Discover Mythology as a Living Language of the Psyche

Myths are not simply old stories or primitive explanations of the natural world

Myths are symbolic expressions of the deep structures of the psyche. They reveal archetypal patterns, images of transformation, and recurring forms of human psychological and spiritual experience. In this self-paced course, we explore Jung’s understanding of mythology from both a practical and theoretical perspective. We also examine how later Jungian and Jungian-oriented thinkers have extended Jung’s approach and applied mythology to dreams, symbolic interpretation, culture, religion, and the individuation process.
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Explore the Architecture of the Collective Unconscious

Jung recognized that ancient myths often mirror the developmental patterns of the human psyche.

Jung recognized that ancient myths often mirror the developmental patterns of the human psyche. Rather than treating myths as outdated explanations of nature, Jung understood them as symbolic expressions of unconscious psychological processes. This course introduces students to mythology as a living psychological language. We study myth as a resource for understanding dreams, amplifying symbols, interpreting cultural patterns, and recognizing the archetypal themes that shape human life. Students will explore Jung’s distinctive approach to myth, compare it with mainstream theories of mythology, and consider the work of Jungian-oriented thinkers such as Joseph Campbell and Mircea Eliade. Along the way, we will examine important mythic patterns and stories, including Oedipus, Amor and Psyche, Isis and Osiris, the hero myth, world religions as mythic systems, and the consequences of myth’s loss in contemporary culture.
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Explore the Architecture of the Collective Unconscious

Who This Course Is For

This course is well suited for therapists, counselors, educators, clergy, spiritual directors, artists, writers, and serious lay students interested in Jungian psychology, mythology, religion, symbolic interpretation, and the unconscious.

Students who have completed or begun the Certificate in Foundational Depth Psychology will be especially well prepared. However, completion of the first certificate is not required. Students who already have a working knowledge of Jungian concepts, dreams, symbolic interpretation, and active imagination may also be ready to begin here.

This course is especially appropriate for students who want to deepen their understanding of:

  • Myth and archetype
  • The collective unconscious
  • Jung’s theory of individuation
  • Dream amplification
  • Mythic and religious symbolism
  • The psychological function of sacred stories
  • The loss of myth in modern culture


What You Will Study

In this course, we explore:

  • Major mainstream theories of myth and how they differ from Jung’s approach
  • Jung’s understanding of myth as an expression of the collective unconscious
  • The practical use of mythology in dream work and symbolic amplification
  • Important mythic narratives and their psychological significance
  • Joseph Campbell and Jungian-oriented approaches to the hero myth
  • Mircea Eliade, sacred time, sacred space, and the religious imagination
  • World religions as mythic systems
  • The psychological and cultural consequences of the loss of myth
  • The continuing value of myth for modern inner work, cultural understanding, and symbolic life


The goal is not simply to learn about mythology as historical material. The deeper aim is to learn how mythic patterns can illuminate the psyche, enrich symbolic interpretation, and help us understand both individual and collective life.

Your instructor

  • James R. Newell, Ph.D.

    Senior Instructor

    James R. Newell, Ph.D.

    James Newell is an educator, counselor, personal coach, professional musician, and the director of the Depth Psychology Alliance. James earned his master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling and Theology from Vanderbilt University Divinity School, with a focus on Jungian psychology. He earned his doctorate in History of Religions from the Vanderbilt University Graduate School of Religion. James has taught online and face to face courses for Central Michigan University, Western Kentucky University, Excelsior College, Thomas Edison State University, and other institutions.

What others are saying...

