What is Animica?  Many people have asked me, “how did you come up with the name ‘Animica,’ for your practice?” And, “What does it mean?” 

Animica is a Spanish word I happened upon one day when looking through various words that would capture the essence of what I wanted to create in a practice. It resonated with me for several reasons. 

First, Animica is an adjective that translates more specifically to being “of the mind,” “mental” “psychic”. It is a word used to describe soul, spirit, a being’s vital force, or the elemental aspects of a person.  It is the essence of who we are. 

Secondly, Animica has the same Latin root as the Jungian concepts of Anima and Animus. These are the ideas of masculine and feminine in the collective unconscious of humans that gives us a greater sense of wholeness. 

And lastly, it is a Spanish word. I have always loved Latin cultures, Spain in particular.  When in Spain, I experience a connection to life that may be muted or absent in other places.  I experience and witness others and myself engaging friends, family, food, music, art, all with loving ease of a place.  There is vitality and passion in the Spanish culture that resonates. 

For all of these reasons, Animica fits.  Just as the word brings associations of mind or psychic forces, with an integration and embracing of our wholeness as well as vitality and essence, so too is the goal of Animica psychotherapy to nurture these attributes in the individuals, couples and organizations with whom the practice serves.