The Christine Downing Dissertation Fellowship (CDDF) carried the name of Professor Downing in acknowledgement of her contribution to the fields of depth psychology and mythology, her many years of teaching at Pacifica Graduate Institute, and her gift to OPUS of her own archival materials. The purpose of the Downing Fellowship was to award an annual scholarship to dissertation students in the fields of depth psychology and mythology studying at any accredited graduate-level institution. Once awarded, the Downing Fellowship recipient used the collections at OPUS for a significant amount of her or his dissertation research.
2025 Recipients
Jodi Casperite
Jodi’s dissertation,”Compassion Fatigue, the Caregiver Archetype, and Shadow Integration in Nursing Practice” examines compassion fatigue in nursing through a depth-psychological lens, with particular attention to the inner life of the nurse. She examines archetypal images found within myths and stories to explore how they might illuminate the experience of caregiving and guide nurses toward a more balanced relationship with their inner and outer worlds. Rather than understanding compassion fatigue solely through stress, burnout, or emotional regulation, this work explores how identification with the Caregiver archetype and the unconscious or shadow dimensions of caregiving may contribute to emotional depletion, disconnection, and loss of meaning. The archival works of Carl Jung provide a foundation for examining archetypes, the Shadow, the Self, and the relationship between conscious and unconscious life. Marion Woodman’s writings are particularly relevant to her exploration of embodiment, feminine consciousness, and the consequences of neglecting the inner life. The works of James Hillman and Christine Downing further support her inquiry into archetypal psychology, myth, imagination, and symbolic experience. Through these archival materials, she explores how attention to the nurse’s inner world, together with engagement with mythic and archetypal images, may open pathways toward greater self-awareness, meaning, vitality, and a more integrated way of caring.
