A practice of making contact with the unconscious through dreams, the imagination and the body, in service of realizing singular creative work and living a life led by the soul.
WE DO THIS by conditioning our body-mind into a soft, open, and rigorously honest state where impulses and feelings can freely arise. We move beneath cultural norms, expand our voices, and drop dreams and images into the body — inviting the unconscious and deep imagination to emerge through our senses, gestures, sounds and language. We carry the treasures we find, bringing them into art making, writing and our creations.
By working with the unconscious, we avail ourselves to the lesser known and unlived parts of ourselves, expanding our creative force as we widen our capacity to meet more of our shadow and light. We calibrate the instrument (which is ourselves) so that we no longer need to fabricate or deny what arises — trusting what is, learning to receive, learning to be with the unknown and integrating these fortifying tools into our creative process.
Through this work, our own spectacular specificity comes through and makes itself known in our lives and in our creative work.
This practice is rooted in Jungian Psychology—specifically the work of Marion Woodman (and all the shamans, alchemists, mystics and medicine women who came before them and after), my extensive studies with the renowned acting teacher, Sandra Seacat who bridged acting techniques with dream work, and my many years of apprenticeship and collaboration with Kim Gillingham of Creative Dream Work. It is most importantly informed by my own in - depth Jungian psychoanalytic process, somatic / therapeutic / creative inquiries and personal dream work practice of 20 years.
Amanda Lovejoy Street
I am a creative facilitator working internationally with artists, actors, writers, directors, musicians and those seeking to deepen a relationship between their creativity and their unconscious. I have been working with my dreams since I was a teenager and they have guided me ever since. As I have come to learn the revelatory language of dreams, they offer me steadfast spiritual and practical counsel and have supported my own creative practice as a writer and filmmaker. Perhaps most importantly, the dreams continue to reveal to me my psychology and belief systems developed from early childhood experiences, my family of origin and living in a society riddled with systemic issues. Jung says, the dreams are teleological - meaning they have a goal and that their goal is to guide us to remember and re-arrive into our whole uncorrupted Self.
Offerings
MEMBERSHIp :
FEELTHINGS
Ongoing beginning Tuesday, November 12th!
The number one question I am asked is how to develop a regular practice of this work. FEELTHINGS is my answer. In this membership offering, you will have access to weekly live and/or recorded zoom sessions with fellow dream workers and artists. This recording can also serve as a means to foster your personal home practice. By joining FEELTHINGS, you will experience the cumulative benefits of an ongoing practice of calming your nervous system, trusting your impulses, listening to your unconscious, strengthening your imagination and being with a community dedicated to soul.
ONE-ON-ONE
PRIVATE SESSIONS
This is for artists of all kinds (actors/performers, writers, directors, musicians, visual artists) who have a project (or the seed of a project) and a desire to bridge creative work with inner material. I work differently with each person depending on what you are hungry for and what you need. This process may include a dream ask, active imagination, writing, art making, somatic and vocal explorations, script analysis, rituals to ground the work and practical guidance to untangle habits and integrate what we find together into your studio practice/on set. We often work with your creative material (role, script, painting, novel, song etc.) as a dream to investigate how this project offers you an opportunity to delve into what wants to be seen, felt, experienced and metabolized.
WORKSHOPS
& Retreats
I offer Workshops both in-person and online — for creative individuals, groups, and organizations. Workshops with organizations have included The First Ten, the C.G. Jung Society of Victoria, CHANEL, Get Lit, Story Camp Aotearoa and UCLA (New Genres Program).
I also offer Retreats and Intensives for artists of all kinds. Past intensives have been taught in Los Angeles, New York, London, Berlin and Sydney.
Click the link to below to see upcoming workshops and to sign up.
Kind Words
I admire the way that Amanda is growing the work forward as she continues her own explorations of learning and brings her fresh new findings back to the work.
— KIM GILLINGHAM
Coming into contact with Amanda’s elegant, sharp mind, and her curiosity…alongside her reverence for our shared humanity, offers such support, and is a treasured part of my life and creative work.
— MAEVE DERMODY
I cherish our work together.
— META GOLDING
I had no idea that my work with Amanda would so profoundly impact all levels of my being. What Amanda facilitates is true soul medicine. She possesses a vast creaturely intelligence.
— STEPHANIE ADAMS-SANTOS
In a late-capitalist world that preaches perfectionism and instills black and white or good vs. bad inner value systems, the creative sanctuary she helps spirit through dreamwork is more essential than ever, offering a blueprint for paradox and holding an infinite mirror to the human/ animal soul/hole.
— LEAH DWORKIN
Amanda is the magic we all need. Her ability as a facilitator is truly remarkable. She provides her workshops to the artist mothers we support at The First Ten and the impact has been inspiring to witness: from quiet revelations, to total shifts in approaches to art making and growth, and appetite for risk.
— AMANDA VALDEZ
It takes a special kind of human to facilitate work that takes you deep into your psyche and Amanda is that kind of human. I come out of our sessions feeling invigorated, lighter, and more free – and take that into my acting work.
— MICHAEL STAHL-DAVID
Amanda’s one of a kind. Working with her both privately and in a group setting has been fundamental in developing my creative practice.
— KATIE McGUINNESS
If you, like me, long to put your soul at the forefront of the work, go see Amanda. My only regret is that I didn’t find my way to her sooner.
— LINNEA BERTHELSEN
I have connected with the heart of my writing…and made discoveries far beyond what I thought possible.
Working with Amanda has changed my life and creative practice immeasurably…this practice also helped me write my second novel.
— KARLA MARIE SWEET
