Nick Literski
Program Manager
Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies
School of Undergraduate Studies (SUS)
Adjunct Lecturer
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
School of Undergraduate Studies (SUS)
MA, Pacifica Graduate Institute (Depth Psychology with Emphasis in Jungian and Archetypal Studies), MA , Sophia University (Spiritual Guidance), and JD, Northern Illinois University College of Law
Nick Literski (they/them) is a Jungian scholar, spiritual guide, author, and retired attorney. They are currently a PhD candidate in Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute.
Nick served as a juvenile probation officer before earning their Juris Doctor and working as an attorney in private practice. Dissatisfaction with that career, together with the experience of coming out as part of the LGBTQ+ community, led them to rebuild their life and pursue their passion for the intersection of spirituality and psychology. After three years of training as a shamanic practitioner, Nick’s desire to help facilitate the spiritual journey of queer persons led them to earn a master’s degree in Spiritual Guidance at Sofia University, where their thesis work focused on how gay men from non-affirming religious backgrounds create their own sustaining, affirming spiritual practices. This work, in turn, inspired Nick to pursue further graduate work in depth psychology. Their dissertation work involves a depth psychological analysis of Paleolithic cave art, through C. G. Jung’s technique of active imagination, with an eye toward what these images can reveal about the human religious instinct.
Nick is an accomplished author, having published in Psychological Perspectives: A Quarterly Journal of Jungian Thought; Immanence: The Journal of Applied Mythology, Legend, and Folklore; and Somatics Magazine-Journal of the Mind-Body Arts and Sciences. Nick’s article, “Declining Divisions: Non-binary Gender Identities and American Cultural Consciousness,” was recently included in Thomas Singer & Andrew Samuels’ compilation, The Reality of Fragmentation and the Yearning for Healing: Jungian Perspectives on Democracy, Power, and Illusion in Contemporary Politics. Nick also co-authored Method Infinite: Freemasonry and the Mormon Restoration, currently at press with Greg Kofford Books. Before coming to CIIS, Nick served briefly as Assistant Editor of the journal, Anthropology of Consciousness.
Nick’s research interests include spirituality, LGBTQ+ studies, anthropology, and the work of C. G. Jung. They thrive on helping adult learners find joy through discovering their passions, developing as skilled researchers, and contributing to their communities.
In 2015, Nick launched Dancing Ancestors LLC, a virtual portal for their spiritual guidance coaching, workshops, classes, and writings.
