The Conversation Between Depth Psychology and Culture

The word “conversation” implies an interaction, a give and take, a back and forth; and this back and forth aptly describes the relationship between depth psychology and culture, and art in particular. From the beginning, depth psychology has been influenced by and has influenced culture: obtaining insights from culture; exploring culture through a depth psychological perspective, explicating itself through culture; and having an effect on culture. In what follows, I first explore art and the origins of depth psychology, then the cultural conversation between depth psychology and culture, and, lastly, I discuss movies as examples of a depth psychological praxis.