ON-DEMAND COURSE

Fairy Tales

Jungian Psychology
TEACHERS
Lionel Corbett, Tina Stromsted, Dariane Pictet, Machiel Klerk, Akke-Jeanne Klerk
TOPIC
Jungian
Format
4 Class Course
DURATION
4 hours, 20 min

Payment options: Credit Card or PayPal.

The Wisdom of Fairy tales: Learn To Engage in the Unfolding of Your Soul

Fairy tales represent psychological dynamics and patterns. They show in symbolic and metaphorical ways the life challenges and solutions we face. Carl Jung called these patterns archetypes. 

From fairy Tales we learn how to psychologically engage these universal problems and challenges, such as starting the journey, being lost, betrayal & abandonment and finding our way home again. 

We invited 5 different experienced teachers to talk about one fairy tale each. In this course you will not only learn several specific fairy tales with their unique underlying symbolic forms, but also each of the teachers will offer suggestions on how to work with fairy tales in general. This is an invaluable skill to work with the unconscious, and is also applicable to mythology, dreams, and a symbolic reading of daily life. 

FAIRY TALES COURSE

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Go on a transformative journey into the enchanting world of fairy tales with our soulful storytellers. Each class is guided by a seasoned therapist and teacher deeply attuned to the symbolic and dynamic nature of the soul. Through the exploration of these timeless narratives, participants will discover profound insights into their own life challenges and opportunities. You will learn to view your life through a symbolic lens.

Delving into the unfolding and transformation of the psyche, akin to the rhythms of nature itself, this course equips participants with essential skills to navigate the complexities of the human psyche in dream work, psychotherapy, and everyday life.

Each of the teachers will offer invaluable tips on how to work with symbols and fairy tales, each tale serving as a unique reflection of the profound human journey through the mysteries of transformation. We will travel through kingdoms in disarray, answering the call to start our transformative journey, and explore how complexes keep us in their grip. Through these timeless stories, we encounter power dynamics, trust and abandonment, and negative, critical, and utterly destructive forces. We will also learn to identify the supportive forces within the soul that allow for positive transformation.

Join us on this transformative odyssey into the wild landscapes of fairy tales and the depths of our own souls, where every lesson unlocks a new realm of initiation, personal development and individuation.

This program is ideal if you want to be able to

  • Understand how the psychological dynamics of Fairy Tales are very accurate representations of psychological dynamics
  • Have a deeper symbolic understanding of the ways the unconscious / psyche transforms.
  • Deepen your therapeutic understanding of the psyche of your patient.
  • Elicit your creative muse better, and understand how to be more creatively involved. 
  • Learn how complexes function, and are expressed symbolically in fairy tales (and myths and dreams).
  • Have a deeper symbolic understanding of the ways the unconscious / psyche transforms.
  • Apply fairy tales to your own life

Fairy Tales Class Descriptions 

Bonus Class: Dariane Pictet – ​​How to work with Fairy Tales

Pictet will discuss how understanding fairy tales can be instrumental for personal development. She will demonstrate methods for reading and interpreting the symbolic and metaphorical nature of fairy tales and their parallels with psychological processes. This provides a marvelous introduction to both fairy tales and this course!

Class 1: Tina Stromsted – The Handless Maiden

The fairy tale “The Handless Maiden,” tells the story of a young girl whose hands are cut off by her father under the influence of the devil. Abandoned and helpless, she embarks on a journey of profound suffering and resilience. As she wanders through the forest, she is eventually aided by a kind king who marries her and provides her with silver hands. Despite this, she must endure further trials, including separation from her husband and child. Throughout the tale, the handless maiden’s journey symbolizes the struggle to reclaim personal power and integrity after deep trauma. Tina also offers a bonus exercise.

Class 2: Lionel Corbett – Rapunzel

The Grimm’s story of Rapunzel describes the unconscious dynamics involved in a couple’s difficulty conceiving a child. Rapunzel and her husband are trapped in a powerfully negative mother complex, here depicted as a wicked enchantress. The story also has an Oedipal theme and illustrates the notion of the reverse selfobject, the way in which a parent may use a child to enhance the parent’s sense of self. The story depicts maternal envy, rage and hatred- the intense suffering this produces, and the redemptive power of empathic recognition of suffering in the other.

Class 3: Dariane Pictet – All kinds of Fur

The fairy tale “Allerleirauh,” or “All-Kinds-of-Fur,” tells of a princess who escapes her father’s incestuous intentions by hiding in a forest cloaked in fur. This tale symbolizes the struggle against oppressive power structures and the journey toward self-identity. The king serves only himself, representing rigid norms and a tyrannical inner critic. The princess’s journey to the prince’s castle, where she regains her identity, symbolizes healing and self-actualization. She transforms personal trauma into true relatedness, affirming core values. The story concludes with a marriage symbolizing a renewed world order and balanced consciousness.