Bonnie Bright, PhD, founder of the Depth Psychology Alliance

Dr. James Newell is a gifted teacher

Bonnie Bright, PhD, founder of the Depth Psychology Alliance

Dr. James Newell is a gifted teacher and scholar who has effectively organized an impressive amount of detailed research and information into a series of powerful classes and courses on Jung and Jung’s psychology, now available on Depth Psychology Academy. Students at all levels can gain a depth of understanding about how Jung’s ideas can change our lives and our world as Dr. Newell explains each topic very clearly and at exactly the right pace for students of all levels to take it in.
Monica Flores, Ed.D

Dr. James Newell is highly knowledgeable in Jungian Psychology

Monica Flores, Ed.D

Dr. James Newell is highly knowledgeable in Jungian Psychology. I learned so much from him about Jung and Jungian psychology when I began taking courses in depth psychology from the Depth Psychology Alliance online courses. Dr. Newell is open-minded and consistent. He has a smooth voice that can hold anyone’s attention. I enthusiastically recommend taking these courses through the Depth Psychology Academy.
Ann Amberg, MCS, Transpersonal Leadership Consultant

James is a knowledgeable and caring instructor with an engaging teaching style

Ann Amberg, MCS, Transpersonal Leadership Consultant

I highly recommend Dr. James Newell’s courses. Upon completion of my certificate in Depth Psychology I had gained the confidence, focus and knowledge to support my success in my current PhD program in Jungian and Archetypal Studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute. James is a knowledgeable and caring instructor with an engaging teaching style. All of the Depth Psychology Alliance courses I took: Introduction to Jungian Psychology, Active Imagination, Fairy Tales, Dreams, and many more, were phenomenal and I am most grateful for the opportunity to study with James.
Nirlap Bettenhauser, student

The courses I have taken with Dr. Newell have perfectly prepped me for my graduate studies in psychoanalysis

Nirlap Bettenhauser, student

This is an outstanding educational program where one can learn multiple areas of Jungian Psychology. These courses are very well structured with an appropriate course load and high quality texts. Plus the price is incredibly reasonable. The courses I have taken with Dr. Newell have been intellectually engaging and have perfectly prepped me for my graduate studies in psychoanalysis. Not something I expected to receive from the academy, but very grateful I did.

Course Format Note

This course is based on recordings from an earlier live Depth Psychology Academy class. The recordings preserve the full teaching content of the original course, but students may hear occasional references to live discussions, earlier assignment structures, or a previous course platform.

For the current self-paced version, students should follow the materials as they appear on the Academy site. Each module includes the current course materials and quizzes. Completion is based on the current lessons, quizzes, readings or materials, and lesson completion steps inside the course.

