MONTHLY MEETING

Online

Tickets: £15.00

JUNGIAN AND ARCHETYPAL PERSPECTIVES ON BDSM

with Douglas Thomas, PhD LCSW

The depth psychology of C.G. Jung and James Hillman provide unique perspectives on the
meaning and psychological value of BDSM activities and relationships. BDSM practitioners
can benefit from Jung and Hillman’s psychological language, which honours the value of
transgression as a necessity for psychological growth. Clinicians can gain fresh insights
regarding the deeper psychological meaning of participating in the world of BDSM and
leather by applying Jungian concepts such as the Shadow, the Syzygy, and the psychoid. The
presentation will discuss collective archetypal sources of historical trauma, which have
provided inspiration to some of the more disquieting aspects of BDSM, and we will consider
how the deep psychology of BDSM creates a space in the modern world to ethically engage
these primal psychoid forces.

Douglas Thomas, PhD, LCSW, has a Jungian-based psychotherapy practice in Pasadena,
California, specializing in LGBTQ+ issues, alternative sexualities, and dream therapy. He
teaches as adjunct faculty at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Carpinteria, California, and he
has presented papers at international Jungian conferences. His essays have appeared in the
International Journal of Jungian Studies and the Jungian Journal of Scholarly Studies. His
latest book, The Deep Psychology of BDSM and Kink: Jungian and Archetypal Perspectives on
the Soul’s Transgressive Necessities, was published by Routledge in September of 2023 with
an audiobook version released on August 13, 2024. For more information, visit Dr. Thomas’
website at drdouglasthomas.com.