Youth and young adults are struggling with depression, anxiety, self-harming tendencies, eating disorders, substance misuse, and death by suicide at staggering rates. This is a global health crisis, one that requires the unearthing of the conscious, unconscious, and intergenerational trauma that contributes to the cyclical demise of self; when one’s mind unintentionally turns against the body as a way of coping with the here and now. The body and the mind are not separate; they are mirrors of one another.
The patterns of mental health across one’s lifespan are the perfect parallel to one’s physical health. The peak age of mental illness onset is during adolescence or in early adulthood, but the physical consequences arrive much later, in the fifth to sixth decades of life. How do we meet the mental health needs of youth and young adults in the midst of a culture of global permacrisis?
In this four week series, Dr. Kristin Beasley will integrate Jungian theory with her clinical research and work in childhood and adolescence ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and trauma-informed care and resilience. Learners will explore how the Jungian concepts of Self, persona, and shadow compare to Strauss and Howes’ theory of generational archetypes and discuss how these foundational Jungian concepts can be adapted in working with marginalized youth and young adults who may have experienced trauma and discrimination. Special attention will be directed towards how intergenerational trauma impacts the ego and the ways this manifests in the collective unconscious of each generation. Dr. Beasley will discuss how Jungian techniques like active imagination can be integrated into an analytic treatment plan to help youth and young adults explore new ideas and possibilities and gain a sense of empowerment and control over their own lives.
Clinical/Psychological Indications
- Adverse Childhood Experiences study by Drs. Felitti and Anda
- Unconscious vs. conscious contributions to trauma
- Collective unconscious and exploration of shared experiences
- Intergenerational transmission of trauma
- Promoting lifestyle practices that contribute to positive physical and mental health
Course Overview
- Identifying the problems (confession)
- Intergenerational Trauma/Unconsciousness (elucidation)
- Historical explanations and solutions (education)
- How can we help? (transformation)