Dissertation Oral Defenses
Cartesian dualism is analyzed as a psychological image, instead of as a philosophical proposition. This is done by first arguing that elements of existing commentary are indicative of a psychological complex, acting unconsciously, in contemporary academic communities. As a hermeneutic study, these elements are then further interpreted through a Jungian lens, specifically cultural complex theory.…
The image of Eve leaning toward the serpent and reaching for the forbidden fruit lives at the heart of the predominant creation myth of the Western world and still reverberates in its psyche. At the same time, a singular and literal interpretation of Eve has dominated cultural discourse and psychological life: Eve is understood as…
This research explores the phenomenon of imagination through a hermeneutic integration of both humanistic and neuroscientific perspectives. Imagination is first looked at historically, philosophically and depth psychologically as understandings of the topic have developed throughout Western civilization, beginning in Ancient Greece and proceeding into the modern era. Imagination is then considered scientifically through the lens…
Concerned with the unconscious, embodied experience of heterosexual women affected by female sexual objectification (FSO), this research takes a depth psychological, somatic approach to addressing the Western cultural split between mind and body. This study explores the archetypal, thematic material constellating in the dynamics of FSO, its traumatogenic effects, and women’s internalization of FSO as…
This production dissertation examines the role of the creative process in balancing intellect and intuition in the individual; and the potential of collaborative creativity to support the integration of intuition and intellect on a social level. The mythos-sphere is given as a metaphor to conceptualize the human experience, which extends from the physical, but always…
This archetypal-mythopoetic hermeneutic study explores the relationship between the historically underrepresented, ancient Greek goddess Hestia—the goddess of the hearth, the home, and the center—and the ubiquitous, modern phenomenon of digital connectivity, closely associated with Hermes—the ancient Greek god of communication, commerce, and exchange. Hermes is the connection-maker, the trickster, and psychopomp notorious for his cunning…
Adolescence is widely recognized as a highly tumultuous period between childhood and adulthood in which the individual is tasked to forge an independent identity during potentially destabilizing biological, psychological, social, and cognitive expansion. This research explores the ego-self dynamic of the adolescent psyche as defined by the Developmental School of Analytical Psychology and depicted in…
Society tends to blame mothers for the behavior of their children. Yet, minimal research has been conducted on the experience of mothers of prisoners. Using the lens of depth psychology, this study examines the phenomenological experience of mothers who have, or had, an adult child in prison and how they found support from other mothers…
This dissertation is a depth psychological analysis of the films of Pedro Almodóvar, with a particular focus on All About My Mother and Volver. The writer examines the stylistic, narrative, and thematic ties between these films and suggests that they represent a sustained meditation on the nature of loss, grief, memory, and desire, one whose…
This dissertation is a mythological analysis written from a feminist perspective, on the emergence of the theme of rescue stories, and specifically plots where a female heroine saves a male character, which arose in German-language opera during the roughly one hundred years that spanned the lifetimes of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven and Richard…
This qualitative study explored the psychological experience of participants in the popular culture of Steampunk. Depth psychology, more specifically the work of C. G. Jung, provided the lens through which these experiences were examined. The intent was to explore how mythopoesis, or the story-making function of the psyche, can manifest through creative participation in an…
The Navajo deity, Changing Woman is not well known in the pantheon of goddesses, but she is everywhere. She is Earth, Feminine Creator, spirit, Feminine Spirit, Holy Spirit, breath, voice, the “Wisdom Feminine of the Old Testament, Ruach of Judaic thought, The Shekinah of the Cabbalists, Sophia of Gnosticism” (Moon, “Changing Woman” 164-165). She represents…
The underworld is traditionally the place where souls go upon death, but it can also be thought of as a kind of otherworld or altered reality. In this way, it can be compared to correctional institutions, which are also realities separate from that of most people. If prison is a type of underworld, then the…
The purpose of this theoretical study was to examine the therapeutic benefit of using photographic portraits in treating poor body image and eating disorders. It is known that disturbed body image is a consistent symptom of eating disorders, as well as being a prevalent phenomenon of modern day Western women. Through the application of neuroscience,…
Mary Magdalene is a dynamic expression of the divine feminine archetype. Her story has been changing and she has been transforming since the early years of Christianity. The discovery of the Gnostic Gospels and the subsequent study of those gospels, show a very different story regarding Magdalene than what the Orthodox teachings presumed. Magdalene was…
The intention of this production dissertation is to study the ability of images to communicate as a language—perhaps the first language that humans learn. This language arises from the unconscious and accesses information that cannot be expressed in words alone. To express this language, this dissertation studies the work of four different artists across a…
This hermeneutic research attempts to address the mind and body problem using complementarity from quantum physics and dual aspect monism from philosophy. Quantum mechanics and dual-aspect monism offer ways to explain complex phenomena that include aspects that are seemingly contradictory. In quantum physics, wave–particle complementarity describes how an atom is both a particle and a…
The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to explore how the heroine’s quest to overcome her murderous husband in the fairy tale “Bluebeard” may speak to the development of insight into the presence of an archetypal predator and the process of separation in real-life situations characterized by intimate partner violence (IPV). Four women in relationships…
This dissertation examines the deep-seated recognition of a Goddess in Hindu culture and iconography. It describes the history of Hindu traditions giving special attention to anthropomorphic images of divinity and the reemergence of the feminine principle. Reflections extend from the most ancient source of Hindu mythology, the Indus Valley civilization, into contemporary interpretations of Tantrik…
This research seeks to deepen understanding of the body’s role in becoming conscious. Using literary hermeneutic methodology with a somatic depth psychological lens, this dissertation interprets materials from the disciplines of depth psychology, developmental theory, neuroscience and affective neurobiology, and psychopharmacology. Integrating these areas of expertise supports the understanding that the body is the essential…
