Events and Seminars
| Event | : | The Power of Symbols and the Poetics of Peace |
|---|---|---|
| Venue | : | Online |
| Date | : | 07/03/2026 |
| Duration | : | 10:15am - 4pm GMT |
| Extra Info | : | The Power of Symbols and the Poetics of Peace – Connecting the Personal, Political and Cosmic With Richard Jenkins This lecture explores the significance of Jung’s notion of the ‘uniting symbol’—not only in relation to the treatment of personal trauma, but also in healing the body politic. Drawing on Jung’s distinctive thinking, especially as expressed in The Red Book, it considers the conditions that enable such symbols to arise in the consulting room and in communities. Special emphasis will be given to the poetic and political imagination needed to support the emergence of the uniting symbol. The talk will draw parallels between the long-standing conflict in Ireland and today’s landscape, where competing truth claims undermine social trust, limit our capacity to think and speak, and fuel cycles of violence. Jung warned us “not to be indifferent to the poets,” as they “create from the very depths of the collective unconscious, voicing aloud what others only dream” (CW VI, §323). The paper will highlight the struggles of poets from the north of Ireland over the past century to give voice to that symbolic and imaginative depth. It will suggest what we can learn from them and the emergent Northern Irish peace process about the ‘vocation’ of analytical psychology today. Finally, the lecture offers a personal reflection on the making of a Jungian Analyst by someone born and raised in Belfast at the height of the conflict known as ‘The Troubles’. Richard Jenkins is a Jungian Analyst and Psychodynamic Psychotherapist. Before training at the Association of Jungian Analysts (AJA), he qualified at WPF Therapy. He teaches at the Bowlby Centre, on AJA’s training for qualified psychotherapists as well as the WMIP course. Richard holds degrees in Law, Theology, a Master’s in Contemporary Theology, and postgraduate diplomas in Pastoral Counselling and Psychodynamic Theory. His work is informed by a longstanding interest in the intersection of psyche, culture, and meaning. |
| Organised By | : | West Midlands Institute of Psychotherapy |
| Web Link | : | https://apt-birmingham.co.uk/events/lecture2025-3/ |