TERRY MARKS-TARLOW, PhD
I am a clinical psychologist in private practice in Santa Monica with a specialty in creativity and deep transformation. I have authored/edited more than 15 books and teach PhD students at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara and California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. After recently completing a graphic novel about trauma, dreamwork, and recovery with my co-author, Leanne Domash, as well as illustrating most of my books, I am happy to announce that I finally consider myself to be an artist. This aspect of my identity has been slow to come by. I’ve recently been given the honor to illustrate all paper submissions to three special issues of Psychoanalytic Inquiry related to gender issues. The figurative side of my art has never been seen before, and this journal has never illustrated its submissions before. Perhaps this invitation kicked me over the edge into believing I’m the real thing!
Earth Crying
(Photography Collage, Created in Photoshop)
In collaboration with Leanne Domash.
I and a collaborator, Leanne Domash, are currently working on a new book for the public called, Unbounded: Re-Imagining Boundaries on the Journey to Wholeness. In the process, we consider ourselves to be psychological activists and write this book partly in response to cancel culture and the ever-increasing polarization that all too easily leads to ‘othering.’ Our book re-examines boundaries from the perspective of Nature’s fractal borders that are open, complex and fuzzy rather than sharp, clean and smooth. At times, fractal boundaries can be completely interpenetrating, such that each side is fully embedded within the other.
Our book begins at the internal level of I/Me, including fuzzy boundaries between mind and body, brain and mind. We then move to the relational level of I/Thou, including fuzzy boundaries between mother and child, self and other. We wind up addressing the spiritual domain of I/Universe, where full interpenetration equates to the mystical sense of interconnection.
Unbounded is written at the intersection of art, science, psychology, and spirituality. It will be fully illustrated. This piece, Earth Crying, represents a plea to society to feel the open boundaries between humanity and the environment. The more we sense our interdependence with Mother Nature, the more intrinsically motivated we will be to take care of the Earth and honor all her aspects, whether organic or inorganic.