Join us in this new episode of Soul Session: A Jungian Coaching Podcast called “Unlocking Joy: The Psychology and Philosophy of Happiness” , we explore the essence of joy and how it can be cultivated in our lives. Discover the difference between modern and depth psychology's views on happiness, and learn how Eastern philosophy offers a unique perspective on finding bliss.

Key Points:

• Joy as a Natural State - happiness is our natural state, achievable regardless of life circumstances. 
• Modern psychology views happiness as a result of neurobiology, while depth psychology focuses on the unconscious mind. 
• Explore the concept of Ananda, or bliss, as our true nature, and how non-attachment can lead to deeper joy. 
• Practical Exercises: Debra shares the practice of "neti neti" to help disengage from the ego and access pure awareness.

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Want to be a Certified Jungian Life Coach? Download your free program brochure: https://www.creativemindlife.com/download-now-lct-brochure

Stay Connected with Debra and Dr. Rob:
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Debra Maldonado and Dr. Rob explore the profound and transformative power of love. They discuss the intricate layers of love, examining its psychological, biological, and spiritual dimensions. Through engaging discussions, they reveal how love is not just an emotion but a complex force that influences our relationships and personal growth.

Key Takeaways:

• Love as a Multifaceted Force: Love is more than an emotion; it includes behavioral patterns, communication, and spiritual elements. Understanding love's complexity can enhance personal and relational growth.

• Neuroscience of Love: Neurotransmitters like dopamine and oxytocin play crucial roles in attraction and bonding. These chemical processes help form deep connections with others.

• Attachment and Psychological Patterns: Early relationships shape our attachment styles and influence current romantic bonds. Recognizing and addressing unconscious patterns can lead to healthier relationships.

• Spiritual Dimension of Love: Love transcends the physical and psychological, connecting us to a higher spiritual purpose. Embracing spiritual love fosters a deeper connection with oneself and others.

• Personal Growth and Intimacy: Self-awareness and personal growth are essential for meaningful and lasting relationships. Overcoming fears of intimacy can lead to more fulfilling connections.

Resources:

Debra's book "Let Love In" (Wiley 2010)

Next Episode Preview: Tune in next week as we shift focus to "Happiness and Joy," exploring the lighter side of emotions and their role in a fulfilling life.

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Want to be a Certified Jungian Life Coach? Download your free program brochure: https://www.creativemindlife.com/download-now-lct-brochure

Stay Connected with Debra and Dr. Rob:
Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | creativemindlife.com | [email protected]

In this episode of Soul Sessions, we discuss the misunderstood emotion of anger. We explore how anger, when faced consciously, can reveal the warrior within us and serve as a force of clarity, courage, and even love. 

Through the lens of Jungian psychology, we discuss the purpose of anger, its evolutionary roots, and how it can be transformed from a destructive force into a powerful ally. 

Join us as we uncover the wisdom anger carries and how to reclaim it for personal growth and empowerment. Don't miss this insightful conversation that challenges the conventional view of anger and offers a new perspective on embracing all emotions for a more fulfilling life.

Episode Highlights:

• Discover how anger can be a source of strength and protection when understood and channeled correctly. 

• Learn about the role of anger in Jungian psychology and its purpose in our emotional landscape. 

• Explore practical ways to transform anger from a destructive force into a tool for personal growth. 

• Understand the evolutionary roots of anger and its impact on modern society.

00:00 - Introduction to Anger as an Ally
05:12 - Jungian Psychology and Anger 

15:30 - Transforming Anger into Strength 

25:45 - Evolutionary roots of anger and its societal impact.

35:20 - How to Work with Anger

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Want to be a Certified Jungian Life Coach? Download your free program brochure: https://www.creativemindlife.com/download-now-lct-brochure

Stay Connected with Debra and Dr. Rob:
Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | creativemindlife.com | [email protected]

In this episode of Soul Sessions, Debra Maldonado and Dr. Rob discuss the complex nature of fear and its role in personal growth. They explore the importance of confronting fear and the transformative power of shadow work. The conversation emphasizes the need to face the unknown and the ego's role in shaping our fears. 

They also discuss the value of coaching in navigating these challenges and how collective fears manifest in societal issues. Ultimately, the episode encourages listeners to embrace their fears as a pathway to empowerment and self-discovery.

In this episode you will learn how:

• Fear is a primal emotion that signals growth.
• The shadow represents parts of ourselves we need to integrate.
• Coaching can provide support in facing fears and challenges.
• True security comes from connecting with our soul, not the ego.
• Collective fears reflect our individual psychological struggles.
• Facing fear can transform our lives and the world around us.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction: The Nature of Fear

02:15 - Self-Reflection: The First Step

05:30 - Shadow Work: Facing the Unconscious

09:00 - Transforming Personal Lives

12:45 - Collective Change Through Individual Growth

16:20 - Breaking Free from Ego Patterns

20:00 - Conclusion: Embracing Fear for Transformation

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Want to be a Certified Jungian Life Coach? Download your free program brochure: https://www.creativemindlife.com/download-now-lct-brochure

Stay Connected with Debra and Dr. Rob:
Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | creativemindlife.com | [email protected]

Are you ready to transform your relationship with emotions and unlock their hidden creative power? Join Debra and Dr. Rob Maldonado as they challenge common myths around “positive” and “negative” feelings and reveal a Jungian coaching model that can help you tap into the full spectrum of your humanity.

