Pele Workshop for Latvia

The Archetype of Creation and Destruction:  Lessons from Pele, the Hawaiian Goddess of the Volcano
Instructor:  Lorraine R. Freedle, PhD

Myths and cultural stories are pregnant with archetypal energies– often emerging in times of individual or collective crisis to help people connect with one another, process trauma, and build resilience. Central to Hawaiian culture is the mythology of Pele, the revered goddess of fire and volcanic activity. She embodies the archetype of         destruction and creation and shapes our inner and outer landscapes.

This two-day workshop reveals how Pele manifests in the psyche and sandplay therapy to bring forth psychological healing and new perspectives during troubled times. With vivid images, case material, and storytelling Dr. Lorraine Freedle will share insights from her newly released book, When a Goddess Erupts: Pele in the Psyche of Women and case material from sandplay therapy with children and adults to illustrate this transformative process. Participants will also engage in with their own creative work to enhance learning.

 Join us to discover how the fierce energies of creation, destruction, and rebirth mirror your own untold story- and how honoring inner eruptions can lead to renewal.

 Learning objectives

1. Define archetype (Jung) and describe three ways to activate archetypal energy.
2. Describe how myth and cultural stories influence psychological well-being, particularly during times of crisis.
3. Identify three themes from the Pele myth that may appear during sandplay therapy.
4. Evaluate how the archetype of creation and destruction may be activated in sandplay and psychotherapy to foster transformative change.

Contact: ivita@terapijascentrs.eu for more information about registering.

Bibliography

Freedle, L. R. (2025).  When a Goddess Erupts:  Pele in the psyche of women. Analytical Psychology Press.

Freedle, L. R. (2022). Sandplay Therapy: An evidence-based treatment.  Journal of Sandplay Therapy, 31 (1), 129-36. https://doi.org/10.61711/jst.2022.31.1.898

Freedle, L. R. (2017). Healing trauma through sandplay therapy: A neuropsychological perspective. In B. Turner, (Ed.), The Routledge International Handbook of Sandplay Therapy, (pp. 190- 206). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315656748

Freedle, L. R., Souza, J., & Ram-Souza, V. (in submission).  Stories in the Sand: A multicultural approach to disaster resilience during a volcanic eruption in Hawai’i.

Freedle, L. R., McGee, M., Blechman, S., Souza, J. & Zandbergen, D. L. (2021). The lava ate my school:  The use of group sandplay to reduce anxiety and post-traumatic stress in displaced elementary school students. Journal of Sandplay Therapy, 30(2), 129-147.  https://doi.org/10.61711/jst.2021.30.2.323

Freedle, L. R. & Echsner, S. (2018). Fire and Sand:  Healing in the wake of the Kilauea Eruption [Motion picture]. Hilo, Hawaii:  Black Sand Neuropsychological Services and Little Feather Films. https://filmfreeway.com/FireandSand

Hollis, J. (2021, May 19). The call and purpose in Jungian Psychology. The Call and Purpose Jungian Summit.  https://jungplatform.com/

Jung, C. G. (1954). The practice of psychotherapy. H. Read, M. Fordham, G. Adler & W. McGuire (Eds.) New York, NY:  Pantheon Books.

Kalff, D. M. (2020). Sandplay: A psychotherapeutic approach to the psyche. (B. Matthews, Trans.). Analytical Psychology Press. (Original work published in 1966).

Kalsched, D. & Freedle, L.R. (2019). Trauma, Innocence, and the Self-Care System: Implications for sandplay therapy. Journal of Sandplay Therapy, 28(1), 7-32. https://doi.org/10.61711/jst.2019.28.1.710

Kane, H.K. (1987). Pele: Goddess of Hawaii’s Volcanoes. Kawainui  Press.

Knipe, Rita (1989). The Water of Life:  A Jungian Journey through Hawaiian Myth. University of Hawai`i Press.

Roesler, C. (2019). Sandplay therapy: An overview of theory, applications and evidence base. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 64, 84-94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2019.04.001

Tangarō, T. (2021). Lele Kawa: Fire Rituals of Pele. Kamehameha Publishing.

Tangarō, T. (2021). Malaehaʻakoʻa: The Dancing Priest. Lonoa Honua.

Wiersma, J. K., Freedle, L. R., McRoberts, R., & Solberg, K. B. (2022). A meta-analysis of sandplay therapy treatment outcomes. International Journal of Play Therapy, 31 (4), 197-215. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000180

Zoja, E. P. (2011). Sandplay Therapy in Vulnerable Communities: A Jungian Approach. Routledge.