Pacifica News
In her new position, Dr. Katsky will bring her experience and insight into Pacifica and as a Jungian Analyst to serve as Special Advisor to the President and, as requested, to the Provost.
In her recent interview with the Montecito Journal, Dr. Leonie H. Mattison, president and CEO of Pacifica Graduate Institute (PGI), announced PGI’s newest weekend workshop with an open invitation to the public titled, Journeys of the Soul Immersive, scheduled for September 27 through October 1, at their 801 Ladera Lane, Carpinteria location.
Earlier this year, Copenhagen Pride reached out to Santa Ynez Valley Pride in support of Pride celebrations and our work for the local LGBTQ+ community. It came after another organization had proposed rainbow banners in Solvang for Pride month, but the city council denied the banners. his got international coverage, and Copenhagen Pride learned that their Danish ancestry was being used to exclude the LGBTQ+ community. They said, wait a minute, Denmark is very progressive and has been leading the way for decades for LBGTQ+ rights.
This day is celebrated with festive fireworks, fiestas or parties, and lots of good food and music. The colors for the day are of the Mexican flag — red, white, and green — which are seen everywhere in public areas along with flowers and other decorations. Mexicans jubilantly blow whistles and horns and throw confetti,…
Pacifica’s Human Resource Team has something special planned for PGI students and staff, as well as the local community! In tandem with Pacifica Extension’s Journey Weekend, the HR Team, led by Norma Mesa, will host Wellness Day on our beautiful Ladera Campus on Wednesday, September 27th, 2023.
As part of Pacifica’s Journeys of the Soul Conference, an immersive weekend of learning and connecting at Pacifica Graduate Institute to be held September 29 – October 1, Susan Rowland, Ph.D., a faculty member of Pacifica’s M.A. in Depth Psychology and Creativity with Emphasis in the Arts and Humanities department, the 2023 C.G. Jung Award…
As part of Pacifica’s Journeys of the Soul Conference, an immersive weekend of learning and connecting at Pacifica Graduate Institute to be held September 29 – October 1, Bayo Akomolafe, Ph.D., an adjunct lecturer at Pacifica, a poet and the Executive Director and for The Emergence Network, will offer a special long-distance welcome and introduction…
As part of Pacifica’s Journeys of the Soul Conference, an immersive weekend of learning and connecting at Pacifica Graduate Institute to be held September 29 – October 1, Dick Russell, an award-winning investigative journalist and author of a biographical trilogy, The Life and Ideas of James Hillman, will be participating in an author salon with…
As part of Pacifica’s Journey week, an immersive week of learning and connecting at Pacifica Graduate Institute to be held September 27-October 1, Roland Palencia, documentarian and filmmaker, will be a featured presenter, screening the groundbreaking, PBS co-produced documentary film UNIDAD: Gay and Lesbian Latinos Unidos and discussing his longtime activism and advocacy within the…
The first is the moment when we connect and they realize that this is the perfect school and program for them, after talking about their goals and figuring out solutions to their challenges, and they feel motivated and sure of their decision, and they’re excited. I can totally feel that. They’re grateful for the connection…
Pacifica Graduate Institute Leadership Attends the Association of Black Psychologists’ 54th Annual Conference, “Homecoming: (Re) Claiming our Divine African Knowing, Being, Doing, and Belonging” The Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) holds the mission of liberating the African Mind, empowering the African Character, and advancing the profession of African psychology. Their 54th annual conference, held…
Staff and Faculty enjoyed an employee summer BBQ at the Lambert Campus. Click to view photos of the fun and games.
