Wounded Goddess: Fragmentation and The Female Psyche

This lecture will introduce the concept of fragmentation and the female psyche through an exploration of the evolution of the mythological figures of Athena, Metis, and Medusa.  We will examine some of the ways in which these figures reflect Jung’s understanding of the structure of the psyche and the process of individuation from a feminine perspective.  Themes of systemic self-harm, murder, gaslighting, and erasure of the mother will be discussed on both a personal and archetypal level, as well as how they can present in the course of treatment.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the archetypal significance in mythological narratives and give an example of how these can reflect aspects of the female psyche.
• Describe what is meant by the term individuation, and its relevance to the concept of the feminine archetypes
• Describe the concept of fragmentation within the female psyche.