by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Aug 11, 2024 | Mythology and Therapy
Executive Summary: The Psychology of The Bacchae The Core Conflict: Euripides’ masterpiece is the ultimate study of Repression. It pits Pentheus (The Rigid Ego) against Dionysus (The Irrational Id). It demonstrates that whatever we repress eventually returns to...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Aug 11, 2024 | Mythology and Therapy
What Happens in Hippolytus? Euripides’s Hippolytus is a complex and psychologically rich exploration of desire, repression, and the conflict between societal expectations and individual passions. By examining this ancient tragedy through the lens of Jungian...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Aug 11, 2024 | Mythology and Therapy
Executive Summary: The Psychology of Medea The Core Conflict: Euripides’ tragedy is not just about a scorned woman; it is the archetypal blueprint of Narcissistic Rage. It explores what happens when the “Golden Shadow” (Medea) is betrayed by the...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Aug 11, 2024 | Mythology and Therapy
What Happens in The Persians? The Persians, a tragedy by Aeschylus, is a unique and profound exploration of war, hubris, and the nature of power. As the only extant Greek tragedy that deals with contemporary events (the Persian Wars), it offers a fascinating window...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Aug 11, 2024 | Mythology and Therapy
Key Takeaways: Prometheus Bound & Jungian Psychology The Archetype of Rebellion: Prometheus represents the emerging Ego that steals “Fire” (Consciousness) from the Unconscious (The Gods) to give it to humanity. The Negative Senex (Zeus): Zeus embodies...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Aug 11, 2024 | Mythology and Therapy
Executive Summary: The Psychology of Philoctetes The Core Conflict: Sophocles’ late masterpiece explores the relationship between Trauma (The Wound) and Power (The Bow). It asks: Can a society use a person’s gifts while rejecting their pain? Jungian Key...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Aug 11, 2024 | Mythology and Therapy
Executive Summary: The Psychology of Electra The Core Conflict: Sophocles’ play is the definitive study of Arrested Development. Electra is trapped in eternal mourning, representing a psyche unable to metabolize trauma. Jungian Key Concepts: The Electra Complex:...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Aug 11, 2024 | Mythology and Therapy
Executive Summary: The Psychology of The Women of Trachis The Core Conflict: Sophocles’ tragedy explores the destructive power of love when it becomes possessive. It tells the story of Deianira, who inadvertently kills her husband (Heracles) with a “love...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Aug 11, 2024 | Mythology and Therapy
Executive Summary: The Psychology of Ajax The Core Conflict: Sophocles’ tragedy is the definitive study of the Rigid Ego shattering under the weight of change. It explores what happens when a person’s identity is wholly tied to their status (Persona), and that...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP no. 4135C-S | Aug 11, 2024 | Mythology and Therapy
Executive Summary: The Theban Cycle & Depth Psychology The Trilogy as Life Cycle: Sophocles’ three plays map the entire journey of human consciousness: 1. Oedipus Rex: The Ego’s collision with the Unconscious (Trauma). 2. Oedipus at Colonus: The...
