Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Story of the Wild Woman Archetype By Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Phd

Clarissa Pinkola Estés has quickly become one of my favorite writers. She is a psychoanalyst and leads the Carl Jung Institute in San Diego. Her work focuses on trauma, PTSD, and helping refugees through psychological care. Many of her books focus on women’s archetypes and draw from her experience treating people who have been through trauma and hardship.

In Women Who Run with the Wolves, Estés introduces the idea of the Wild Woman Archetype. She explains that every woman has a wild, untamed nature within her. This wildness can’t be controlled or caged. When women are forced to suppress their true selves, they can seem “crazy” or “wild” once they break free. But that chaos isn’t madness—it’s the spirit finally being set free after years of being held back.

Estés uses examples to explain this idea. She compares it to a daughter raised in a strict, controlling family. As a child, she isn’t allowed to express herself, explore her interests, or experience life freely. Her wild, natural energy is bottled up for years. But once she grows up and gains her freedom, that bottled-up energy bursts out all at once. She might go “wild,” acting impulsively or exploring every part of life she was once denied. Eventually, she learns to settle into herself and embrace her freedom in a way that feels natural and balanced. This process of release and rediscovery is how the Wild Woman within her begins to awaken and thrive.

The same thing happens to women in restrictive marriages or relationships. When a woman can’t move freely, express herself, or live with joy, her inner light dims. Over time, this can cause her to lose her spirit and feel dead inside.

Estés writes in a way that feels both magical and wise. She shares myths and folktales from different cultures, using them to show women how to reconnect with their inner strength and creativity. Her writing is poetic but also practical, blending science with storytelling.

Women Who Run with the Wolves is a book for any woman who feels like something is missing inside her. It reminds us that the Wild Woman within is powerful, creative, and free. Estés’ words inspire readers to reconnect with their true selves and live with the energy and spirit they were meant to have.