“Laden with profound wisdom, lightened by humor, this beautifully limned heroine’s journey… a trustworthy guide for anyone seeking their own pathway through the darkness to the light”
—Barbara Graham, NY Times bestselling author of Eye of My Heart and What Jonah Knew
"For many of us, the journey to wholeness—to a sense of self imbued with agency and confidence—is as treacherous as it is essential to our well being. The very act of casting off the limiting expectations and assumptions placed on us by others requires tremendous courage. So does meeting—and overcoming—the obstacles, including our most primal fears and feelings of unworthiness, that inevitably arise along the way. Dale Kushner’s sublime fairy tale, The Princess Who Found Her Name, is the ideal companion for the trip. Laden with profound wisdom, lightened by humor, this beautifully limned heroine’s journey, along with Kushner’s revelatory story of its birth and the accompanying essays, offer a trustworthy guide for anyone seeking their own pathway through the darkness to the light."
—Barbara Graham, NY Times bestselling author of Eye of My Heart and What Jonah Knew
“A magical tale of a unique and universal princess in search of her true name… a spectacular combination of encounter with psyche and its rendering into consciousness”
—Deborah C. Stewart, LCSW Jungian Analyst, This Jungian Life podcast
“This is a magical tale of a unique and universal princess in search of her true name. It features animal guides, a lost and found heart, and words that weave wonder. Finding freedom from people pleasing is a surprising ride into aliveness and connection with the authentic self. Three interpretive essays by Jungian analysts plus Kushner’s reflective essay on writing as self-enchantment enlarge and deepen the meaning of the tale. Wild Freedom: The Princess Who Found Her Name. On Fairy Tales, Imagination, and the Creative Mind is a spectacular combination of encounter with psyche and its rendering into consciousness. I’m smitten.”
—Deborah C. Stewart, LCSW Jungian Analyst, This Jungian Life podcast
“Brilliant author… teach us to trust our psyche’s healing images and awaken our Omni-Nameable Princess”
—Steven Herrmann, Jungian psychoanalyst, poet, and author of Emily Dickenson: A Medicine Woman for Our Times
“As a published poet and writer with a liberated soul that contains multitudes, this brilliant author of a fabulous fairytale and three creatively wise Jungian interpreters teach us to trust our psyche’s healing images and awaken our Omni-Nameable Princess, who calls us each to become free from bewitchment.”
—Steven Herrmann, Jungian psychoanalyst, poet, and author of Emily Dickenson: A Medicine Woman for Our Times
“Will speak to and inspire not only writers and artists, but anyone fascinated by the mysteries of the mind, the process of creating, and the power of stories”
—Judith Claire Mitchell, Author of A Reunion of Ghosts
“A fairy tale she wrote during a time of crisis and rediscovered years later is the spark for Dale M. Kushner’s illuminating meditation on the roles art and creativity play in forging identity and shaping the self. The book also includes three essays by prominent Jungian thinkers who provide their own fascinating insight into the fairy tale. These essays, Kushner’s wise and revelatory analysis, and the charming yet challenging fairy tale at the heart of the book will speak to and inspire not only writers and artists, but anyone fascinated by the mysteries of the mind, the process of creating, and the power of stories.”
—Judith Claire Mitchell, Author of A Reunion of Ghosts
“A magical and unfolding story imbued with emotion and authentic truth… a portal into the wilds of imagination”
—Linda Carter, MSN, Jungian Psychoanalyst, Author, and Educator
“Dreams and imagination are as much a part of the natural world as the stars that shine and the rain that falls. During a time of crisis and within an analytic process, a young writer bravely embarks on a journey of self-exploration by placing herself, uncharacteristically, at the center of a magical and unfolding story imbued with emotion and authentic truth. Present to both her own inner ecology and that of the larger surrounding world, she engages in active imagination and experiences herself anew and apart from the entrapment in a pathological family relational pattern. Surrounded by the transcendent power of ‘amazing grace,’ we see transformation within the tale penned by the younger self as well as in thoughtful reflections from the mature self. By stepping out of the family constellation and through a portal into the wilds of imagination, she comes to recognize endless possibilities in the never-ending Infinite.”
—Linda Carter, MSN, Jungian Psychoanalyst, Author, and Educator
“Kushner’s riveting fairytale is a story of pilgrimage and re-enchantment… a new sense of wholeness”
—Miriam Stein, PhD, Jungian Training Analyst
“Kushner’s riveting fairytale is a story of pilgrimage and re-enchantment, speaking simultaneously to the child and the reflective adult in us all. This beautifully layered book addresses the practical application of Jung’s emphasis on the healing power of the imagination to grapple with irreconcilable opposites toward a new sense of wholeness.”
