Dissertation Oral Defenses

This study explores the potential relationship between the alchemical process of transmutation, unconscious symbolism, and storytelling in the externalization and integration of sexual trauma through the art of tattooing. This research investigates how symbols, dreams, and the transmutation process interact with personal stories through tattoos and provides an understanding of how this process might assist…

The purpose of this dissertation research was to understand what the stories and experiences of individuals from the Peak to Peak region in Colorado are regarding public land use and the ideologies that help to structure them. This qualitative case study was situated in a postcolonial Indigenous research paradigm that is dedicated to decolonizing research…

Mainstream psychology has tended to steer clear of religion and mystical experiences. Depth psychology, however, and particularly the work of Carl Jung and James Hillman, has not shied away from these elusive, difficult-to-define topics. With an explosion of interest in the non-ordinary states of consciousness involved in the use of psychedelic drugs in psychotherapy, where…

This study examines the psychological and emotional harm war inflicts on veterans, particularly the emotional strain of wartime choices, the enduring impact of guilt and repressed emotions, often manifesting as symptoms related to PTSD. By exploring the inner struggles veterans face when grappling with ethical dilemmas and the personal weight of their actions during combat,…

This dissertation explores the transformation of the Aztec father archetype in the psychological aftermath of the Spanish conquest, with particular attention to its ongoing influence on the psychic life of contemporary Mexican males. Anchored in archetypal and depth psychological frameworks, and informed by decolonial and Indigenous methodologies, this study examines how colonial violence fractured the…

This hermeneutic and imaginal research brings two practical approaches to the imagination into dialogue: the Tibetan Tantric Buddhist practices of self-generation and the fields of Jungian and archetypal psychology. While they hold the core tenet of imagination in common, the two traditions also have many differences—represented by the contrasts of East–West and spiritual–psychological that they…

Using a hermeneutic phenomenological research methodology, this dissertation rests on the foundational facts of environmental loss. The experience of ecological loss is related to feelings of grief and bereavement. Grief is explored, with particular emphasis on the grieving process through the lens of depth psychology. This includes a study of mindfulness and consciousness that examines…

Drawing on Frantz Fanon’s concept of the zone of nonbeing and employing Foucauldian discourse analysis, this study examines how individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) articulate their lived experiences through language, with particular attention to the ways in which the condition is constituted by and experienced as a fragmented relationship to space and time.…

This dissertation investigates the intersection of somatic depth psychology, artistic practice, and cultural identity through the lens of a performance autoethnography conducted by an immigrant female violinist. The study examines the process of locating an inner artistic voice and embodied musicality to transcend conventional boundaries between lived experience and artistic performance. By integrating personal, familial,…

This hermeneutical study enlists depth psychological tools to explore Taíno archetypes with which Puerto Ricans can engage in their processes of individuation. A significant contribution of this research is the historical marginalization of Indigenous perspectives in the field of depth psychology. The research delves into Taíno mythology to identify archetypal images that might facilitate Puerto…

This hermeneutic study explored the phenomenon of illness dreams in the Western canon throughout history via examination of relevant texts which ranged from ancient Greece to contemporary forms of analysis. An illness dream was defined as one that predicts an illness, communicates that an illness is present, or provides information about the state or prognosis…

This study explored cultural complexes within the context of sandplay therapy by examining the lived experiences of sandplay therapists who work with diverse populations. Data was collected through individual semi-structured interviews, revealing five major themes: 1) mutual influence in the shared therapeutic space; 2) the transformative power of the sandplay process; 3) cultural complexes; 4)…

This study used alchemical hermeneutics to contemplate the transition to motherhood as an opportunity for a heroine’s journey. It defined the heroine’s journey as the individuation process of awakening previously exiled feminine aspects of the psyche and ways of being in the world, as represented by the alchemical symbolism of the petrified dragons. The study…

This dissertation employs a hermeneutic methodology to explore how patriarchal religious cults utilize borderline-level defenses, as conceptualized in object relations theory, to control and subjugate women. Psychological mechanisms such as splitting, projection, and projective identification reinforce rigid gender hierarchies, conditioning women to internalize dependency, shame, and fear of external influences. Women, particularly those raised in…

Organizations invest significant resources in organization development (OD) to improve their internal and external dynamics and results, yet many of these efforts fail to meet expectations and lead to meaningful change. This research explores the hypothesis that (a) all aspects of organizations encompass both exoteric and esoteric dimensions; (b) most organizational challenges are rooted in…

Examining the psychological implications of living in a culture saturated in disposability, this research seeks to explore the links between how we engage with material items, and its influence on how we engage in relationship. This research defines disposability as a way of engaging with people, places and things that denies an investment in longevity,…

This dissertation delves into childhood trauma through the myth of Demeter and Persephone, elucidating themes of motherhood, grief, and the imperative of bearing witness. Employing object relations and attachment theories, this study explores the impact of early experiences on an individual’s capacity to navigate trauma. Special emphasis is placed on childhood sexual abuse, a widespread…

The term psychology unites the Greek words “psyche” with “logos”—breath, spirit, soul with word, statement, discourse. Since these terms are inherent to the origin story of psychology, the way in which aspects of soul and psyche are connected with the word is undeniably important. So, what happens to our relationship with the archetypal psyche when…

The goal of this study is to present an ethnographic and depth psychological understanding of the Đạo Mẫu Tứ Phủ, Mother-Goddesses tradition, which is Indigenous to the Việt/Kinh ethnic majority group originating from the Red River Delta of modern- day Northern Việt Nam, considered the cradle of Việt/Kinh civilization and the holy land of Đạo…

This dissertation explores the use of yoga as a therapeutic practice for LGBTQ individuals recovering from shame, examined through the lens of depth psychology. Using an autoethnographic methodology, this study interweaves personal narrative, psychological theory, poetry, mythology, and yogic philosophy to investigate how embodied practices contribute to healing and self-actualization. Drawing from Jungian psychology, somatic…