Dissertation Oral Defenses

Robin Blaser describes “the foreignness, the outsideness, as a kind of metaphor for the sense…of the process that leads to a poem.” It is, he says, “akin to a translation, a word which in its parts holds the meaning of the word metaphor, the bringing over.” This dissertation expands on that notion of poetic process…

In spite of recent trends that have positively impacted gay men, the United States continues to be permeated by homophobia. This phenomenon often manifests in young gay men as internalized homophobia, which in turn can lead to psychological and physiological symptoms, including engaging in sexual practices that place them at risk for contracting human immunodeficiency…

In depth psychology, the way to heal has mainly been through connection with patients’ minds in order to discover the unconscious roots of their problems and help them work on resolving their complexes or trauma. Underexplored in psychoanalysis is the relationship between the psyche and soma, in particular, the way emotions are carried in and…

This research through a dialog between Jungian psychology and process-oriented psychology explicates connections between psychology and physics in order to elucidate the relationship between psychic contents and the nature of health and well-being, as well as the relationship between nonmaterial processes and their empirical manifestations. The study applies the hermeneutic methodology supplemented by alchemical hermeneutics.…

Brimming with razor sharp teeth, the Vagina Dentata presents a surreal fictional representation of the sexually dangerous woman. This image has been recorded almost globally and is often thought to be a manifestation of male sexual anxiety. Many of the studies focus on the male abject horror of this image and the psychological motivations behind…

This cultural–historical, hermeneutic dissertation delineates the way people have found meaning in their lives, explores the historical relevance stories have played in those searches for meaning, and illuminates the symbolic resonances that TV characters, images, and plotlines offer viewers as they connect to television programming, which has become the preferred storied medium. Nielsen (2018) reported…

This ethnographic study of ZEGG explores the challenges a radical intentional community faces when it rejects mainstream economic and social norms, creating a new culture governed by new norms. ZEGG, an intentional community in Germany, began as an experiment in community living in the 1970s and 1980s, under the leadership of Dieter Duhm, a German…

The pyramid is an iconic and ubiquitous form; the variations in the ostensible function remain debated, especially in light of the many physical, religious, and mythological similarities. Examples in the “Old” and “New” world civilizations, which historically had no contact before the 15th century, emphasize the mystery. Examples in Egypt, Mexico, and Peru illuminate the…

Approximately 20-30% of single American women have been involved with a married man during the course of their lifetime (Lindquist & Negy, 2005; Oala, 2008; Perel, 2017; Richardson, 1988). Infidelity in Western society is perceived in a pejorative manner, and women are often negatively judged for their engagement in an extramarital affair. However, the prevalence…

The majority of Jungian depth psychological analysis of kundalini has been hermeneutical in nature. Both C. G. Jung and James Hillman suggested that kundalini as an aspect of Eastern spiritual practice was not appropriate for Westerners. Yet experiences of kundalini appear to be occurring with increasing frequency for Westerners. This research explores how experiences of…

American middle-class widows in the midst of their conjugal bereavement raising dependent children are a demographic largely unrecognized in this country. Because of this, there is little research about their lived experience available to assist those looking for ways to support this group—whether it be the widows themselves, family and friends, or the academic community.…

A case study conducted under the rubric of integral inquiry, this research explores the application of Jungian and archetypal psychology to the growth process of an organization. Drawing upon analysis of public documents using Corlett and Pearson’s Archetype of Organization model, it identifies the Hero, Ruler, and Sage as the archetypes most active within the…

This dissertation heeds archetypal psychologist James Hillman’s call for depth psychology to “also be a depth aesthetics” by considering Dionysos as an archetype of aesthetic experience. We respond affectively to the sensations of our interpenetrating everyday world of bodies, including our imaginal and ideational perceptions. Dionysos has been studied as an archetype of intoxication, indestructible…

This qualitative research was motivated by the desire to understand how conservation work can engage our psychic connection to the more-than-human. The work used grounded theory and phenomenological methodologies; data was gathered with interviews and arts-based inquiry and analyzed through the lenses of depth psychologically oriented ecopsychology and community psychology. Participants included artists, storytellers, and…

This dissertation utilizes Merleau-Ponty’s theory of the Flesh and Jung’s theory of self-realization as a way to integrate the gained understanding into the current approach of psychotherapy as an altered attitude for the treatment of the psyche. The theories of Flesh and self-realization are used to approach a fundamental drive that leads to pathologies and…

This phenomenological study examined first-generation Latina women who developed a bicultural strategy when choosing professional careers. A qualitative research methodology sought to analyze the participants’ academic and career planning journey, the challenges they encountered, the support they received from their families, and how utilizing a bicultural strategy aided them in attaining their career goals. Five…

The literature on aging has not emphasized the way in which aging women choose to present themselves physically. Recently, women have begun utilizing social media to share and gain support for their personal experiences of defying societal norms that focus on youthful appearance and, choosing hair as a symbol, making a statement about authenticity and…

The biomedical model dominating dementia care is based on the negative assumption that persons with dementia have been deprived of their personhood. This study considers a different consciousness of care in which people with dementia are seen as vital human beings with heart and soul. This research explores how creative self-expression can be utilized to…

Conventional studies of veterans’ longitudinal mental health approach the topic through the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) lens. This qualitative study shifts the focus from a PTSD psychosomatic-centric approach to a psycho-spiritual examination of the sequela of war in the veteran psyche: this approach has been named in recent literature, moral injury. Utilizing a methodological approach…

In 2011 the first of the Baby Boomers turned 65, the age defined by the American Psychological Association as the beginning of “old age.” Individuals reaching this age are referred to as senior citizens. Although much attention has been given to the outer, physical aspects of the aging human body, less attention has been given…