Donald Kalsched — Can Running Our Minds Like a Democracy Save Us?

Don Kalsched is a Jungian Analyst, an expert on treating trauma, author of two books, The Inner World of Trauma and Trauma and the Soul.

Jung discovered our inner world is populated by various imaginal figures representing powerful psychological forces. If we treat our minds as democratic spaces, it can safeguard us from internal and external authoritarian influences.

Prepare to discover the parallels between a balanced mind and a healthy society, whether viewing internal conflicts through a democratic lens is healing, which insights foster harmony, why democratic philosophy is transformative, how to build resilience against absolutism and extremism, how trauma and power-seeking are related, and even more…

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[staceygrossman]

I am a priest and this talk can easily be translated to the church, where trauma is caused and where terrible damage is done. And the church where healing can also occur when people, to quote Kalsched, have done their inner work AND their relational work. I so love This Jungian Life, and now am going to go read Donald Kalsched. Thank you!!!!

[siyaindagulag.]

Joseph makes a good point; a salient one in my case.
Having a powerful institution pointing daggers at a single individual may conjure images of the paranoiac in a state of psychosis.
Not kidding, this was the conclusion the bio psycho social schooled therapist came to, leaving me with a further accumulation of shadow.
Their "reasoning" being that I'd best adopt a stoic attitude to any percieved, deliberately inflicted trauma.
The implication being : It's not deliberate or worse;
not real .
Hence the words "psychotic features" on medical record.
I have the feeling I'm being kept around for entertainment value.

I am heartened by the work you three present, which I follow diligently.
Thank you all.

[ronnykhalil]

I love! This is a topic so personally relevant, shared so eloquently by my one of my favorite voices in our space (hosted by the dynamic trio that never disappoints!) thank you all

[gwendolynmurphy]

I have no doubt that my psycho-spiritual growth has been accelerated by listening to podcasts like this! Thank you!

[Ang-]

Morning! 3:27am here. Thanks for this 1:07:30 Deb, if we can make amends with that and accept it as it is, how different human relationships would be. I’ll keep this today with me “make the repair”, so on point with the negotiations we have to do with our inner characters. Sometimes I feel I need to call them out like those little tricksters burning the basement in my dreams 😮‍💨. Democracy is a wonderful word but so difficult in practice. It’s always a delight to listen to D. Kalsched. 1:18:00 around this time the conversation became really important to me, wow!. Thanks as always.

[suzannecrone]

Great offering. Sadly, pertinent today though recorded before the trouble in the Middle East. I'm so grateful.

[jicajacobsonkimbreaux]

This was absolutely revolutionary for me, as an individual learning to manage my own defensive archetypes and vulnerability due to cptsd beginning in childhood. Thank you all immensely, and thank you Joseph for taking the time to really parse out the question of how this shows up within close interpersonal relationships. 🙏🏼

[ievaleckaite]

Such enlightened and important conversation. Please keep having them in the future. Wish many more people listen to this and are able to understand it. It is so important, especially in the face of current situation in the world, which is a reflection of the inner situation in us, humans. How do we keep going through all these tragedies without learning the lessons? Thank you.

[psyfiles]

Brilliant conversation, thank you so very much

[jeanie]

Wonderful conversation, thank you all.

[marluvs]

What a great episode!! Thanks and much love to you all ❤

[ellenemmet]

great conversation]
great quote lisa!

[ScottMarc-RT]

Thank you for this timely and powerful discussion.

[PenelopeRyder]

A wonderful talk Donald’s book Trauma & The Soul was a meaningful part of my healing work from huge childhood violations. Also the dreams I relate to violence in dreams but also angelic dreams also.

[lauragiles]

Great conversation!!! Such wisdom and clarity. (BTW your recent haircut Deb is great!)

[vidhikataria]

Does anyone know where can I find the reference of the sentence Mr. Kalsched speaks @56:40 Hi, what Don says “Experiences that were so devastating for individual that wiped off their entire life..” ?

[JennyBesserit]

I love Donald Kalsched's books/talks/essays. So excited to see him talk in this episode ❤❤❤

[entschnabler]

33:00 i wonder is it also possible for the psyche to create an inner tumult as compensation for a conflict that on the contrary needs to be confronted externally? Like for instance taking on a career path true to one's natural interests and overcoming the fear of failing at it.

[jfknf]

That's what's been thinking for so long! Everyone has borderline personality disorder, but not everyone is in the same stage.

[gwendolynmurphy]

Talk about serendipity! Another compassionate mirror! I must be able to "take it" because the Universe is serving it up to me! Thankfully I'm working on being more "trainable." Thanks for the explication!