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{{Infobox academic
▲'''Sylvia Brinton Perera''' (December 30, 1932 - ) is an author and a Jungian analyst.
| name = Sylvia Brinton Perera
| occupation = Author and Jungian Analysis
| alma_mater = Radcliffe
| discipline = Jungian psychology, psychology of religion
}}
==Life and career==
===Professional===
Qualified as a [[Jungian analyst]], Perera is in private practice, counseling as a [[psychotherapist]]. Her earlier training included an [[Master of Arts|MA]] in psychology; her undergraduate focus at [[Radcliffe College|Radcliffe]] was in art history. At the [http://junginstitute.org C. G. Jung Institute of New York], she became recognized as a training analyst and is a member of the faculty. She also served on its board of directors. In addition to her articles, Perera has authored four books on Jungian psychology, and is co-author of another.<ref name="Crowley 2017" /> She also has located her practice in Vermont.<ref name="Perera 2014" />
===Personal===
The eldest of five children of a [[Society of Friends|Quaker]] family,
▲The eldest of five children of a [[Society of Friends|Quaker]] family, she grew up in [[Scarsdale]], New York. She has two children by her former husband, political scientist Gregory James Massell. Jungian analyst Edward Christopher Whitmont became her partner until his death in 1998.<ref>Goode (1998).</ref><ref>Crowley (2017).</ref>
==Commentary==
===In general===
[[Andrew Samuels]] discusses Perera in terms of the developing feminist perspective on Jung's psychology. He proposes three such groups: first, those working with Eros and "psychic relatedness" (including [[Esther Harding]] and [[Toni Wolff]]); second, those who view a woman not as one who relates, but "as she is, in her own right" (Perera, [[Marion Woodman]] and [[Ann Belford Ulanov]]); and third, those most compatible with contemporary feminism (e.g., [[June Singer]] re [[androgyny]]). Samuels later adds that Perera wrote of finding a nascent therapy, a "wisdom in change" embedded in an ancient [[goddess]] myth. Such [[mythology|myths]] were often overlooked by the prevailing [[patriarchy|patriarchal]] view.<ref
===''Descent to the Goddess''===
▲[[Andrew Samuels]] discusses Perera in terms of the developing feminist perspective on Jung's psychology. He proposes three such groups: first, those working with Eros and "psychic relatedness" (including [[Esther Harding]] and [[Toni Wolff]]); second, those who view a woman not as one who relates, but "as she is, in her own right" (Perera, [[Marion Woodman]] and [[Ann Belford Ulanov]]); and third, those most compatible with contemporary feminism (e.g., [[June Singer]] re [[androgyny]]). Samuels later adds that Perera wrote of finding a nascent therapy, a "wisdom in change" embedded in an ancient [[goddess]] myth. Such [[mythology|myths]] were often overlooked by the prevailing [[patriarchy|patriarchal]] view.<ref>Samuels (1985), pp. 217-219, 229.</ref>
Perera's 1981 book ''Descent to the Goddess'' concerns the commanding [[Inanna]] of [[Sumer]] who
Susan Rowland also discusses Perera's 1981 book, which she calls "popular and influential". The [[Shadow (psychology)|shadow]]-sister Ereshkigal holds [[archetype]]s of great pain, but also of healing. "[T]his goddess myth of an underworld journey and return enables Perera to shape depressive mental states as potentially [[empowerment|empowering]] women."<ref
