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Articles on the Mythic Imagination
The Center offers continuing education seminars and workshops on the psychology of fairy tales, mythic stories, creativity, movies as mythic imagination, and law and ethics for psychotherapists. CE hours are available for psychologists, marriage & family therapists, teachers, social workers, nurses, and other mental health professionals. Our courses meet requirements in most states.
Jonathan Young, PhD is a psychologist (PSY10231) with an online practice. His books and articles focus on personal mythology. Dr.Young assisted mythologist Joseph Campbell at seminars and was founding curator of the Joseph Campbell Archives and Library. He is currently featured in several documentary series on the History Channel. In 2024, he left the Pacifica Graduate Institute, where he had been a founding professor, to become minister of the Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Goleta, a suburb of Santa Barbara, California.
Seminar space is limited so we recommend that you register early:
Select a seminar from the Current Course Offerings
Register online or call the Center at 805-687-7171
Presented at an introductory level, the Center's courses are not just for psychotherapists. They are open to all those interested in archetypal perspectives. Center workshops and seminars require no advance preparation; however, participants are provided with a recommended reading list as part of their class materials.
The Wisdom of Mythic Stories Home Study Course presents clinical applications of folklore and mythology. Through storytelling and lively discussion of the Wizard of OZ, we will explore how favorite stories reflect adult psychological dynamics and offer guidance for those dealing with life-stage transitions.
Casablanca as a Transformative Journey. Seeking the Inner Union. Romantic love as a spiritual path.
Drawing wisdom from the life and work of the noted mythologist. Exploring the heroic adventure as a psychological process.
The Inner World of Difference.
The life and work of Frida Kahlo illustrates ethical issues, including cultural and identity sensitivity. New for 2025.
Clinical practice and supervision share the mentor archetype. This day draws on the initiatory themes in Moana (2016) to meet the Law & Ethics requirement OR six hours for active Clinical Supervisors, OR the recurring Psychology mandate for a course in Cultural Diversity.
The tale of Pinocchio shows the path to authenticity.
Anne Bach, M.S., MFT 38891 is a specialist in uses of writing in psychotherapy. She gives presentations on creativity as inner work at major conferences, and lectures widely on psychological dimensions of expressive writing. She also appears in memoir drama performances for various theater groups, including the Marsh Stage in Berkeley. Her clinical background includes poetry therapy with seriously mentally ill patients.
Jonathan Young and Anne Bach also lead in-house staff trainings for counseling centers and other organizations. They also make presentations for university courses and corporate retreats. Since these events are not open to visitors, we don't post the dates.
Dr. Young is not currently accepting new clients. Ms. Bach is available for consulting services on treatment issues, creative projects, and personal mythology.
The Center also presents non-credit lectures throughout the U.S.
Non-Credit Dates
How the Movies are Modern Mythology, Among Other Things
Several of Dr. Young's lectures are available on YouTube. Search Jonathan Young and Live Oak to find current topics.
The Center for Story and Symbol is a training and consulting group that draws on the wisdom of ancient storytellers to understand the workings of the human imagination. Our seminars build on the traditions of depth psychology and narrative theory. The central role of metaphor in personal and cultural imagery is explored in all of our courses. The Center's mission is to provide opportunities for advanced study of the inner life.