Clinical Psychologist,
Jungian Psychotherapist &
Author
Welcome
Hello. My name is Dr Toula Gordillo and I’m the clinical director of an organisation called Talk to Teens. I am also the founder of the Spiritual Psychology Network. This non-profit organisation is aimed at improving people’s holistic health, especially young people’s mental health, through ancient and modern STORIES & IMAGES. The results have been AMAZING.
I write junior fiction, Young Adult mythic fantasy fiction, and spiritual/philosophical self-help books. Printed books are available for purchase at Amazon and Feather Knight Books. Audiobooks, training packages and other print materials will soon be available for purchase on this website! Together, they form a new teaching and counselling system I call Story Image Therapy (SIT)® and SIT education.
SIT uses various Story Image tools (including books, audiobooks, poster images and archetypal cards) to deliver health information and engage a person’s imagination. This was the focus of my doctoral studies. Click HERE to learn more about me.
When it comes to modern health and wellness, my mantra is simple:
the more stories and images,
the better
Books
Learn more about Dr Gordillo’s written work such as Shadows of Sylvaheim, The Magic of Jung, The Universal Child series, and Sylvaheim Illuminated (Coming soon). She also has numerous other book chapters, journal articles and literary pieces available upon request.
Programs
The Mythic Window program is designed for use in schools, private, community and government organisations. It employs Story Image Tools to teach individuals about physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and philosophical health through ancient wisdom. To deliver the program, participation in the Mythic Window Workshop is required.
Workshops
The Mythic Window workshop offers parents, teachers, counsellors and youth workers an introduction to universal transpersonal psychology, natural law philosophy and SIT. For those wishing to learn more about Story Image Therapy, this is the first step towards becoming a qualified Story Image Therapist.
FEATURED BOOK
Shadows of Sylvaheim
As part of her doctoral degree, Toula wrote a Young Adult (YA) mythic heroic fantasy novel now entitled Shadows of Sylvaheim. It is a coming-of-age story that describes two siblings’ heroic journey to confront and integrate their personal “shadows” in a mythical universe called Sylvaheim. The novel is based on the teachings of Dr Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell and the ancient Stoic philosophers. (The novel is available for purchase from Feather Knight Books or Amazon Australia or Amazon UK or Amazon US).
Story synopsis
Following a family trauma and the discovery of a huge family secret, sixteen-year-old Jack and his sister Emily (14) are catapulted into a world of pain, and fantasy. In a symbolic exploration of the character’s unconscious mind, Jack battles an ogre, converses with a riddle-talking tree, falls in love with a sea nymph and visits Faerieland. His ultimate battle is to defeat Lord Batu Glass…a physical representation of a potential drug addiction ‘chasing’ Jack as he learns how to cope.
Separated from her brother by a huge hedge of silver, Jack’s sister, Emily, is simultaneously stuck in an Estonian bog whilst pursued by the new trickster goddess, Morgana. Emily’s character also gets her shadow ‘cut’ in a symbolic acknowledgement of confronting and integrating our own shadow in Jungian psychology. Soon after, she confronts her greatest fear as she escapes from a cave of magic with a Valkyrie from Norse mythology.
While the reader is absorbed in the story, they are exposed to Jungian themes, Stoic philosophy, literary prose and historical characters such as King Henry VIII and Marcus Aurelius. Upon reflection, they can also learn effective ways of coping with grief and loss, poverty, trauma and overcoming drug and alcohol addictions. The novel is therefore a window and mirror, a teaching tool with a Jungian lens, for all ages.
“Mental health problems among youth are rising INTERNATIONALLY. Clearly, our present methods of delivering mental health information to young people are ineffective or insufficient. I propose we do something different” ~ Dr Toula Gordillo.
Latest reviews
Shadows of Sylvaheim
By Marianne Curley – International Bestselling YA Fantasy Author 2021 
“I really believe you have a winning book there, and with your expertise, one that will help young people. You can’t get better than that! Best wishes, Marianne”.
By Dominic Towler – Guidance Officer, Chancellor State College 2022
“Seen through the eyes of teenagers Jack and Emily, Dr Gordillo cleverly manages to intertwine self-sabotaging self-talk and other common undermining habits of this age group with Jungian psychology… Shadows offers people a chance to step back and consider some of the really important values in life – trust, authentic relationships, family and self-belief.”
Shadows of Sylvaheim has been endorsed by International best-selling YA fantasy author of The Guardians of Time series, Marianne Curley. She states: “I really believe you have a winning book there, and with your expertise, one that will help young people. You can’t get better than that! Best wishes, Marianne”.
This is a fantasy novel like no other. On the surface it looks like a regular fiction book for teens. However, as I delved further into the reading of this book, I began to realise the depth of the psychological concepts the author has woven into it. The research behind it is quite amazing. It truly is a reading experience for everyone.
Shadows of Sylvaheim by Toula Gordillo is the perfect gift for teens who love adventure. This mythic fantasy novel is not just entertaining, it is an inspirational guide for those seeking to find the truth within themselves.
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Blog
Queensland Jung Society and The Magic of Jung
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Book Signing – Caloundra Book Shop
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