▲Perera's 1981 book ''Descent to the Goddess'' concerns the commanding [[Inanna]] of [[Sumer]] who "presides over the ups and downs of destiny". More terrifying is her underworld sister [[Ereshkigal]] with the "eye of death". Edward C. Whitmont compares Perera's description here of the [[yin and yang|yin]] of 'feminine consciousness' to that of [[Erich Neumann (psychologist)|Erich Neumann's]]. As portrayed by Perera, under the sway of Ereshkigal an impersonal nature inflicts a pitiless pain on humanity. Yet Inanna's "descent into the [[underworld]] presages a renewal of life."<ref>Whitmont (1992), pp. 133-135, quotes at 134, 135, 198.</ref><ref>Neumann (1954).</ref>
▲Susan Rowland also discusses Perera's 1981 book, which she calls "popular and influential". The [[Shadow (psychology)|shadow]]-sister Ereshkigal holds [[archetype]]s of great pain, but also of healing. "[T]his goddess myth of an underworld journey and return enables Perera to shape depressive mental states as potentially [[empowerment|empowering]] women."<ref>Rowlands (2001), pp. 62-63, 71, quotes at 62, 71.</ref>
==Selected works==
*''Descent to the Goddess: A Way of Initiation for Women.'' Toronto: Inner City Books 1981. {{ISBN|978-0919123052}}
*''The Scapegoat Complex: Toward a Mythology of Shadow and Guilt.'' Toronto: Inner City Books 1986. {{ISBN|978-0919123229}}
*''Celtic Queen Maeve and Addiction. An Archetypal Perspective.'' New York: Ibris Press 2001; London: Nicolas Hayes 2001. {{ISBN|978-0892540570}}
*''The Irish Bull God: Image of Multiform and Integral Masculinity.'' Toronto: Inner City Books 2004. {{ISBN|978-1894574082}}
**''Dreams, A Portal to the Source,'' co-author Edward Christopher Whitmont. London: Routledge 1992. {{ISBN|978-0415064538}}
*[http://jungchicago.org/blog/tag/sylvia-brinton-perera/ "Mother Earth Body Self. Therapeutic Process as Return and (Re-)Emergence"] (1996), podcast: Nov. 24, 2014, at ''C. G. Jung Institute of Chicago''. Accessed 2018-10-17.▼
==
{{Reflist
<ref name="Neumann 1954">{{cite journal |last1=Neumann |first1=Erich |author-link1=Erich Neumann (psychologist) |journal=[[Spring (journal)|Spring]] |year=1954 |pages=64–118 |title=On the Moon and Matriarchal Consciousness}}</ref>
*[[Vivianne Crowley]], [https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-642-27771-9_200092-1 "Perera, Sylvia Brinton"] (2017), in David A. Leeming (editor), ''Enclyclopedia of Psychology and Religion'', Berlin and Heidelberg: Springer.▼
<ref name="Samuels 1985">{{cite book |last1=Samuels |first1=Andrew |author-link1=Andrew Samuels |title=Jung and the Post-Jungians |location=[[London]] |publisher=Routledge and Kegan Paul |year=1985 |pages=217–219}}</ref>
*Erica Goode, [https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/27/us/edward-whitmont-85-leader-in-teaching-jungian-psychology.html "Edward Whitmont, 85, Leader in teaching Jungian psychology"], in ''The New York Times'', Sept. 27, 1998. Accessed 2018-10-16. ▼
*S. Naifeh, "Review: Perera, Sylvia Brinton, Queen Maeve and her lovers," in ''Journal of Analytical Psychology'', 230–234. (2001).▼
<ref name="Whitmont 1992">{{cite book |last1=Whitmont |first1=Edward C. |title=Return of the Goddess |location=New York |publisher=Crossroad Publishing |orig-year=1984 |year=1992 |pages=133–135}}</ref>
▲
<ref name="Rowland 2001">{{cite book |last1=Rowland |first1=Susan |title=Jung. A Feminist Revision |location=[[Cambridge]] |publisher=Polity Press (Blackwell) |year=2001 |pages=62–63}}</ref>
▲
▲
}}
==Further reading==
▲* {{cite journal |last1=Naifeh |first1=S.
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perera, Sylvia}}
[[Category:Living people]]▼
[[Category:1932 births]]▼
[[Category:Feminist psychologists]]
▲[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Radcliffe College alumni]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
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