Whether you struggle with vulnerability or want to deepen your self-awareness, this episode will shift the way you view your emotional life and empower you to live more passionately and purposefully. In this episode, we discuss:

• Why emotions aren’t problems to be fixed—but messengers from your unconscious with vital information
• How repressing uncomfortable feelings leads to a “numb” or mediocre life
• The difference between feelings and emotions, and why sensation alone isn’t the whole story
• How to approach emotions through Jungian coaching for greater self-mastery, meaning, and fearless action

00:00 Introduction

03:05 The Role of Emotions in Jungian Coaching

05:54 Emotions as Messengers of Meaning

12:06 Transforming Fear into Empowerment

15:13 The Journey to Wholeness through Emotions

21:05 Creating Space for Emotional Expression

23:51 Emotions as the Key to Purpose

27:01 Facing the Dragon: Courage in Emotional Work

29:56 The Path to Wholeness and Integration

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Want to be a Certified Jungian Life Coach? Download your free program brochure: https://www.creativemindlife.com/download-now-lct-brochure

Stay Connected with Debra and Dr. Rob:
Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | creativemindlife.com | [email protected]

Join Dr. Rob and Debra as they explore the story of the "wounded healer" and why it resonates so deeply, especially in the world of therapy, coaching and personal development. Many of us step onto the path of personal growth or become coaches, therapists or healers after facing our own pain. The “wounded healer” is a compelling archetype—someone who has been through suffering and channels that experience to help others.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why pain is a calling and how these experiences nudge us to seek change, deeper understanding or even to help others on their own journey
• The "Stages of Seeking" and how borrowing from the wisdom of the Gita can help explain the four types of seekers—those in pain, creators, knowledge-seekers, and wisdom-seekers
• Moving beyond the pain and how true transformation only comes after discovering who we want to become. As Debra shares, “The archetype of the wounded healer, you want to transcend that. You don’t want to own it for the rest of your life”
• How our own self-work directly impacts how we support others. The deeper we’ve gone in our personal growth, the more space we can hold for clients to transcend, create and connect to their true self
• The struggle with receiving money for your healing work and how our cultural complexes around money often show up in coaching and therapy

Inspired to embark on your own journey of return? Dive deeper into these powerful ideas with the full Hero’s Journey series on Soul Sessions with CreativeMind. Take the first step toward integrating your own wisdom and creating a truly spiritual life.

00:00 Introduction
00:40 The Wounded Healer: Jung’s Legacy and Concept
04:38 Healing Pain vs. Creating Change: Four Types of Seekers
07:27 Limits of the “Wounded Healer” Identity
10:09 Creation and Ego: Moving Beyond Pain
14:05 Coaching, Manifestation, and Redefining Success
26:15 Steps Beyond the Wounded Healer: Embracing Individuation
32:08 The Soul vs. Ego: True Freedom and Potential
33:20 From Wounded Healer to Empowered Leader

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Want to be a Certified Jungian Life Coach? Download your free program brochure: https://www.creativemindlife.com/download-now-lct-brochure

Stay Connected with Debra and Dr. Rob:
Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | creativemindlife.com | [email protected]

Join hosts Debra Maldonado and Dr. Rob Maldonado as they wrap up their enlightening series on the Hero’s Journey and Jung’s Individuation Process. In this episode, they dive deep into "The Return," the final, transformative phase of personal growth, providing practical insight and wisdom for integrating your inner journey back into everyday life.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The three major stages of the Hero’s Journey’s: Departure, Initiation, and Return
• How this mythic journey parallels Jung’s individuation process
• Why the return is just as crucial (and challenging) as setting out on the journey
• How to integrate profound inner transformations once you “return” to ordinary life
• The confusion and ambiguity that often arises after a major self-discovery

Inspired to embark on your own journey of return? Dive deeper into these powerful ideas with the full Hero’s Journey series on Soul Sessions with CreativeMind. Take the first step toward integrating your own wisdom and creating a truly spiritual life.

