Why Pacifica Now

Now more than ever, we must embrace the notion that a wound, through “tilling” the ground of our being with embodied inquiry, may become a generative and flowering tree of creative expression, contemplative, symbolic living, mindful passages, embodied wellness, and social engagement. So how does Pacifica answer that inquiry?

At Pacifica, our graduate education provides students with a soul-centered “intelligence” integral to what is being asked of us now. 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.

SO WHY PACIFICA NOW?

With each of our accredited degree programs having roots in the rich soil of depth psychology, we are cultivating new ways of knowing and being with one another, with attunement to the holistic aspect of the environments and the complex world in which we live. Only through deeply felt awareness of the profound interconnectedness of our world can a hopeful path through these times be discovered. Pacifica, as ever, is devoted to re-imagining and finding our way through.

WHAT KIND OF VOCATION WILL YOU SEEK IN THE FUTURE? CONSIDER ONE THAT ANSWERS THE DEMANDS OF OUR TIME.

The world is changing so rapidly now that what were formerly considered safe, stable careers can vanish overnight. We must be creative. We must be imaginative. We must be adaptive. Like the chemist who discovered the benzene ring by dreaming about it, we enjoy an advantage of foresight by tending the life of the unconscious, where—as C.G. Jung pointed out—the seeds of the future grow in the fertile dark. What will surface as new trends, new industries, and new forces set loose in collective life germinate first in the depths of consciousness.

That is why programs at Pacifica extend concepts beyond the classroom to develop an array of skills for use in many occupations, some of which do not yet exist.

CAREERS OF THE FUTURE

As global warming accelerates, who will become the next experts in ecoresilient community-building?
Where are the coaches and counselors who can help with the stress of being tracked or attacked online?
Who are the mediators who can put young and old back together so future generations will keep touch with their roots?
What about ceremonial workers for national or global disasters?
Today we face forms of trauma never before witnessed. What sorts of counselors do we need for that?

There are more career possibilities opening up than people to fill them, and this will only continue as we adapt to the new norms we face for our ever-changing, complex world. Depth psychology offers the possibility of sensing them from within our psyche and aligning ourselves with what they demand. Active imagination, work with dreams and synchronicities, exploration of the body-psyche, integration of thought and feeling, the practical and the inspirational: these and other depth tools give us glimpses into the pathways opening ahead of us.

We invite you to take hold of your future and join us as we discover the deep connection between natural and human events so that we may begin healing the wounds of our world. As you search for your meaningful career, we invite you to make room for the possibility that your career is also searching for you, the person who can bring it into being.

CURRENT GRADUATES INNOVATIVE CAREER MOVES

Creation of a non-profit to teach urban adolescent males to develop a sense of purpose and community.
Writing and publishing on addiction, with an appearance on Larry King Now.
Filmmaker living in New Zealand and working on films like The Hobbit.
Award-winning Hollywood script writing trainer.
Founder of a cloud-based practice management system for behavioral health and wellness professionals.
President of customer-centered marketing company that welcomes participation and feedback.
Consultant on “developing businesses with soul.”
New York Times writer and creator of the Traditional Cultures Project’s multimedia presence.
Founder of a journal dedicated to “applied mythology, legend, and folktale.”
Journalist and documentarian on women in prison.
Founder of an “educational program promoting social emotional learning, peace building, and joy through creative expression.