Course curriculum

  • 1
    Welcome to Jung 105: Jung and Mythology!
  • 2
    Module 1: The Mainstream Study of Myth
    • Start Here: About These Recordings and Current Course Requirements
    • M1/1: Learning and Assessment Activities
    • M1/2: Video Lesson: The Mainstream Study of Myth
    • M1/3: Video Lesson Quiz
    • M1/4: Readings Quiz - (All questions are based on pages 3 - 24 in the textbook)
    • M1/5: Module Assignments and Additional Resources
    • M1/6: Additional, Optional Reading Resource for Study
    • M1/7: Additional, Optional Reading Resource for Study
    • M1/8: Additional, Optional Video
  • 3
    Module 2: Jung's Understanding of Mythology
    • M2/1: Learning and Assessment Activities
    • M2/2: Video Lesson: Jung's Understanding of Myth
    • M2/3: Video Quiz
    • M2/4: Readings Quiz - (All questions are based on pages 29 - 45 in the textbook)
    • M2/3: Module Assignments and Additional Resources
    • M2/4: An Additional, Optional Resource for Study
    • M2/5: An Additional, Optional Resource for Study
    • M2/6: An Additional, Optional Video Resource
    • M2/7: An Additional, Optional Video Resource
  • 4
    Module 3: Applied Mythology
    • M3/1: Learning and Assessment Activities
    • M3/2: Video Lesson: Applied Mythology
    • M3/3: Video Lesson Quiz
    • M3/4: Readings Quiz - (All questions are based on pages 45 - 72 in the textbook)
    • M3/5: Module Assignments and Additional Resources
    • M3/6: An Additional, Optional Reading Resource for Study
    • M3/7: An Additional, Optional Reading Resource for Study
    • M3/8: An Additional, Optional Reading Resource for Study
    • M3/9: An Additional, Optional Reading Resource for Study
    • M3/10: An Additional, Optional Video Resource
    • M3/11: An Additional, Optional Video Resource
    • M3/12: An Additional, Optional Video Resource
  • 5
    Module 4: Some Important Myths
    • M4/1: Learning and Assessment Activities
    • M4/2: Video Lesson: Some Important Myths
    • M4/3: Video Lesson Quiz
    • M4/4: Readings Quiz - (All questions are based on pages 72 - 87 in the textbook)
    • M4/3: Module Assignments and Additional Resources
    • M4/4 Additional Online Resources
    • M4/5: An Additional, Optional Reading Resource for Study
    • M4/6: An Additional, Optional Reading Resource for Study
    • M4/7: Additional, Optional Reading Resources for Study
    • M4/8: Additional, Optional Video Resources
  • 6
    Module 5: Joseph Campbell
    • M5/1: Learning and Assessment Activities
    • M5/2: Video Lesson: Joseph Campbell
    • M5/3: Module 5 Video Quiz
    • M5/4: Module 5 Readings Quiz - (All questions are based on pages 91 - 115 in the textbook)
    • M5/3: Module Assignments and Additional Resources
    • M5/4: Additional, Optional Reading Resource for Study
    • M5/5: Additional, Optional Reading Resource for Study
    • M5/6: Additional, Optional Video
  • 7
    Module 6: Mircea Eliade
    • M6/1: Learning and Assessment Activities
    • M6/2: Video Lesson: Mircea Eliade
    • M6/3: Module 6 Video Lesson Quiz
    • M6/4: Module 6 Readings Quiz - (All questions are based on pages 116-143 in the textbook)
    • M6/5: Module Assignments and Additional Resources
    • M6/6: Additional, Optional Video
  • 8
    Module 7: World Religions
    • M7/1: Learning and Assessment Activities
    • M7/2: Module 7 Video Lesson: World Religions
    • M7/3: Module 7 Video Lesson Quiz
    • M7/4: Module 7 Readings Quiz (All questions are based on pages 143 - 160 in the textbook).
    • M7/5: Module Assignments and Additional Resources
    • M7/6: An Additional, Optional Reading Resource for Study
    • M7/7: An Additional, Optional Reading Resource for Study
    • M7/8: An Additional, Optional Reading Resource for Study
    • M7/9: Additional, Optional Video
  • 9
    Module 8: The Loss of Myth in Culture
    • M8/1: Learning and Assessment Activities
    • M8/2: Module 8 Video Lesson: The Loss of Myth in Culture
    • M8/3: Module 8 Video Lesson Quiz
    • M8/4: Module 8 Readings Quiz - (All questions are based on pages 165 - 173 in the textbook)
    • M8/5: Module Assignments and Additional Resources.
    • M8/6: Additional, Optional Resource for Study
    • M8/7: Additional, Optional Resource for Study
    • M8/8: Additional, Optional Video
    • M8/9: Course Completion

How This Course Fits into the Advanced Certificate

Jung and Mythology is the recommended first course in the Advanced Certificate in Foundational Depth Psychology.

The Advanced Certificate in Foundational Depth Psychology continues foundational Jungian study through four major areas of symbolic and historical depth:

  1. Jung 105: Jung and Mythology
  2. Jung 106: Jung and Fairy Tales
  3. Jung 107: Jung and Alchemy
  4. Jung 200: History of Depth Psychology


This course opens the pathway by introducing students to large collective stories, archetypal patterns, sacred narratives, and the symbolic imagination. It prepares students for the more focused symbolic study of fairy tales, the more complex transformation symbolism of alchemy, and the historical perspective offered in Jung 200.

Students may also take Jung and Mythology as a standalone course. It is complete in itself and is especially valuable for students interested in mythology, religion, dreams, symbolic interpretation, literature, culture, and the collective psyche.

Continue Your Study of Jung, Myth, and the Symbolic Life

Jung and Mythology offers a substantial introduction to myth as a living language of the psyche

Whether taken as a standalone course or as the first course in the Advanced Certificate pathway, it provides a rich foundation for understanding archetypal images, symbolic narratives, dreams, religion, culture, and the collective imagination. Enroll now to begin exploring mythology as one of the great symbolic languages of depth psychology.
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