Mary Dougherty on the Creative Process

Mary Dougherty, Jungian Analyst, and faculty member at the Chicago Jung Institute presented a lecture Friday, April 7 and a workshop Saturday, April 8. Her lecture focused on the impetus for creativity. She used “Universal Hotel,” a film created by her late husband, Peter Thompson, to illustrate how dreams, images, active imagination, synchronicity, and the process of individuation operate consciously and unconsciously in the creative process. She presented a short lecture, showed the film and then led a discussion. 

In her workshop, she led participants through an experiential exercise using journal writing, active imagination and artwork. She provided art paper and pastels to everyone. She then gave writing prompts, asked everyone to journal and then instructed participants to draw with eyes closed. Finally, she led the group through an active imagination exercise. Many found it to be very self illuminating.