The Forest, the Witch, and Pan: Psyche’s need for wilderness & enchantment.

Humans have long been captivated by the forest and its creatures – both living and mythic. What is it about forests that captures our imagination and what can forests teach us about our own nature and place in the world? In this presentation, we journey deep into the archetypal forest and explore themes of descent, darkness, and renewal. Our inquiry brings us into contact with the witch and Pan – two elusive creatures who reside beyond the reaches of ordinary life and civilization. Through engaging these chthonic figures, we deepen our understanding of our inner wilderness, our relationship to the natural world, and the primeval need for enchantment as a resource for individuation and collective survival.

Ryan Maher is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice near Seattle, where he works with individuals and couples navigating personal and relational conflicts, experiences of loss, and feelings of meaninglessness. Ryan practices from a depth psychology and relational perspective and his clinical focus includes complex trauma, depression, and anxiety. He is a graduate of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and the Jungian Psychotherapy Program at the C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago. As a certified yoga teacher and hypnotherapist, Ryan has over 20 years of experience working with the mind-body/psyche-soma relationship. Ryan is a member of the American Counseling Association, the National Board of Certified Counselors, and The Breathe Network. He is also an affiliate member of the C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago and regularly presents at the C.G. Jung Center in Evanston, IL. For more information, please visit: www.theinnerworldtherapy.com.