Celebrating its 5th anniversary in 2024, PSYCHOSOCIAL WEDNESDAYS, in collaboration with IAAP, will delve into how Jungian psychology intersects with the contemporary era of polycrisis, exploring evolving understandings of cultural complexes and a plural-psyche. PSYCHOSOCIAL WEDNESDAYS is one of the many activities by JUNGIANEUM: Contemporary Initiatives for Analytical Psychology and Neo-Jungian Studies, curated by Stefano Carpani. JUNGIANEUM endeavors to enhance both individual and societal capacities for discourse on complex theory and conflicts.
Dr. Mattison’s talk in April, “Depth Psychology at the Threshold: Integrating Ancient Wisdom and Modern Technology in a Posthuman Age” will explore the convergence of depth psychology with Al, as technology opens the door to a future beyond our wildest imaginings. Leonie Mattison will posit that by making the choice to embrace Al, we will transcend physical and economic barriers to create a community that welcomes all.
Dr. Mattison will explore the convergence of depth psychology with Al, as technology opens the door to a future beyond our wildest imaginings. Invoking the two-headed Roman deity Janus, who looks both forward and backward, Mattison will metaphorically position Al as offering humanity a choice: Either embrace the tool of Al to deepen our connections, foster communal bonds, and provide accessible mental health care, or succumb to the shadows of technophobia and anchor ourselves in inertia. Emphasizing the sacred power of choice, Mattison will reflect on the lifeline technology provided during the COVID-19 pandemic. Zoom meetings, life-saving medications, and the hybrid educational models Pacifica pioneered were vessels for a deeper communion, sustaining the collective psyche and giving the world a front-row seat to depth psychology amidst global upheaval. Mattison heralds Pacifica’s commitment to universal accessibility through its inaugural online Ph.D. programs, the Extension and International Studies division, digitization of its Archives, and the SOUL Promise initiative. This fusion of depth psychology and technology will extend therapeutic space, making the transformative power of depth psychology accessible to all. By making the choice to embrace Al, Mattison will posit that we will transcend physical and economic barriers to create a community that welcomes all.
Everyone is welcome to attend. Please register here for Psychosocial Wednesdays on 24 April 24, 2024, (9pm Zürich/Berlin/Rome; 8pm London; 3pm NYC; noon San Francisco).
At the helm of Pacifica Graduate Institute, Dr. Leonie H. Mattison (Dr. Lee) serves as President and CEO, guiding an institution defined by transformative education, research innovation, and culturally responsive care for the soul in the world—a mission she has upheld throughout her distinguished career. With leadership experience spanning higher education, non-profit, government, and the private sector, Dr. Lee has innovated organizational and talent development structures, overhauled learning institutions to enhance student access and employee engagement, and spearheaded national public health research and initiatives to improve health outcomes.
Inspired by depth psychological and spiritual approach to trauma recovery, she ingeniously fashioned the T.H.R.E.A.D. healing toolkit following a near-death stroke. The toolkit with its six step T.H.R.E.A.D framework—Think outcomes, Harvest lessons, Release pain, Enlist allies, Adopt a new mindset, Dream of a new self—serves as a transformative guide for self-discovery, healing, and personal growth. Infused with the essence of soulful well-being, it empowers individuals not only to recover but to thrive in life’s journey.
Dr. Mattison is an author, mother, and the first Black woman to lead an institution dedicated to depth psychological and psychodynamic domains. Her bold vision for Pacifica is to make depth psychology universally accessible. She consistently demonstrates her commitment to access, equity, and support for survivors to heal from trauma, invoking joy, faith, and resilience to fulfill her calling. An advocate for student success, women in leadership, and diversity in higher education, Dr. Lee embodies a commitment to caring for the world’s soul one individual at a time.