—Miriam Stein, PhD, Jungian Training Analyst
“Hauntingly beautiful poetic and true… come home to self”
—Kristina Schellinski Author of Individuation for Adult Replacement Children, Ways of Coming into Being
“Hauntingly beautiful poetic and true, is the fairy tale of ‘The Princess Who Found her Name’ by Dale M. Kushner, and so sensitive and insightful the interpretation of the tale by three of the world’s best Jungian Analysts! Wild Freedom is an eye opening read for sisters and brothers and parents and a guide to the soul’s never-ending capacity to foster understanding and thus set us free - to come home to self.”
—Kristina Schellinski Author of Individuation for Adult Replacement Children, Ways of Coming into Being
“Much more than a fairy tale…it's a story about discovering who you are beyond the expectations and influences of others”
—Vicki Lynn, Reader
“Wild Freedom: The Princess Who Found Her Name is much more than a fairy tale. At its heart, it's a story about discovering who you are beyond the expectations and influences of others.
The first half presents the fairy tale itself, while the second explores its deeper meanings through several thoughtful reflections. I found myself feeling unexpectedly nostalgic, reminded of school assignments where we'd take a simple story and uncover the symbolism hidden beneath the surface.
Murray Stein's analysis particularly resonated with me. His observation that the relationship "reaches far beyond sentimentality and romantic love. It links her, through him, to the Self," transforms the story into a journey of self-discovery. He also draws fascinating connections to Taoism, Zen Buddhism, and other traditions, showing how these themes transcend a single culture.
Dariane Pictet's reflection offers another psychological perspective with several memorable insights. One that stayed with me was, "The masculine does not die, it shatters. It becomes what it has learned: Cold. Demanding." Another was, "Each limb she returns to him is a step closer to herself, a stitch in the wound she had long ignored." I loved the idea that in helping others reclaim lost pieces of themselves, we can often rediscover our own.
Henry Abramovitch takes a different approach, asking thoughtful "why" questions that invite readers to dig deeper. I was especially intrigued by his curiosity about why Dale chose to identify one character only by an initial. Rather than offering definitive answers, his reflection encourages readers to engage with the story and form their own interpretations.
This isn't a book that tells you what to think. It invites you to reflect, question, and discover your own meaning within its pages. If you enjoy mythology, fairy tales, Jungian psychology, or stories that continue unfolding long after you've finished reading, this is well worth your time.”
—Vikki Lynn, Reader
“A thoughtful and beautifully written exploration… gave me a new perspective on the role fairy tales can play in our lives way beyond childhood”
—Noha Badawi, Reader
“This is a thoughtful and beautifully written exploration of fairy tales, identity, and the strong power of imagination. Rather than simply analyzing familiar stories, the author uses them as a lens to look through creativity, personal transformation, and what it means to reclaim your own narrative.
I appreciated the author's passion, craft and the way she connected mythology, psychology, and storytelling. There were moments that felt genuinely insightful and gave me a new perspective on the role fairy tales can play in our lives way beyond childhood.
An overall interesting read for anyone who enjoys folklore, mythology, or the psychology of stories.”
—Noha Badawi, Reader
“WILD FREEDOM is much more than a simple story. . . the essays are really the heart of the book”
—Ashley L, Reader
“WILD FREEDOM begins as a fairy tale about a young princess searching for her true name, but it's much more than a simple story.
The first half of the book is the fairy tale itself, exploring the power of imagination, creativity, and finding your authentic self. The second half shifts into a series of reflections on the story, with interpretive essays by Jungian analysts, before ending with a final reflection from Kushner.
This is not for those expecting just a fairy tale. While you can certainly close the book once the story is over, the essays are really the heart of the book, tying the fairy tale back to Jungian psychology and the idea of individuation, the lifelong process of becoming your authentic self. I knew very little about Jungian psychology going into this book (other than what I learned while reading it), but I found the latter half surprisingly interesting. It was fascinating to see how each contributor pulled something different from the same story, connecting it not only to Jungian thought but to other psychological perspectives as well.
Definitely a niche read, but if you enjoy fairy tales with deeper psychological themes and don't mind a more scholarly second half, it's well worth picking up.”
—Ashley L, Reader