Dissertation Oral Defenses

Humans have been seeking to improve their tools since they first learned how to tie a stone to a stick or put flint to a pile of twigs. This hermeneutic study examined the myths of Prometheus and Epimetheus, the Titan brothers associated with forethought and afterthought, respectively, and how their relationship with each other and…

Superheroes Iron Man (Tony Stark) and Captain America (Steve Rogers) have survived alien invasions, secret organizations and time travel. But can they survive being vulnerable with one another? Hurt/Comfort fanfiction writers think so. Frequently misunderstood for its dark, graphic and often violent themes, Hurt/Comfort fanfiction places popular characters, often stoic, strong and self-reliant men, into…

The split between Sigmund Freud and Carl G. Jung in 1913 hinged on Jung’s assertion that the libido was not solely sexual in nature. Preferring the broader term psychic energy, Jung did not deny the power of sexuality in psychology, but his focus shifted to burgeoning ideas around the collective unconscious, archetypes, individuation, and symbols.…

This dissertation uses two research methodologies —hermeneutic and autoethnographic. It considers epigenetics and ancestral knowledge can be integrated from a depth psychological viewpoint for the purpose of better clinical outcomes with couples. Understanding the intersection of ancestral knowledge and in the context of romantic relationships can help individuals gain insight into their own relationship patterns…

This dissertation asks how myths and stories, often thought of as relics of the past, continue to shape the living cultures of organizations today. By comparing the leadership of Augustus, Walt Disney, and Steve Jobs, I explore how their stories became more than personal histories; they grew into cultural frameworks that guided the identity of…

This dissertation explores the liminal psychic landscape of the preteen girl (approximately 9 to 12 years) and considers how she lacks access to the imperative unconscious influence of an age-appropriate feminine archetypal energy. Carl G. Jung stated that an “archetypal potential in the psyche” (Corbett, 2011, p. 125) is paramount to individuation. This study asserts…

This study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore cisgender sexual minorities’ perceptions and experiences within the LGBTQ community, particularly regarding relationships with non-cisgender individuals. Grounded in a depth psychological framework, the research aimed to de-literalize gender and challenge conventional understandings of gender identity. Analysis of interview transcripts yielded superordinate and subordinate themes that were examined…

This dissertation study explores the psychic splitting and possible integration between the coloniality entrenched in depth psychology and decolonial, liberatory pursuits that often undervalue the sacred, transpersonal metaphysics, spirit-praxis, of the curanderx. It shines light into the shadow of modernity undergirding Western psychology, with a particular focus on Jungian psychology. This study investigates how the…

This dissertation examines how cultural fears of death shape the care provided to older adults in Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs) across the United States. Grounded in Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the study draws on in-depth interviews with seven caregivers working in diverse ALF settings. The study examined how existential anxieties and societal avoidance of mortality…

This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study explores how individuals with treatment-resistant anxiety experience emotion and psychotherapeutic change during Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP). While ISTDP has demonstrated clinical efficacy in reducing anxiety symptoms, little is known about how clients subjectively experience emotional processes within this model, particularly following unsuccessful outcomes in previous therapies. Four adult…

This dissertation explores the intersections of Yoruba Ifa epistemology, archetypal psychology, and African literature through a close reading of Forest of a Thousand Daemons: A Hunter’s Saga, a Wole Soyinka’s translation of the original Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale by D. O. Fagunwa. Using “da’fa hermeneutics”—a scholarly adaptation of Ifa divination—the study treats the Ifa…

This grounded alchemical hermeneutic research study was conducted to illuminate the inner lived experience of individuals who have contemplated suicide as well as to explore the reasons they do not reach out to family, friends, or professionals during these critical moments. Rooted in a depth psychological framework, the study involved a transformative inquiry process that…

Generally speaking, Americans don’t die well. The end of life is often characterized by aggressive medical interventions that result in profound psychological and existential distress for patients and their loved ones. This situation is even worse for religious patients; research shows that they are more likely than non-religious patients to seek aggressive, life-prolonging care at…

This dissertation examines unconscious motivations underlying the purchase of intimacy through a Jungian and heuristic lens, proposing that such engagements illuminate repressed aspects of the self and highlight pathways for relational transformation. While Western culture often pathologizes commodified intimacy, this study argues that such experiences reveal psychic material overlooked by conventional therapeutic models. Drawing from…

For professionals who work directly with clients who hear voices or suffer delusions, compulsions, or brain trauma, interactions can be taxing. In a residential therapeutic community, living and working with clients around the clock can add another layer of intensity to the professional role. Even with effective professional supervision and support, unconscious needs, desires, conflicts,…

This research explores the cultural constructions surrounding autism that have endured since autism’s original inclusion in the DSM in 1980. Primarily, this hermeneutic study intended to address how the legacy of such constructs has influenced research and treatment, and how it may have impacted autistic individuals’ internalized sense of self. This study analyzed three texts…

This project proposes a re-visioning of Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” as a suitable path for women and female characters in both mythic narratives and real-world scenarios. It begins with a hermeneutic exploration of the interconnections between Jungian Archetypal Psychology and Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, and the socio-cultural context that informs the gendered nuances of both…

This qualitative study explored the retrospective experiences of formerly incarcerated individuals who participated in the Freedom to Choose™ (FTC) Project while incarcerated and examined how, if at all, FTC participants believe their experiences in FTC transformed their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Employing narrative inquiry, semistructured interviews were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed. Thematic analysis identified 10…

The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of transgender and gender expansive couples (TGE couples/T4T couples) and discuss clinical considerations for working with TGE/T4T couples in psychotherapy. A constructivist grounded theory was conducted to describe the lived experience of T4T couples and identify treatment considerations. The participants in this study included couples…

The following dissertation explores the dynamics of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. It utilizes a voice-centered, phenomenological approach to investigate the lived experience of clinicians addressing obsessive-compulsive symptoms within the therapeutic alliance using the method of Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP). It attempts to “bridge the gap” between clinical research and treatment recommendations (Goldfried et al., 2015) by…