Thank you for visiting my blog. Here you will find musings that surface from my studies in Jungian Depth Psychology, from my work as a wilderness rites of passage guide with The School of Lost Borders, and from my many wanderings along the basin and ranges of the western states.
In 2012, I “retired” from an eleven year, tenured position as associate professor of counseling at California State University, Los Angeles where I taught graduate students in the marriage and family and school counseling programs. Currently, I am adjunct faculty at Pacifica Graduate Institute where I primarily teach courses on ecopsychology. I now live near Grass Valley, California where I have a private psychotherapy practice, with a specializaiton in depth and nature-based approaches. You can visit my webpage at www.betsyperluss.com.
I hope you enjoy these simple offerings. Please feel free to leave comments.
Betsy Perluss
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I just want to let you know how grateful I am to find this blog. I have only recently discovered the exquisite beauty of the California deserts; I believe them to be wholly underrated and a true gem for anyone looking for unexpected and remote beauty off the beaten path. I realize this isn’t entirely what your blog is about, but I want to thank you for bringing to the internet a morsel of awareness that such great places do exist in our state’s backyard.
Thank you, Dr. Quack, for the lovely note. So glad you found your way to my site. Indeed, the California deserts are one of our most precious, and under-rated, gems. – Betsy
I am a first year student in the Humanities program at Pacifica.I am about to do my final on landscape and the psyche for Susan Rowland’s class in Ecopsychology and was thrilled to find your website and blog. Any chance you can help me locate your Thesis? I would love to have a conversation as well if that’s possible. I live in Huntington Beach, CA
Peace, Gabrielle Hass
hi Gabrielle,
Sorry for the delay in my response. I’ve been out backpacking away from intent. I am pleased to hear that you have found my blog helpful for your Pacifica work. You can actually find my dissertation in the Pacifica library or access it through their on-line system. I’m leaving again next week to guide another wilderness program and so will be out of internet range, but I hope this helps in the meantime. – betsy
Betsy, we met over a year ago at the ranch when I was visiting an old friend,(I even cooked you dinner and shared an evening of laughter…) and I just now seredipiditously stumbled onto this blog, and savored ‘We are all Rainmakers.’
It resonated with me, thanks for sharing such a soulful piece.
CARPE DIEM
Hi Susie, Yes, I remember! Good food and warm laughter; nourishment for the soul. Thank you for reading my blog and commenting. It means a lot to me. Warmest wishes to you. b
How did I get to this point? I was moving along the ‘Turkey Creek String Band’ line and stopped to view some of the pictures of the Band on Wiki… . I viewed two, one of the band members and one of you. Your photo was captivating and suddenly I was at the intersection of two unique and distinct lines.
A woman sitting in a semi yoga position and drinking a bottle of beer, while a tiny stream flowed in front of her. Why was I so captivated? After about a week of reading her intriguing blogs and gazing at her photo, I awoke suddenly!
You are the embodiment of the feminine archetype; the spirit of Her leaps out of your photograph and your written words transmit Her words. The beer, though, seems so mundane, but actally brings us to now. The stream finally
verifies, for me, my thoughts. The water brings us closer yet.
Thank you Betsy.
I’m not sure that you read my 1st comment: I gave the wrong email address. So here is my 2nd comment. Your picture, new big pine creek, is captivating.
I see the feminine archetype looking at me, but appearing from now ( the beer or drink bottle), not from some distant past or culture. The pose, for me, is classic quigon. The flowing creek magnifies your energy. The mother appears through yours eyes and is captured by the photo. Also, yours blogs awaken old interests of mine; probably very timely for me.
Thank you so much!
Back to the new pine creek photo: 3rd comment.
Back many years ago, I read a piece by a catholic priest from the Jungian Institute in Toronto, who wrote that God experiences life through us; in your case, the Goddess does.
So that’s what also comes through the photo, the goddess having fun; the joy in the smile, one dimension of life. See what life can be like.
Many thanks for the reminder!
Dennis,
Thank you for all the thoughtful comments. I am pleased that my blog has made such an impression. And, of course, to be associated with the feminine of nature is more than an honor. May you travel well through this world. betsy
Hello Betsy,
I am inteersted in reading your dissertation Landscape archetypes: Islands, valleys, mountains, and deserts.Where can I get it?
Thanks,
Teresa
I really appreciated your reminder of ritual for the Winter Solstice, and the beauty of darkness to our souls. I am having a ritual tonight with my 96 year old mother, sitting in the dark and lighting candles. This may have passed my attention without the email from Lost Borders, and I would have missed an opportunity for gathering and intimacy. I found a wonderful quote I’ll share with you….”Shadow only means a light is shining nearby.” author unknown. Happy Winter Solstice and Blessings for your words.