on Dec 14, 2017 2:35:45 PM

A guest post by Craig Chalquist, Ph.D.

Now and then I’ve heard the criticism that depth psychology is not useful in emergencies. I beg to differ.

As I write this, the enormous Thomas Fire burns in the hills above Pacifica. Whether it remains there or sweeps down on the buildings below is largely up to the wind. Sitting with this disturbing fiery symbolism, I reflect that the dichotomy between psychologizing and safeguarding is a false one. We have taken all possible steps to make sure Pacifica people are safe. We have also removed vital equipment and materials, supported each other, and conversed every day about how to operate the school with the possible loss of buildings by fire.

Yet even as we act, we sit with the larger story of what this fire might mean. Why? Because in tending a different view, we make sense of apparent chaos and give ourselves a place to stand within the whirling sparks of uncertainty. A place from which to support our friends and neighbors and each other in a time of devastating loss.

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Posted in: Pacifica News, Santa Barbara, alchemy, depth psychology, Pacifica Graduate Institute

New Thomas Fire Updates

Posted by Nikole Hollenitsch on Dec 8, 2017 4:29:09 PM

Dear Pacifica Community and Friends,

Santa Barbara County, our home, is experiencing a state of emergency due to the Thomas wildfires.  Our senior management team is meeting regularly by conference calls to assess the status of Pacifica during this crisis.  Both campuses are closed, and thankfully remain free from harm. Many of our employees have evacuated from their homes. Employees will not be asked to come to work until we can ascertain conditions are safe and secure. The earliest possible return date is  Monday, December 11 . Employees will be notified by their supervisors as to the exact date to return to work on the campuses.  We will assess this on a daily basis according to the most current information and provide updates via social media. For the present, all classes have been canceled for both campuses through the middle of this next week. In the meantime, our hearts are with the thousands of people impacted by these wildfires, and with the land and all the creatures who live here. In this time, we are keenly in touch with the preciousness of life, and the preciousness of our Pacifica campuses and community. Please stay safe!

In solidarity,
Joe Cambray
President/CEO, Pacifica Graduate Institute Read More

Posted in: Pacifica News, Santa Barbara

Pacifica Graduate Institute Closed Campuses Due to Extraordinary Conditions from Thomas Fire, as Precaution

Posted by Nikole Hollenitsch on Dec 7, 2017 12:59:12 PM

As a precaution, Pacifica Graduate Institute has closed its Lambert campus in Carpinteria, and its Ladera campus in Santa Barbara, as of 2:15 pm today, December 6, due to extraordinary conditions from the Thomas fire. Pacifica Graduate Institute plans to reopen Monday morning, December 11, 2017. Classes will not be held December 6 - December 10.

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Posted in: Pacifica News, Santa Barbara, Pacifica Graduate Institute

Tonight in Dreamland: a New Play co-written by Award-Winning TV Writer Cheri SteinKellner & Visionary Jean Houston

Posted by Nikole Hollenitsch on Feb 28, 2017 3:21:36 PM

Tonight in Dreamland: Archetypal Perspectives a New Play co-written by Award-Winning TV Writer Cheri SteinKellner & Visionary Jean Houston
A guest post by Bonnie Bright, Ph.D.

The hit television series, Cheers, was a staple for many of us in the 1980s and early 90s. Sitting down in the front of the TV to catch a good laugh was sometimes the highlight of a busy week. Little did I know that decades later, I’d be having a conversation—about depth psychology—with on one of the award-winning writers of the series who is pursuing a degree in the Engaged Humanities and the Creative Life Program at Pacifica Graduate Institute. Cheri Steinkellner has an impressive number of awards, including Emmys, Golden Globes, and Tony among them as a writer/producer on a number of shows, including the Broadway hit, “Sister Act, the Musical.”

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Posted in: Pacifica Events, Santa Barbara, creativity, soul, symbol, dreams, theatre

Land Manager Marshall Chrostowski's tenure at Pacifica

Posted by Nikole Hollenitsch on Nov 28, 2016 3:58:52 PM

A sense of place is central to the learning community at Pacifica Graduate Institute. Great attention has been given to creating an environment that nurtures creativity, nourishes soul, and seeks to transform. That process is guided by and enhanced by the trees, the plants, the water, and the spatial design of both the Lambert Road and Ladera Lane Campuses. And the man who has directed these efforts is heading into retirement, leaving behind a legacy of matter that will forever continue to shape our students, faculty, staff, and anyone else who has the good fortune to walk the grounds.

Pacifica co-founder and faculty member Maren Hansen asked Marshall to compile a list of his many achievements on the Pacifica campuses. Here are some highlights of Marshall’s tenure at Pacifica.

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Posted in: nature, Pacifica News, Santa Barbara

Friday Update on Gibraltar Fire in Montecito, California

Posted by Nikole Hollenitsch on Oct 30, 2015 10:24:34 AM

At 8:19 this morning, the Montecito Fire Protection District sent notification that the evacuation warnings have been lifted.

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Posted in: Santa Barbara