Dr. Fanny Brewster, Ph.D., is the author of Race and the Unconscious: An Africanist Depth Psychology Perspective on Dreaming, as well as being a core faculty member of Pacifica Graduate Institute’s Depth Psychology with Specialization in Integrative Therapy and Healing Practices Program. She will be participating in the launch of her book on Friday, August…
Pacifica leadership and scholars attended “Jung and the Numinous: Art, Science and Psyche,” the 18th Conference of Research in Jungian and Analytical Psychology, held July 27-30, 2023, in Asheville, NC. The Jungian Society for Scholarly Studies, founded in 2002 by an interdisciplinary group of academics focusing on the research and theories of C.G. Jung, fills…
Watching people get excited about Pacifica, and helping them through the journey of the admissions process. My goal is to make sure I’m selecting the right student for our program. Student retention is what’s important for me, not just how many students enter the program. I want to make sure students have the time for…
The Abakanowicz Arts and Culture Charitable Foundation (AACCF), in collaboration with Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Association, is pleased to announce the 2023 Abakanowicz Community and Ecological Fieldwork and Research Fellowships.
Minh Tran will be mixing it up with our relational and object-relational friends for his first international “musical-lecture” presentation with the International Forum for Psychoanalytic Education.
An article featuring recent work by Pacifica adjunct faculty Victoria Stevens. Victoria is an adjunct faculty member in the Depth Psychology with Specialization in Integrative Therapy and Healing Practices program.
Dear Pacifica Community, This month, the US Supreme Court issued rulings in two affirmative action cases. The rulings in these two cases reversed 40 years of legal precedent. Despite the two rulings, Pacifica Graduate Institute continues to value diversity. As always, we will follow the law, but for the sake of tending soul of and…
The Advanced Training Certificate: Ecotherapy will be offered August 8th–November 4th, 2023 through Pacifica Online. Pacifica has been a trailblazer in offering a series of ecopsychology and ecotherapy online courses that make this material accessible to practitioners and the broader public. Linda Buzzell, LMFT, will be one of thirteen scholars leading this certificate. I’m delighted…
One teachable aspect of this emerged in my dissertation work. The focus of that was racial disparities in maternal healthcare. On the surface, that is read as there being something about these particular bodies that maintains this symptom of early maternal death, but this “racial group” is not the root cause, unlike the approach of…
Decolonizing is moving away from silos to more conceptual understandings. Depth psychology has that. I was invited to read the Art of Inquiry, the principles around psyche we had to learn and incorporate. Psyche, something we can’t see is real, is a radical departure from what you would call colonial logic, which is materialistic, which…
David M. Odorisio, PhD, is Co-Chair and Associate Core Faculty in Pacifica’s Mythological Studies graduate degree program. David is editor of A New Gnosis: Comic Books, Comparative Mythology, and Depth Psychology. I’m delighted to speak with him about his new book.
As we conclude Pride Month, it is important to remain committed to its values of inclusivity, compassion and the lifting up of voices all year round, especially as societal and judicial forces continue to undermine these values as seen in today’s Supreme Court ruling limiting protections for the LGBTQ+ community. Today we are inspired and…
Pacifica is proud to share the announcement of two new faculty emeriti, the highest recognition bestowed upon retiring faculty.
Joanna Gardnener is an alumni of and adjunct professor at Pacifica Graduate Institute, in the Mythological Studies specialization. She is also the co-founder of the Fates and Graces Mythologium, which will be held July 28-30, 2023, in Carpinteria, CA
Community Member Spotlights As part of celebrating Pride at Pacifica, we are spotlighting Pacifica staff, faculty, and learners. Today, we are proud to feature two of our staff: Lauren Lastra (Director of Academic Affairs & Learner Services) and Corion Douver (Admissions Coordinator). Read more about them and their stories below. If you are interested in…
The purpose of this panel discussion is to offer an intellectually stimulating conversation on the continued persistence of white supremacy, the racial wealth gap, unequal education, and persistent health disparities that African American contend with every day in the United States.