Class 4: Akke Jeanne Klerk & Machiel Klerk – Hansel and Gretel

The story begins with the challenges around trust and abandonment of Hansel and Gretel in the forest by their parents. The encounter with the witch and their subsequent capture reflect the confrontation with the destructive and negative mother complex. An exploration on how to engage with negative forces, and the inner or outer supportive sibling are central psychological dynamics that will be addressed.

Course reviews

Fairy tales aren't just for kids. They have lots of material for adult growth. The course was very good, with engaging and knowledgeable teachers. (Cynthia)

Each teacher and each story had something valuable to offer. Now realise why fairytales are such a rich source of daily wisdom. (Ron)

Much loved familiar fairy stories re-thought for useful information. Enjoyed the presenters, the topics and the reflection. (Sean)

I love fairy tales and really appreciate the speakers for their contemporary interpretation of symbology in the fairy tales. (Maria)

Course overview

What you will receive

*You will receive a certificate of completion, but it’s not from an official accrediting body. Please check if it will be accepted by the organization you wish to use it with.
4 video & 4 audio recordings + 2 bonus  recordings
Handout
Accurate subtitles
Certificate of completion*
Available in English

ABout the teachers

Lionel Corbett

Dr. Lionel Corbett trained in medicine and psychiatry in England and as a Jungian Analyst at the C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago. Dr. Corbett is a professor of depth psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, California, where he teaches depth psychology.

Tina Stromsted

Tina Stromsted, Ph.D., MFT, LPCC, BC-DMT, RSME/T is a Jungian psychoanalyst, Board Certified Dance/ Movement therapist, and Somatic psychotherapist and educator. 
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Dariane Pictet

Dariane is a Jungian Analyst born in Geneva, Switzerland. She attended Drama School in Paris, worked as a Poetry Editor then trained as a Psychotherapist. 
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Machiel Klerk

Machiel Klerk is a licensed mental health therapist, with a specialty in working with dreams. He is also an international speaker and dedicated social entrepreneur. 
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Akke-Jeanne Klerk

Akke-Jeanne is Jung Platform’s co-founder & Jungian Coach. Her background consists of a Master’s in Psychology, and several years of training in Jungian Analysis. She is the author of ‘Psychology of Heartbreak’ (in Dutch) and has offered trainings on coaching for over a decade.

Scholarships

We here at Jung Platform want to make these programs available to anyone. If you would love to participate yet can’t pay for the full course, then please send us an email at scholarships@jungplatform.com and describe why you feel you qualify for a scholarship, how much you can pay, and what you will do to help the Jung Platform promote this and other programs.

FAIRY TALES - frequent asked questions

Do I Need Background Training in Carl Jung’s Psychology to Enroll?

No prior background in depth psychology is required to fully participate. While the course addresses sophisticated concepts like archetypes, complexes, and the process of individuation, our five instructors use the fairy tales themselves as the primary teaching vehicle. Because stories are naturally accessible, the psychological dynamics are broken down step-by-step. This format makes the course equally rewarding for absolute beginners seeking symbolic insights for healing and advanced practitioners looking to deepen their symbolic competency.

Will I Learn a Specific Method for Interpreting Fairy Tales on My Own?

Yes. Beyond analyzing individual narratives like Rapunzel and The Handless Maiden, this course provides a foundational immersion into the actual process of Jungian fairy tale interpretation. You will learn how to identify universal symbolic archetypes and map the metaphorical plot structures that mirror the movement of the libido and the psyche's natural drive toward balance. By learning how our five Jungian teachers amplify these motifs, you will develop a sharp symbolic eye to track psychological dynamics and patterns within folklore, mythology, your own dreams, and the unconscious layers of daily life.

How Does Analyzing Fairy Tales Help Me Work with the Unconscious?

Marie-Louise von Franz, one of Carl Jung’s closest collaborators, described fairy tales as the purest and simplest expression of collective unconscious psychic processes. By studying how archetypes and complexes work within these timeless stories, you develop what Jung called a symbolic attitude. This skill is an invaluable foundation for working with the unconscious in your own personal development: it changes how you approach your dreams, helps you recognize shadow patterns, and reveals the mythic motifs playing out in your daily life.

Which Specific Fairy Tales and Archetypes Are Covered in This Program?

The curriculum is systematically curated to cover a diverse matrix of universal problems and challenges across five distinct modules. You will study The Handless Maiden with Tina Stromsted to explore deep endurance and somatic healing; Rapunzel with Lionel Corbett to examine psychic isolation and parental complexes; All Kinds of Fur with Dariane Pictet to look at trauma and protection; and Hansel and Gretel with Machiel & Akke-Jeanne Klerk to decode themes of abandonment, hunger, and finding our way home again. Each narrative serves as a living psychological map showing how the unconscious seeks resolution.

Are there more fairytale related programs on jung platform?

Yes, we have a dedicated Fairy Tale learning path.

Is this course live or self-paced? 

This is a fully on-demand online course, allowing you to learn at your own pace. It includes video lessons, a companion guide, and a recorded Q&A session.

The Jung Platform Guarantee

We stand by our programs. If within 30 days of your purchase or the live course start, you're not satisfied, we offer a replacement or a full refund.

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