Early Trauma and Dreams: Archetypal Defenses of the Personal Spirit

Experiences in early childhood that cause unbearable psychic pain or anxiety (trauma) can leave the personality and the human spirit threatened with destruction. In this lecture, using dream examples from the clinical situation and the fairy tale of Rapunzel, we will see how an archetypal defense emerges to save the imperishable human spirit from further trauma, but at the price of encapsulating a core of selfhood, thus cutting it off from life. Psychotherapy of this trauma complex will be discussed.

From Bewitchment to Enchantment: Transformational Process in the Psychoanalysis of Early Trauma

Patients who have suffered severe early trauma often find themselves bewitched by dark tyrannical voices assaulting them from within, leading to intense anxiety and depression. In dream work with such patients, the dark inner voices reveal themselves as both archaic and typical – hence archetypal – personifications whose inner purpose seems to be the defense of a vulnerable core of selfhood to make sure it is never violated again. However, in defending the true self against further trauma, the archetypal defenses also persecute and demoralize it, cutting off all hope for life-in-relationship to others. Therefore the positive side of the Self cannot constellate and the individuation process cannot get started. In successful depth psychotherapy these archetypal defenses slowly lose their power as their bewitching energy slowly becomes humanized in the transference and is transmuted into a mature capacity for love and creative living (enchantment). In this workshop, clinical material as well as the Grimm’s fairy tale Fitcher’s Bird (sometimes called Fitcher’s Vogel) will be utilized to illustrate this process. Attendees are asked to read the tale before the workshop.

Friday Night at the Movies: The Wisdom of the Dream (I); a Life of Dreams

As a young boy, Jung “somehow” knew his dreams were significant and full of meaning. His early attention to those dream images was, for all humankind, the answer to the knocking at the door by the unconscious desiring entry into the conscious world. Stephen Segaller’s narrative of Jung’s journey — a series of three films — opens the door for the viewer to travel with Jung into the depths and unfolding of the conscious in the psychological realm of life. Segaller’s film is a chronological montage of images from the “outer world” and the “inner world” using interviews with Jung, commentary by contemporary analysts, paintings of dream images and rare footage of Jung’s travels to Africa, Britain and New Mexico.

This film will be shown in three parts, and after each showing a discussion will be led by Jungian analysts. All showings are free.
Part One: A Life of Dreams
Discussion led by Robert Stuckey, Ph.D., and Dunbar Carpenter, Psy.D.
Jung’s early life, genesis of his understanding of the reality of the psyche

Friday Night at the Movies: The Wisdom of the Dream (II); Inheritance of Dreams

As a young boy, Jung “somehow” knew his dreams were significant and full of meaning. His early attention to those dream images was, for all humankind, the answer to the knocking at the door by the unconscious desiring entry into the conscious world. Stephen Segaller’s narrative of Jung’s journey — a series of three films — opens the door for the viewer to travel with Jung into the depths and unfolding of the conscious in the psychological realm of life. Segaller’s film is a chronological montage of images from the “outer world” and the “inner world” using interviews with Jung, commentary by contemporary analysts, paintings of dream images and rare footage of Jung’s travels to Africa, Britain and New Mexico.

This film will be shown in three parts, and after each showing a discussion will be led by Jungian analysts. All showings are free.
Part Two: Inheritance of Dreams
Discussion led by Robert Davis, Ph.D., and Mark Girard, M.S.W.
Jung’s second half of life, descent into the collective unconscious, encounter with archtypes.

Friday Night at the Movies: The Wisdom of the Dream (III); A World of Dreams

As a young boy, Jung “somehow” knew his dreams were significant and full of meaning. His early attention to those dream images was, for all humankind, the answer to the knocking at the door by the unconscious desiring entry into the conscious world. Stephen Segaller’s narrative of Jung’s journey — a series of three films — opens the door for the viewer to travel with Jung into the depths and unfolding of the conscious in the psychological realm of life. Segaller’s film is a chronological montage of images from the “outer world” and the “inner world” using interviews with Jung, commentary by contemporary analysts, paintings of dream images and rare footage of Jung’s travels to Africa, Britain and New Mexico.

