Ghosts, poltergeists, unwilling psychic detectives, telepathic card-sharks and single bodies containing many selves. These are some of the things that Dr. Jim Carpenter has gotten intimately acquainted with over the years in his service to the Rhine Center as a pro-bono clinical consultant for persons who call the Center troubled about their experiences. A clinical psychologist and parapsychologist with a long connection to the RRC, Dr. Carpenter will share from his collection of fascinating experiences (identities disguised, of course) and talk about a way of understanding many of them that he has developed. Briefly, these experiences are often implicitly meaningful and clinically significant, beyond their simple power as psychic experiences, which often seems to be quite genuine. A respectful clinical understanding can often help turn such situations from frightening and bewildering to something full of potential growth. And many of them have a lot to teach about how psi works. Bring your own spooks, if you have them, for some interesting discussion.

Dr. Jim Carpenter is a clinical psychologist and research parapsychologist who has been involved with the Rhine Center since the days of its earlier incarnation as the Duke Parapsychology Lab. He has conducted research on psychological factors that affect the expression of psi, and in recent years he has developed a new model and theory of psi that emphasizes its integration (on an unconscious level) with all the rest of our psychological functioning. He calls this First Sight theory in order to emphasize the idea that psi plays a continuous role in the earliest stages of the development of all experience and behavior. He is finishing a book on this approach currently. Besides his research and theoretical work, he has been active as a leader in the field, serving on the Board of the Parapsychological Association and the Board of Directors of the Rhine Center, where he served two terms as president. As a clinical psychologist, he was formerly a professor in the psychology department of UNC Chapel Hill, and is still serving as Clinical Professor (Adjunct) in the UNC Department of Psychiatry. He is a Fellow in the Academy of Clinical Psychology. His research in clinical psychology was primarily focused upon family communication, person perception and self-disclosure. He has had a busy private practice in Chapel Hill for over 30 years. A small part of that work has involved pro bono consultations with persons who have approached the Rhine Center looking for help in dealing with their distress over experiences that they considered somehow psychic.

Rhine Members: $10.00
Non-members: $15.00

There is limited seating for this program at the Rhine Library. We encourage you to sign up in advance. If you can't attend this event we are also offering the opportunity to view it live via web broadcast.