Commencement2010

In the Depth Psychology program, students can choose to go through commencement cermonies after they achieve the M.A., the Ph.D., or both. While many cannot attend the event over Memorial Day weekend, for those who can, it is definitely one of the highlights of their Pacifica experience. Witnessed by friends, family, faculty, staff, and administration, graduates are invited to speak, usually offering acknowledgment and gratitude to those who made their journey possible--speeches that never fail to bring tears to those witnesses in the room.

Faculty members David Bona and Joe Coppin

Depth faculty Mary Watkins, Alan Kilpatrick, Joe Coppin, Jennifer Selig, David Bona, and in the front row, Edward Casey and Nuria Ciafalo before the ceremonies

M.A. graduates Burger Vaughn, Stacy Zackin, and Darlene Bierlig, with Ph.D. student Kristen Harrison as they march into the ceremonies

Doctors Kristen Harrison, Kathleen Barry, Sarah Cook, and Linda Schultz immediately following the ceremony

Doctors Katheen Barry and Linda Schultz on either side of Jennifer Selig, a faculty member who worked with them on their dissertations

Dr. Phoenix Raine with her dissertation advisor Dr. Edward Casey

Dr. Allison Evans

Phoenix's diploma

Commencement 2010xt.

Dr. Kristen Harrison and her proud daughter

Master's Degree students Darlene Bierig, Stacey Zackin, and Burger Vaughn

Department Chair Dr. Joe Coppin's commencement address:

"We call it commencement--a starting or beginning. But it is really made up of a lot of undertakings that are now complete and ended. All the books now read, and papers written. All the courses completed. Two summers of fieldwork; begun with planning in the springtime, field engagements in the summer, analysis and the telling of stories in the fall. And for those who receive their doctoral degrees today there is that major milestone the doctoral dissertation, two years or longer in the making--now finally proposed, written, read, and edited and rewritten-- loved and hated--birthed, and after all of that, let go into the world to stand for itself. It all now comes to its glorious end in this wonderful ceremony of beginning.

A fine bit of paradox.

Speaking of beginnings I want to digress for just a moment to bring your attention to a few really exciting beginnings in our department this year. First I want to introduce two wonderful colleagues who have joined our core faculty.

Dr. Nuria Ciofalo comes to us from all over the world, having studied in Mexico City, Germany, and Hawaii. She has been chair of the psychology department the University of Xochicalco, Mexico and has always seen her work as a depth psychologist as work with community and culture.

Alan Kilpatrick comes to us from an illustrious academic career as professor of American Indian Studies at San Diego State University. He received his PhD at UCLA where he studied with Marija Gimbutus. Alan is particularly gifted in helping us work the natural lines of connection between Depth Psychology and Anthropology.

I also want to announce that this year the Depth Psychology Program took a giant step in its evolution and its original intention of moving the field of psychology into the world—bringing the world into psychology. Beginning this fall we will be offering three new degree specializations in our program.

An emphasis in Somatic Studies, an emphasis in Community, Liberation, and ecopsychology, and an emphasis in Jungian and Archetypal psychology.

There is a lot of excitement about these beginnings.

But I want to emphasize that none of this could be imagined without you students who have been working in all of these frontiers and more, for many years. You came here to change-- and you end up contributing to making some big changes. It is another fine paradox about who does what with whom?

Many of you will recognize Carl Jung’s little meditation from Memories, Dream, and Reflections.

He tells us about a particular stone jutting out from a wall in a cave. “Often,” he tells us, “when I was alone I sat down on this stone, and then began an imaginary game that went something like this: ‘I am sitting on top of the stone, and it is underneath.’ But the stone could say, “I” and think, ‘ I am lying on this slope and he is sitting on top of me.’ The question arose: “Am I the one who is sitting on the stone, or am I the stone on which he is sitting. This question always perplexed me and I would stand up wondering who was what now.”

I think that this kind of paradoxical wondering lives in a graduate education at Pacifica. It is an education that is not just about facts, but about learning to stand in difficult questions and emerge from them transformed. Many of you have told us of those moments working on papers and wondering “Am I writing this paper or are the ideas writing me?” No doubt such wonderings have scared the heck out of your families and friends and made them wonder who was doing what to you. Depth psychology can be a pretty mystifying engagement.

Commencement is a really good time to notice these paradoxes and reversals. As a beginning it is a time when we can say to you graduates, you are no longer our students. We are no longer your teachers. Now we are colleagues.

As this day moves along many of you will no doubt express gratitude to us your faculty, to the program, and to Pacifica. But in the spirit of paradoxes and reversals let me say to you, on behalf of the faculty, and of the field of Depth Psychology, Thank you! Thanks to the graduating class of 2010 in the Depth Psychology. We can’t wait to see what you might teach us next, and what paradoxes you will engage, in process of changing the world."