Juneteenth Santa Barbara is a local celebration of the national recognition of Black Independence Day. It is a collaborative effort to showcase Black culture, talent, and joy in Santa Barbara County. This event, now in its sixth year, centers around a free community block party that will be held in historically Black Santa Barbara, now…
The Board of Directors of the International Association for Jungian Studies (IAJS) has recently conducted a vote, and it is with great pleasure that we announce the recipient of this year’s prestigious C.G. Jung Award is Pacifica Graduate Institute’s very own Dr. Susan Rowland, Core Faculty and Advisor in Research and the Humanities in our…
Congratulations, 2023 Graduates! We would like to take a moment to congratulate all 2023 graduates on the completion of their graduate degree here at Pacifica Graduate Institute. We appreciate the hard work and dedication that you have devoted to your journey here with us. We acknowledge and appreciate all of the patience and steadfastness in…
The Counseling Psychology Department looks forward to hosting its annual Thesis Presentation Day on Friday, May 26th. This meaningful event provides an opportunity for graduating students of the MA Counseling Psychology program present their thesis research work to fellow classmates, loved ones, faculty, staff, and the larger Pacifica community.
Mental health is an extremely important part of every person’s individual well-being. It can impact our relationships, our work, our learning, and our overall quality of life, and in turn, how we interact with those around us.
I do not intend to, nor can I, speak of Judaism or Jewishness for all Jews; rather, here I intend to share my perspective as a Jewish person. In its history spanning millennia, Jews from all over the world have forged their own understandings. Growing up, Judaism to me came to mean valuing knowledge and…
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness and promoting the importance of mental health care. At Pacifica Graduate Institute, we recognize the significance of mental health and believe in the power of depth psychology to address and enhance mental well-being. Our unique approach and emphasis on depth psychology contribute to…
Phil Garrity is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute. He recently had a piece in the book Gemini and the Sacred: Twins and Twinship in Religion and Mythology. I’m delighted to speak with him about twinship, otherness, and his work and experience with critical illnesses.
This webinar will provide a forum for participants to engage with our faculty clinicians as they work with a theoretical clinical case. The Counseling Community Webinar Series provides opportunities for students, alumni, and faculty to engage in rich and meaningful conversation. These events will not be recorded and registration is required.
Camille Jarmie Harris, Ph.D. has recently joined the faculty at Pacifica in the Clinical Psychology program. This is Part II in the conversation I had with Dr. Harris about her work and teaching in hermeneutic analysis.
We are thrilled to welcome a remarkable group of individuals who have joined our community at Pacifica Graduate Institute. Each new hire brings their unique expertise and passion to our institution, enhancing our commitment to depth psychology, myth, and transformative education. Get to know our exceptional new colleagues below.
Marshall Chrostowski, beloved Pacifica ‘Elder, steward of the land, animals and community,’ passed away peacefully at home this morning, surrounded by his great love Micheline Lanctot, daughters Kristen McClintock and Linda Grund. He was a remarkable man, who tended soul in and of the world.
Introducing Our Esteemed Program Chairs at Pacifica Graduate Institute. At Pacifica Graduate Institute, we are privileged to have a distinguished group of Program Chairs who lead our renowned graduate degree programs with expertise, vision, and a deep commitment to the exploration of depth psychology, mythology and the humanities. Get to know our esteemed Program Chairs…
The Department of Admissions is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Director of Admissions, Jessica Rubinstein, M.S.Ed. Jessica has worked in the Admissions Department at Pacifica for four years, with the last two years serving as the Associate Director of Admissions Operations. She has a passion for diversity, social justice, trauma-informed psychology, and…
Camille Jarmie Harris, Ph.D. has recently joined the faculty at Pacifica in the Clinical Psychology program. I’m excited to hear more about her work and teaching in hermeneutic analysis.
The Pacific Coast Business Times honored its 2023 Top Women in Business class at its event on Thursday, April 20 at the Santa Barbara Hilton. This year’s editor’s picks included Pacifica Graduate Institute’s Dr. Leonie Mattison, President and CEO of Pacifica Graduate Institute.