00:00 Introduction, the Hero’s Journey & Jung’s Individuation Process
02:18 Diving Into the Return: Who Am I Now?
03:15 Mythology & Individuation: Symbolic Meaning
05:25 Entering the Unconscious: Resistance from Ego
06:52 The Return: Gifts, Intuition, and Courage
07:24 Refusal of the Return
08:41 Challenges of Reintegration
13:40 CreativeMind Life Coach Training Mention
13:49 The Magical Flight: Dangers on the Return Path
15:37 Ambiguity and Balancing the New Self
17:10 The Final Challenge and Intention for Return
18:28 Rescue from Without: The Role of Relationships
21:24 Crossing the Final Threshold: Integrating Wisdom
23:16 Integration, Not Isolation
24:36 Symbolic Living: Seeing the World Anew
29:04 Embracing Human Dualities
32:33 Outward Radiance & Spiritual Fulfillment
35:31 Recap: Stages of The Return
36:01 Invitation to the Journey & Closing Thoughts

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Want to be a Certified Jungian Life Coach? Download your free program brochure: https://www.creativemindlife.com/download-now-lct-brochure

Stay Connected with Debra and Dr. Rob:
Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | creativemindlife.com | [email protected]

Are you ready to reclaim your power with the Animus in your Hero’s Journey? In this episode, we’re venturing deeper into Jungian psychology to uncover what it means to engage the Animus and claim your inner authority and true power.

We’ll explore the powerful second stage of initiation, showing how your relationship with the archetypal father shapes your spiritual strength, and how integration of this energy is key to self-realization.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The difference between shadow work and true integration (why insight isn’t enough)
• The symbolic meaning of the animus as authority, power, and the invisible forces shaping our lives
• How personal experiences with authority figures influence your connection to the divine and your own power
• Practical steps to reclaim inner authority, break through old patterns, and connect with your deepest self

If you’re ready to move beyond old limitations and bring the treasures of self-discovery into your everyday life, this episode is your map. Subscribe and journey with us next week for the “Return”—how to re-enter the world fully transformed.

00:00 Introduction and Hero’s Journey Overview
00:50 Recap of Initiation and Meeting the Anima
01:52 Entering the Archetypal Realm: Collective Unconscious
02:35 The Atonement with the Father: Introduction to the Animus
04:37 Understanding and Integrating Power and Authority
06:24 The Process of Insight, Emotional Work, and Integration
08:23 Early Imprints and Authority in Our Lives
10:08 Examples of Relating to the Father Archetype and Power
14:28 The Animus and Relationship with Spirit

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Want to be a Certified Jungian Life Coach? Download your free program brochure: https://www.creativemindlife.com/download-now-lct-brochure

Stay Connected with Debra and Dr. Rob:
Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | creativemindlife.com | [email protected]

Ever felt lost on your personal growth journey or wondered why life’s biggest challenges show up right when you’re ready for something more? 

This week on Soul Sessions: A Jungian Coaching Podcast, Debra and Dr. Rob Maldonado guide you through a new episode called, “Why Feeling Lost is the Key to Living Your Potential.” Explore the “Initiation” stage of the Hero’s Journey, illuminating why facing the darkness is a crucial part of your soul’s transformation. 

Get ready to explore the inner landscape of individuation, shadow work, and the archetypal energies that shape your sense of purpose and possibility.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The hidden gifts inside the “dark night of the soul” and why feeling lost is a vital step on your journey
• The “road of trials” and how real transformation begins with challenges and tests
• Shadow work as the first opening to greater creativity and why it’s only a beginning, not the end
• The meeting of the goddess archetype and integrating the anima for deeper connection, love, and genuine purpose
• Navigating temptations, attachments, and distractions that pull you off course and how to stay true to your calling

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Want to be a Certified Jungian Life Coach? Download your free program brochure: https://www.creativemindlife.com/download-now-lct-brochure

Stay Connected with Debra and Dr. Rob:
Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | creativemindlife.com | [email protected]

In this episode, Debra and Rob discuss the first stage of the Hero’s Journey, Departure, exploring its powerful connections to Jung’s concept of individuation. Together, they break down what it truly means to heed the “call to adventure,” grapple with the natural impulse to refuse that call, and why venturing into the unknown is such a pivotal moment for personal growth.

Drawing from Joseph Campbell’s celebrated framework, our hosts discuss the fears, resistance, and life changes that often spark the journey toward transformation—whether it’s a breakup, a new opportunity, an illness, or the desire for a more meaningful life. Debra and Rob illustrate how these external events become invitations to look inward, confront our unconscious, and begin the path toward authentic self-discovery.

You’ll hear thoughtful insights on why true change requires moving beyond comfort zones and external markers of success, and how the support of mentors and guides—especially those skilled in inner work—can help us cross that critical threshold. Whether you’re navigating a challenging transition or searching for deeper purpose, this episode offers both practical guidance and soulful inspiration for embarking on your own hero’s journey. Tune in and take the first step toward discovering the hero within.

Here’s a recap of the elements in the First Stage of the Hero’s Journey: The Departure: 

• The call to adventure
• Refusal of the call
• Supernatural aid/Mentor
• Crossing the first threshold
• Belly of the Beast

Share Your Thoughts with Us...

•••

Want to be a Certified Jungian Life Coach? Download your free program brochure: https://www.creativemindlife.com/download-now-lct-brochure

Stay Connected with Debra and Dr. Rob:
Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | creativemindlife.com | [email protected]