Biography

Bill Plotkin is an eco-depth psychologist, wilderness guide, and agent of cultural regeneration. As founder of southwest Colorado’s Animas Valley Institute, he has, since 1980, guided thousands of women and men on the journey of soul initiation. He’s also been a research psychologist (studying nonordinary states of consciousness), a rock musician, and a whitewater river guide. He and his Animas colleagues offer two professional training programs: one for soul-initiation guides (the Soulcraft Apprenticeship and Initiation Program) and one for professional human development guides, including psychotherapists, ecotherapists, life coaches, religious leaders, and educators (the Wild Mind Training Program). His previous books are Soulcraft: Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche, Nature and the Human Soul: Cultivating Wholeness and Community in a Fragmented World, and Wild Mind: A Field Guide to the Human Psyche. His book The Journey of Soul Initiation is a field guide, based on the experiences of thousands of people, describing the principles and evokes the varied lived experiences of the riveting and sometimes hazardous odyssey of soul initiation, using many vivid stories and an in-depth exploration of Carl Jung’s Red Book.

For more information on Bill Plotkin, check out the following resources:

Bill Plotkin’s organization, Animas Valley Institute

Bill’s new book, The Journey of Soul Initiation: A Field Guide for Visionaries, Revolutionaries, and Evolutionaries

Bill’s book, Soulcraft: Crossing Into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche

Bill’s book, Nature and the Human Soul: Cultivating Wholeness and Community in a Fragmented World

Bill’s book, Wild Mind: A Field Guide to the Human Psyche