Click hSunday evening, 30 May 2010

Dear Pacifica faculty from 2002 – 2005:

Sitting in commencement yesterday stirred so many feelings for me. The Barrett Center was where it all began. I remember being in that room with feelings of excitement and anticipation spilling over. I had not realized in its entirety the journey that I was starting. How could I? I had been teaching undergraduate psychology at Cal State for four years by that point. I had returned to a place I sensed as home to broaden and deepen my knowledge of psychology. Specifically an area that I felt was deep within me, but that I had not yet allowed the opportunity for in-depth exploration.

My department completely supported my studies at Pacifica, and has always encouraged me to incorporate Depth psychology into my undergraduate courses, even offering me an opportunity to teach a seminar in Depth psychology. They might not have realized that I had always incorporated Depth psychology into my courses, but I appreciated their willingness to embrace my interests.

Yesterday, I sat at commencement reflecting for the first time the journey I participated in. The ceremony was beautiful, a personal and meaningful transition from student, to scholar, to depth psychologist.

When I heard that we could say something into a microphone, I became nervous. How could I fit 8 years into one minute? I had a difficult enough time condensing my dissertation into a 20-minute defense. I stuck with the status quo and vaguely thanked my family for being there for me, and the faculty and staff. After I returned home, I realized that I had more to say.

My son spent my 3rd and last year at Pacifica with me in utero, heard the reflections and musings from the courses and my peers, walked the grounds with me, and arrived while I was in my last quarter of coursework. When he arrived prematurely during April of that final year of course work, I had no idea that his arrival marked the beginning of my first major scholarly work within depth psychology. With the assistance of Dr. Mike Denney, I was supported in my exploration of his birth and encouraged to investigate it in light of depth psychology. The faculty, specifically, Drs. Jennifer Selig, Mary Watkins, and Helene Lorenz, supported my quest and humored me in the beginnings of my musings during the Oral exams and conception of the dissertation.

Sitting in the Barrett Center, I realized that my son, now 5 years old was present witnessing this rite of passage. He had been there all along. Joined now by his sister (who also participated in the dissertation process) I realized how far that I had come. My son listened as I defended my dissertation and told everyone at the playground that his mom was now a doctor.

I felt humbled yesterday. I sat in awe of all that I had accomplished and worked toward. I wanted to take my “minute” to say thank you now. I am honored to have walked the Pacifica journey with you all. You have all contributed to who I am today, to the lectures I give within psychology, and to the depth psychological researcher I will continue to be.

experience, the fact that he did made me realize the reason I knew that Pacifica was the place for me. It brought me back to my first interview with Dr. Robert Romanyshyn where I knew I had found my place. I sat in his office, discussing The Soul in Grief with tears in my eyes. I knew then, as I knew yesterday, that Pacifica was my home.

My dissertation created a place to illuminate birth in our culture; specifically, the unplanned, emergency caesarean births that have become so common today. In addition to conducting research with my co-researchers, I was able to bring the work back the medical community for their comments in a separate report. Their responses illustrated to me the place that depth psychology has in the world. They were responsive, forthright, authentic, and appreciate of the work. The co- researchers were given a place of reflection as well, and their poetry was included in the dissertation as a part of Moustakas’ creative synthesis. The work was brought back to the community and received with open arms.

If Pacifica ever needs a guest to come and speak about participatory action research with the participatory hermeneutics and creative synthesis methodologies, I am more than willing to show up and offer my experiences. The dissertation was birthed literally and metaphorically at Pacifica, the experience changed who I am, and for that I am eternally grateful.

To anima mundi colendae gratia—Forever I will be a depth psychological researcher tending to the soul of the world. I only wish that my peers had participated in commencement with me to share

this experience with them. Thank you for creating the container that I call home. Pacifica will always be that place for me.

Always,

Allison Evans, Depth Psychology Ph.D., K T

ere to add text.

From a letter by Dr. Allison Evans:

Dear Pacifica faculty from 2002 – 2005:

When Dr. David Bona approached me yesterday and said, “Hey Allison, congratulations!” it meant the world to me. I have not sat in a Pacifica classroom in five years. His personal welcome reminded me that Pacifica was always home to me. I was taken aback when he said, “I still remember that dream we interpreted in class.” That was over 7 years ago, and while I of course remember the experience, the fact that he did made me realize the reason I knew that Pacifica was the place for me. It brought me back to my first interview with Dr. Robert Romanyshyn where I knew I had found my place. I sat in his office, discussing The Soul in Grief with tears in my eyes. I knew then, as I knew yesterday, that Pacifica was my home.

To anima mundi colendae gratia—Forever I will be a depth psychological researcher tending to the soul of the world. I only wish that my peers had participated in commencement with me to share this experience with them. Thank you for creating the container that I call home. Pacifica will always be that place for me.

Always,

Allison Evans, Depth Psychology Ph.D., K Track