This film will be shown in three parts, and after each showing a discussion will be led by Jungian analysts. All showings are free.
Part Three: A World of Dreams
Discussion led by James Soliday, D.Min., and Joell Hyman, M.S.
Jung’s influence on understanding the concerns of contemporary Western culture, aging, relationships, war, addictions, myth, ritual and play.

Paradise and Millennium: A Jungian Reflection on Cinematic Images of the Perfection of Soul in Times of Intense Collective Transition

We all long for paradise. No matter our psycho-spiritual persuasion, no matter how mature and individuated we fancy ourselves to be, no matter how suavely world-wise, we all long for paradise when things get tough. Paradise is home, the peaceful, generative home of full and final beauty and peace we never seem to find in this world. Paradise is the abode of the Soul.

Film and Jungian psychology have many images of this paradisiacal home. These seem to be intensifying and deepening as the millennium approaches. This lecture and workshop will respectfully explore these images and reflect on their possible guidance and challenge in our journey toward the Gates of Paradise. As always with such conversations, no answers are promised, just a broadening and enhancing of our questions.

Paradise and Millennium: A Jungian Reflection on Cinematic Images of the Perfection of Soul in Times of Intense Collective Transition

We all long for paradise. No matter our psycho-spiritual persuasion, no matter how mature and individuated we fancy ourselves to be, no matter how suavely world-wise, we all long for paradise when things get tough. Paradise is home, the peaceful, generative home of full and final beauty and peace we never seem to find in this world. Paradise is the abode of the Soul.

Film and Jungian psychology have many images of this paradisiacal home. These seem to be intensifying and deepening as the millennium approaches. This lecture and workshop will respectfully explore these images and reflect on their possible guidance and challenge in our journey toward the Gates of Paradise. As always with such conversations, no answers are promised, just a broadening and enhancing of our questions.

The House as a Mirror of the Self: Exploring the Deeper Meaning of Home

Professor Marcus will speak on themes raised in her book House as a Mirror of Self: Exploring the deeper meaning of home. Her talk, illustrated with slides of her subject’s art work, will explore various ways in which the psyche is expressed in the choice, decoration, and maintenance of a dwelling.

The House as a Mirror of the Self: Exploring the Deeper Meaning of Home

The theme of the evening lecture will be explored in greater depth. Participants will be involved in a number of experiental exercises to understand the significance of dwelling places in their lives. The workshop format will be a combination of lecture, discussion, and personal sharing in small groups.

Patterning in the Psyche and the Natural World

Nowhere is the confluence of the relationship between matter and psyche more clearly expressed than in the formation of patterns. Existing within both the internal world of psyche and the outer natural world, archetypal patterns are expressions of an innate ordering process which gives matter its specific form and design. We find these deeply textured patterns present within the world of fairy tales, myths, and dreams. We can see similar archetypal patterns expressed in our architectural designs, cities, cultures, and even on a personal level in our choice of spouse, employee, or therapist. In fact, with a discerning eye, we can often intuit the expression of the destiny that is suggested by the patterns established within our lives.

In this lecture and workshop Dr. Conforti will discuss the formation of patterns and their relationship to archetypes. Much attention will be given to the work of what he terms “Archetypal Pattern Recognition”, and its application with the therapeutic, personal, corporate and global arenas.

Patterning in the Psyche and the Natural World

Nowhere is the confluence of the relationship between matter and psyche more clearly expressed than in the formation of patterns. Existing within both the internal world of psyche and the outer natural world, archetypal patterns are expressions of an innate ordering process which gives matter its specific form and design. We find these deeply textured patterns present within the world of fairy tales, myths, and dreams. We can see similar archetypal patterns expressed in our architectural designs, cities, cultures, and even on a personal level in our choice of spouse, employee, or therapist. In fact, with a discerning eye, we can often intuit the expression of the destiny that is suggested by the patterns established within our lives.

In this lecture and workshop Dr. Conforti will discuss the formation of patterns and their relationship to archetypes. Much attention will be given to the work of what he terms “Archetypal Pattern Recognition”, and its application with the therapeutic, personal, corporate and global arenas.

Sign Up for our Newsletter