Clarissa Pinkola Estés
Biography
Clarissa Pinkola Estés is an American Jungian psychoanalyst, post-trauma specialist, and cantadora (keeper of the old stories). Born in 1945 to a Mexican American family and raised in the rural Great Lakes region, her work draws heavily from her mestiza heritage, her training as a psychoanalyst, and her extensive collection of myths, fairy tales, and folk stories from diverse cultures. She is best known for her seminal work, "Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype," which spent 145 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. Through her writing and teachings, Estés encourages individuals, especially women, to reclaim their innate wild, intuitive nature, heal from psychological wounds, and navigate personal and collective challenges by tapping into the wisdom embedded in ancient stories and the unconscious. Her work is deeply rooted in archetypal psychology and emphasizes the importance of storytelling as a healing modality. She founded the C.P. Estés Guild of International Lecturers, which works on trauma recovery.
Selected Thoughts
«Go out in the woods, go out. If you don't go out in the woods, nothing will ever happen and your life will never begin.»
«Therefore, the only work that will ultimately bring any good to any of us is the work of cultivating a life well-lived, a soul well-tended. And this can be done no matter what your circumstances are.»
«We are not meant to be perfect. We are meant to be whole.»
Writing Style
Lyrical, allegorical, mythic, poetic, deeply psychological, and often uses rich, evocative language. She interweaves ancient tales and personal anecdotes with Jungian analytical insights, creating a tapestry of wisdom that resonates with readers on an archetypal level. Her style is both scholarly and accessible, blending academic rigor with the warmth of an oral storyteller.