César Chávez Day is a day to honor the legacy of one of the most important civil rights leaders in American history. Chávez was a labor leader and activist who fought for the rights of farm workers in California and across the United States. He founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) union and led efforts in support of…
What is an archetype? On first hearing the term, you might think it means something like “stereotype.” But archetypes are far richer and more interesting than that, and provide one of the foundational aspects of Jungian depth psychology. One of the earliest beginnings of the idea may be Plato’s writings in the fourth century B.C.E..…
Our Guest Speaker is Dr. Clyde W. Ford author of The Hero with an African Face: Mythic Wisdom of Traditional Africa. As we extend Black History Month, we remember all those who have given Love, Spirit and Compassion to the struggle for equality and justice. In this remembering we honor the African mythic tradition that…
Black History and Women’s History Months are always an inspirational time throughout the country, as we celebrate the many ways Black Americans and women have helped shape our national story and fueled U.S. innovation. These months are opportunities to unite and honor those who fought and continue to fight for our freedom, equality, empowerment, and…
Dr. Leonie H. Mattison’s remarkable journey and achievements are highlighted in an inspiring article from the Montecito Journal. Born in Jamaica and raised in New York City, she now proudly calls Santa Barbara home. In October 2022, she made history by becoming the first Black woman to assume the leadership role at Pacifica Graduate Institute.…
We are delighted to announce that Pacifica Graduate Institute celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8th with a powerful theme of “Embrace Equity.” The event took place at 10am at the Barrett Center on Ladera, and attendees had the option to join virtually via Zoom by registering in advance. It was a remarkable gathering that…
As we continue our celebration of Black History Month, we wish to pay tribute to a few of the many influential, historical black psychologists and educators who made significant contributions to their fields and to advancements in civil rights and social justice.
As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, we honor those within our community for their contributions and achievements to Pacifica, local communities, and their field. We are pleased to share more today about core faculty member, Dr. Fanny Brewster.
In celebration of the historical achievements of Black/African Americans for our country and specifically for our community, Pacifica Graduate Institute and its Alumni Association hosted a landmark celebration on Friday, February 17 at their Lambert Road Campus. In keeping with this year’s national theme, Black Resistance, as chosen by The Association for the Study of…
We are delighted to share that, effective February 1, 2023, Dr. Loraine Devos-Comby, Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Learning, will be stepping into the role of Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs while we prepare to conduct a national search to select a permanent appointment to that position. Dr. Devos-Comby joined Pacifica Graduate Institute…
Evolution and Growth in the Integrative Therapy and Healing Program: An Interview with Juliet Rohde-Brown, Ph.D. Juliet Rohde-Brown, Ph.D. is the Chair for the Depth Psychology: Integrative Therapy and Healing Practices doctoral specialization program at Pacifica Graduate Institute. I’m delighted to speak with her to hear about the program’s evolution and growth.
Congratulations to David M. Odorisio, PhD, Co-Chair of the Mythological Studies program, on his recent publication, “A New Gnosis: Comic Books, Comparative Mythology, and Depth Psychology”.
Mary A. Wood, Ph.D., is the Chair of the M.A. Depth Psychology and Creativity with Emphasis in the Arts and Humanities program, which is currently accepting applications for Spring and Fall. She will be presenting the webinar “World-Bridging and Shapeshifting: Soul, Image, and Imagination in Gloria Anzaldúa, James Hillman, and C.G. Jung” on January 13th.…
An Interview with Brian Stafford, M.D., M.P.H. “Soulcraft skills and practices evoke the world-shifting experience of soul encounter —the revelation of our unique mythopoetic identity, an identity expressed through symbol and metaphor, image and dream, archetype and myth, an identity embodied in a mysterious story that whispers to us in moments of expanded awareness and…
Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Association Gala to honor Dr. Stephen Aizenstat and benefit Scholarship Fund on October 8, 2022 Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Association (PGIAA) is excited to announce “Grace, Grit, and Gratitude” a Gala Celebration honoring Dr. Stephen Aizenstat, Founder and Chancellor Emeritus of Pacifica Graduate Institute, on October 8th. As the founding President…
