The Institute of Imaginal Studies:
Psychology Degrees & The Transformative Journey

The Institute of Imaginal Studies offers Masters and Doctoral degrees in Imaginal Psychology.

The Institute of Imaginal Studies, Graduate School and Research Center, offers through its Masters and Doctoral degree programs in Imaginal Psychology, as well as public programs and events, a context for the soul to unfold its passion.

These programs emphasize the role of transformative learning in catalyzing the emergence of key human capacities. The capacities of self awareness, collaboration, responsibility, and empathy are given special emphasis in the Institute's graduate programs. The Institute seeks to educate psychologically aware leaders with the knowledge, skills, and capacities essential to empower individuals, organizations, and communities. The curriculum in the Institute's graduate programs embodies this intention.

The Institute's curriculum in Imaginal Psychology offers a distinct orientation to the discipline of psychology. This orientation reclaims soul as psychology's primary concern. The soul expresses itself in images. Care of the soul asks that we pay close attention to the images we inhabit. This orientation to psychology has its roots in the transformative practices that are at the core of many spiritual traditions and the creative arts. The Imaginal Psychology curriculum in all programs draws on spiritual traditions, somatic practices, creative arts, mythology, indigenous wisdom, deep ecology, and social critique.

At the Institute, care and attention have been given to the how of teaching and learning, as well as on what information should be transmitted. Toward this intent, the Institute has chosen particular formats and practices in constructing its learning environment. A collaborative learning community catalyzes experiences that are transformative and integrative. Collaborative learning supports the inherently active and social nature of knowledge. Learning how to learn is at the heart of this approach.

When collaborative learning is practiced in a supportive community, we are able to inhabit vulnerability and mystery. Through the recognition of each other's unique potentials and limitations, we deepen the process of soul-making and care of the soul. This approach builds relationships of reciprocity and mutuality; it is especially suited to the transformative dimension of adult learning.

The Institute seeks to support the adult learner through offering public programs in addition to its graduate degree programs. These programs, formatted as seminars, experiential workshops, and professional programs are taught by Institute faculty and guest presenters. Like the curriculum in our graduate programs, the public programs draw on: spiritual traditions, somatic practices, creative arts, mythology, indigenous wisdom, deep ecology, and social critique. One experiential public program designed to give individuals an introduction to the principles and practices that guide Transformative Learning at the Institute is called: The Soul's Passion: Initiation and the Transformative Journey. (Contact us for details.)

The soul spontaneously seeks experiences, including those that are difficult, to initiate us into deeper engagement with the ultimate mysteries of life. Vulnerability and sensitivity are a part of the soul's passionate nature as the soul's nature is to be affected. As ensouled beings, we are inherently vulnerable and sensitive.

The initiatory experiences which pave the transformative journey both evoke and temper the soul's passions. There is an ecstatic imperative within the soul, and at its best, the transformative journey is an ecstatic ordeal. Even our desire — at times full of the most extreme distortions — is about our soul's desire for ecstatic experience.

How can our experience of our soul's passionate nature be more of a base for how we live? What does it mean for us to be faithful to our soul's passionate nature? Where can we find the context necessary for the transformative journey that would allow for the soul's unfolding of experience?

The following testimonials are what some of the graduates have shared about their experiences at the Institute.

"The Institute's programs provide a careful weaving of theory, practice, and leadership development out of which each student tailors her or his own unique garment of meaning. As a diversity consultant for many years, I longed for a way to bring depth, complexity, and respect to the mystery of my work. The Institute's curriculum provided a crucible wherein my imagination was ignited, enabling me to bring fresh ideas and my own unique contributions to the communities in which I work."

Isoke Femi, M.A.
Founding Director
Todos Alliance Building Institute

"Thirty years ago I became a Marriage and Family Therapist. Decades later, seasoned by life experiences, I returned to graduate school to deepen my own journey. I found a program at the Institute that integrated, within its academic requirements, challenges that engendered a richer and more expansive level of beingness to my life and work. The Institute of Imaginal Studies is truly a transformative program."

Rich McCutchan, Ph.D., M.F.T.
Psychotherapist private practice

"The experiential learning environment at the Institute of Imaginal Studies has allowed me to develop my effectiveness as an educator and administrator. After many years of prior participation in transformative practices, I found that during my time at the Institute my transformative process deepened in invaluable ways. My varied interests in movement, art-making, leadership, and working with children have come together seamlessly."

Elizabeth Schreiber, M.A.
Executive Director
Cornerstone, Inc.