After a personal crisis years ago, Kate's trajectory led her down a rabbit hole, where she ended up at the door of Archetypal or Depth Psychology....This perspective, explored through extensive dreamwork, bodywork and lectures, became captivating and intriguing. Over many years, it radically opened Kate's world, exposing her to a more meaningful and richer way of life.... Also, the stuck, old narrative she carried around like a bag of bones for a good deal of her life needed an update-so her script was gradually re-worked and re-imagined.... Thereafter, things in a strange sense began to slowly fall into their rightful place-threads were pulled together, unconscious material revealed; and new, unexpected stories began to emerge...This process eventually created a sense of profound relief and joy, paving the way for a deeper curiosity about her surrounds and the world at large. This philosophy, rooted in the aesthetics and imagination (the arts, culture, mythology and philosophy) has subsequently been taken into her practice...

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So why go the route of 'Archetypal', 'Imaginal' or 'Soul-based' Psychology? Firstly, historically, it has a rich lineage-it was coined this in the 1970's by James Hillman, with its roots going as far back as Carl Jung. 

Then within this framework, there's also a departure from a clinical lens. Instead, there's an exploration of loosening habituated narratives, through a 'dark eye'-our stories about ourselves essentially become manufactured,  echoing our parental influence or received from our surrounds and our cultural context...When these perceived stories go unchecked, they can become stilted, restricting the ability to accept life as it is, not how we have constructed it. This subsequently can stifle the creation of an authentic life that is eagerly waiting to be explored.... However, if these stories are examined only through the conventional lens of 'talk therapy', and are only given sentimental compassion, this can perpetuate beliefs that no longer serve an individual...And over time, this will eventually manifest in symptoms, such as depression, neuroses, anxiety, relationship difficulties, addictions, inauthenticity, illness, or a sense of meaninglessness...Essentially, these presenting symptoms bring individuals into therapy....

Another drawcard to this approach is that when creatively playing with these stories in a therapeutic context, the presenting dreams, memories, myths and everyday experiences, will open up and allow unconscious, shadow material to be made conscious. This will no doubt, provide some profound ideas and unexpected insights, allowing for a more curious and deeper exploration to occur between patient and therapist. By cultivating the imaginal, over time, not only is there a gradual healing that begins to occur, but a feeling of being more congruent; a reconciliation of opposing beliefs; and an authenticity that slowly emerges....The stories subsequently become richer, more interesting-which goes to the basic premise of: 'doctor the story, not the patient', encouraging you, as James Hillman suggested, to re-think, re-vision and re-imagine...

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