Pacifica Course: The Living Mythology of Pele

Often emerging in times of individual or collective crisis, myth and cultural stories help people process trauma, build resilience, and find meaning in overwhelming experiences. Despite their profound impact on psychological well-being, many psychotherapists struggle to understand and incorporate the power of myth and cultural stories into their clinical practice.

In this workshop, participants will explore the many ways Pele– the revered Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanic activity–naturally enters the therapy room. Whether one is familiar with her stories or not, Pele activates the dynamic forces of creation and destruction in the psyche to promote psychological healing and growth.

With vivid images and storytelling, Dr. Lorraine Freedle will share insights from her experience with disaster resilience during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption, her newly released book, When a Goddess Erupts: Pele in the Psyche of Women, and case studies from Jungian Sandplay Therapy with children and adults to illustrate this transformative process. No prior experience with sandplay is required. The universal languages of image and archetype invite therapists of all theoretical orientations to engage with the psychocultural dimensions of psychotherapy practice.

 What You Will Receive:

• 4 Live Webinar Sessions with Q &A
• 4 Links to the Recordings
• 4 CECs

This Course is Ideal For:

• People who would like to experience how myth and archetypes promote psychological healing and well-being.
• Therapists who would like to enhance their psychotherapy practice by utilizing myth and cultural stories.
• Students and therapists who would like to take a deep dive into the clinical applications of Jungian sandplay therapy.
• Anyone who would like to explore the creative and destructive qualities of the archetype of fire.

Course Overview:

Week One:  The Pele Stories

• Participants will assess the role of myth and cultural stories in psychological development, immerse themselves in the myth of Pele, and extract archetypal themes related to their personal experiences. The living mythology of Pele will also be elucidated through disaster response using Sandplay Therapy during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.

Week Two: Sandplay Therapy and Inner Volcanology

• Participants will identify Sandplay Therapy’s core principles, the layers of Jung’s volcanic schema of the psyche, and how sandplay provides access to one’s inner volcanology, including what Jung terms the “Central Fire.” Many forms of the goddess Pele and her volcanology will be revealed in case examples of women from diverse backgrounds with a variety of mental health challenges who find healing in the sand.

Week Three: The Dark Feminine in the Sand

• Participants will explore the archetype of the dark feminine and the goddess Pele among a pantheon of dark goddesses that connect psyche to the body and the natural rhythms of life. Sandplay Therapy will be introduced as a medium for activating dark feminine energies for healing and transformation, including several case vignettes of empowered women.

Week Four:  The Goddess Pele and Multicultural Practice

• Participants will examine the cross-cultural applications of Sandplay Therapy in children and adults, as well as the living mythology of Pele amidst a world in crisis.

Learning Objectives: (For CECs)

By The End of This Course, You will be able to:

• Identify how myth and cultural stories influence psychological well-being, particularly during times of crisis.
• List three themes from the Pele myth that may emerge during the course of psychotherapy.
• Describe seven key tenets of Jungian Sandplay Therapy (sandplay).
• Distinguish sandplay from other methods that use sand and miniatures.
• Assess the evolution of symbols in dreams, personal narratives, and sandplay that may relate to the goddess Pele and one’s inner volcanology.
• Describe the evidence base of sandplay in the treatment of children and adults with a variety of mental health conditions.
• Explain how images and stories emerge during sandplay to provide psychocultural resources for healing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma.

Course Addendums:

Bibliography, Reading List, PDFs, Creative Prompts/Reflective Questions, Films to Watch

Course Textbook:

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