2026 Courses
Villager Archetypes in the Music of the Beatles, a studio exploration
Thursdays, beginning March 11th, for 6 weeks(external event through Jungian Online)
This course is currently being worked out, but we have locked in the dates. I am particularly excited about it, it should be quite a bit of fun :)
The Beatles music is replete with character based narratives, particularly the songs of Paul McCartney. This course is a playful exploration of the various villager archetypes in the music of the Beatles. These characters are archetypes, and they can be dreamed into populating an imaginal village. In this 6 week lecture/studio class, we will discuss the Beatles, archetypes and particular character based songs and lyrics, then listen to music and create a creative work of art (visual, music, writing or anything else of the participants choosing) to embody the exploration and then share with each other in a group. Any type of creative expression is welcome and beginning artists or newer fans of the Beatles are welcome as well.
Archetypal Animals Studio Session
Saturday September 26 (external event through Fourth Saturday Activism Salon)
More information coming, but I will be part of the 6 week seminar for Fourth Saturday Activism,
“Johnny Olesen, Graham Harriman, Lusijah Marx and Robin McCoy met over 30 years ago during the height of the AIDS crisis, in Portland Oregon, USA. We participated in the formation of an AIDS mutual aid & therapy community that formed a non-profit mind body clinic. In 2016, we challenged ourselves to write a book about what we learned then that is currently relevant entitled The Healing Power of Community Mutual Aid, AIDS, and Social Transformation in Psychology (2025).
A year ago, we began to co-lead mutual aid activism groups opposing our country’s policies that contribute to forced migration, global violence, disinvestment in the social safety net, and state terrorism and so on. The groups were offered at no-cost and encouraged participants to support one another and share resources while seeking to instill hope and action.
Presently, we are offering a new mutual-aid based activism group format titled Fourth Saturday Activism Salon. This program is scheduled to meet once a month for an hour and half beginning July 25th, 2026 thorough January 23rd, 2027. We are inviting six presenters who will speak to a unique aspect of activism within their area of knowledge and practice. The groups are designed to be informational, relational and inter-active. Come join us as we seek to instill hope and inspire activism in ourselves and each other. “
ARCHETYPAL ANIMALS STUDIO
MAY 7 - JUNE 4 2026
WITH JUSTIN HAMACHER
5 Thursdays starting May 7, 2026
(This course is complete)
5-7pm Pacific / 8-10pm Eastern
Sep 11th - Nov 30th, 2025
Time : Thursday 6 -7:30 PM PST
Duration : 8 Weeks
Instructor : Justin Hamacher
Location : Online (Zoom)
Needed : Computer or iPad
Cost : $275
In this online Jungian oriented studio course we will explore internal and external psychological landscapes through the lens of animal archetypes.
Across times and cultures archetypal animal images have played a healing role in communities, through individual and shamanistic work. These ancient earth connecting practices our ancestors used are ones we also can access…
Together over the 8 weeks each class member will build an animal family that collects personally inspiring and grounding archetypal themes. Weeks will have creative prompts, introductory Jungian terms and sharing of ideas and processes. In our exercises and activities you will be free to use any artistic medium you feel comfortable with - beginning artists are welcome.
A tremendous way to improve connection to the earth and animals and to learn and create in a shared artistic community while accessing some earth centering tools that can be useful in all parts of one’s life. And, it’s energizing and fun...
INSTRUCTOR BIO:
Justin Hamacher is a Jungian practitioner, artist, composer, performer, writer and past professor of HCI & design at the University of Washington. He is in his 8th year of training as a Jungian psychoanalyst at the C.G. Jung Institute Zurich and is an Oregon state licensed plant medicine facilitator and resides in Portland Oregon.
He is the recipient of the 2024 Kristine Mann Research Award from the C.G. Jung Institute of New York / Analytical Psychology Club of New York for his forthcoming book ‘The Visual Jung: The Artist’s Journey Through Jungian Training’ and also a 2021 Gradiva Award recipientfrom the NAAP (National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis).
In this live, online Zoom based studio course we will explore internal and external psychological landscapes through the lens of animal archetypes. Across times and cultures archetypal animal images have played a healing role in communities, through individual activity and community shamanistic work. There’s a deep relationship between Jungian work and some of these ancient earth connecting practices our ancestors used–tools we may also be able to access. In our course together we will hone a method for engaging with the archetype of animals to form a better relationship with them, the natural world and with ourselves.
Together over the 5 weeks each studio class member will build an animal family that collects personally inspiring and grounding archetypal themes. Weeks will have imaginal techniques, creative prompts, introductory Jungian terms and sharing of ideas and processes. In our exercises and activities you will be free to use any artistic medium you feel comfortable with - beginning artists are welcome.
Imaginal and artistic work with these archetypes can be a tremendous way to improve connection to ourselves and the non-human realm and can lead to some long-term relationships with the animals/symbols/guides.
The course space is a friendly, relational and welcoming community. Come join us!
About the Instructor
Justin Hamacher is a multidisciplinary artist, Jungian practitioner, author and past professor of Human Computer Interaction & Design at the University of Washington. He is an advisor on pedagogy at the Kristine Mann Library in New York (C.G. Jung Institute New York / Analytical Psychology Club of New York).
Related to his work and research with the imaginal, he is the recipient of the 2024 Kristine Mann Library Research Award (C.G. Jung Institute of New York) for his forthcoming book 'The Visual Jung: The Artist's Journey Through Jungian Training' and also winner of a 2021 Gradiva Award from the NAAP (National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis).
He lives in Portland, Oregon where he is an Oregon State Licensed Psilocybin Facilitator, and offers Jungian analysis online and in-person. He is in his 9th and final year of training as a Jungian analyst in Zurich.
The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.
— Carl Jung