Dr. Thomas Singer will be giving a keynote presentation, “Portals to the Imaginal in a Digital Era: Cultural Complexes and the Mythopoetic Imagination in the 21st Century,” for Pacifica’s upcoming event, “Portals to the Imaginal: Re-Visioning Depth Psychology for the 21st Century,” on October 7-9, 2022. An immersive learning event in celebration of the campus…
Having come through the pandemic as a strong community at Pacifica, there is a delight and a joy in convening once again on campus for the 2022-23 school year, which our reopening conference, “Portals to the Imaginal: Re-Visioning Depth Psychology for the 21st Century”, will celebrate. Emily Chow-Kambitsch, Co-Chair and Associate Core Faculty in our…
On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the Presidential/CEO Search Committee, we are proud to announce Dr. Leonie Mattison as the incoming President and CEO of Pacifica Graduate Institute. This is certainly a spirited time in our Institute’s history, and we are confident that the foundation laid by this extensive process—involving input and deliberation…
I do think the psyche is so mysterious that we need symbols—both imaginal and material—to mediate our relationship with the unknown. But such symbols aren’t of our making, not things we construct for ourselves in an attempt to make sense of the psyche. That kind of attempt would be useless in terms of understanding the…
The margins of consciousness have shifted. The original conception of “the unconscious” as a meaningful and influential force needs reformulation. Ideas associated with depth psychology have been increasingly adopted into the mainstream of modern culture, such as the ubiquitous influence of unconscious processes on behavior or archetypal elements operating in society. But if depth psychology…
Photos by Timothy Teague. You can view the entire gallery of photos here.
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling, overturning Roe v. Wade, erodes almost 50 years of precedent protecting equitable access to women’s reproductive health, right to make private, informed choices about their health care, and their futures. This move towards increasing political activism by the court in removing reproductive rights threatens lives, well-being and security for many…
Dr. Corbett serves as a professor of depth psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute. He is the author of several books, the most recent of which is The God-Image from Antiquity to Jung. I am delighted to speak to him about his work with the God image in the context of Jung’s scholarship.
At no other point in the history of humanity has ecological survival been so imminently threatened by climate crises. On June 3, Pacifica presents a half-day workshop, entitled Climate, Cosmology & Consciousness: From Chaos to Cosmos of three leading scholars and environmental activists for an emerging and inspired vision of a possible path forward as…
Pacifica is honored to be included on the 2021-2022 Fulbright Program “Top Producing Institutions” of Fulbright U.S. Students, as announced in The Chronicle of Higher Education on February 27, 2022. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken congratulated Pacifica, saying, “This achievement is a testament to your institution’s deep commitment to international exchange and to building lasting connections between…
Mary Antonia Wood is the Chair of the M.A. in Depth Psychology and Creativity with Emphasis in the Arts and Humanities at Pacifica Graduate Institute, and has published The Archetypal Artist: Reimagining Creativity and the Call to Create, a book that addresses the confluence of Jungian and archetypal psychologies, the artist, the shaman, and creativity…
On behalf of Pacifica Graduate Institute, I express deep sadness and profound concern for the sovereign nation of Ukraine. Ukraine’s people want to decide their own destiny. The tremendous suffering being inflicted on the Ukrainian people is unwarranted, unacceptable, and wholly undeserved. We stand and join much of the world community in deploring the senseless…
Susan Rowland, core faculty at Pacifica Graduate Institute, and author of The Sleuth and the Goddess in Women’s Detective Fiction, among other works of academic writing and fiction, has just had a new book published by Chiron Publications, The Sacred Well Murders. “A simple job turns deadly when Mary Wandwalker, novice detective, is hired to…
Many students and alumni have said that when they started their academic careers at Pacifica, they did so because it felt like they had found their calling, or that they had come home. Some say that is due to the tranquil and meditative environments our campuses provide for learning and growth. Another reason, however, is…
Just minutes from one of the most beautiful isolated beaches, nestled among old-growth oaks between the mountains and the sea, lies Pacifica Graduate Institute. Founded over 40 years ago in Isla Vista, California, Pacifica’s mission is to foster creative learning and research in the fields of psychology, mythology, and the humanities, framed in the traditions…
“By 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…
