Approach to Therapy

The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are. ― C. G. Jung

Possibilities

Jungian work focuses on people’s growth toward wholeness.  Another way to say this is our work supports the maturation of the personality.  One of the jewels among Jung’s contributions is that Jung understood what people were unconsciously trying to work through and accomplish given their psychological problems.  Jung recognized that people were trying to heal, even in all their difficulty.

Jung’s view of psyche is prospective, meaning people work toward possibility. Jungian work helps to advance one’s growth and healing but not without interactive work on your part. In the our sessions, we work to better engage issues you face now in life. We work to understand them more deeply. We use talk therapy, art therapy, dream analysis and symbol recognition to invite in thoughts, sensory feelings, emotional feelings, your observations and other responses you experience.  In this way, a person in my practice comes closer to his, her, or their own individual nature and away from the conditioning of what Jung called the collective, meaning family and the elements of larger society that may regularly overwhelm us. In this work, people who see me work to uncover their more effective and whole personalities and to contribute to their community.

In my practice, I deeply respect where you wish to begin. We start with what you have on your mind.  I work in such a manner that in time we go beyond the presenting symptom or the feelings of inner conflict and into the underlying issue or issues. I do not impose an approach; rather I listen to you intently and respond with respect, as I was trained to do.  In this way, a more profound personal experience can occur. This approach is holistic, meaning it honors psyche, body, spirit, and cultural context.

The most intense conflicts, if overcome, leave behind a sense of security and calm that is not easily disturbed. It is just these intense conflicts and their conflagration which are needed to produce valuable and lasting results. ― C.G. Jung

Trained in complementary theories such as Self Psychology, trauma theory, cognitive approaches, and with experience in career and professional support, I approach my practice with a deep experiential background.

Who Was Carl Jung?

Carl Gustav Jung (1875 – 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist in Zurich and a gifted man. He was a mental health pioneer. Jung became a groundbreaking researcher, scholar, psychiatrist, and theoretician in the study of the psyche. Based on his ability to explore and address his own psychological issues, his diverse lifelong studies, and ongoing clinical research with colleagues, he founded the theory of Analytical Psychology. Analytical Psychology is the basis of Jungian Analysis, a proven psychological theory.

Jung’s work still influences generations of psychotherapists and modern theories.  He formed much of the language we use to describe the psyche. After using scientific method to better understand the existence of the human unconscious, his theory and practice developed concepts such as Archetype, the Complex, Animus, Anima, Shadow, bodywork, typology, art therapy, and other psychological concepts. Spirit and soul have a place in his approach. He encouraged body movement to help explore the psyche, dreams, and other psychological realms. In another example, the concept of Complex describes deep conflict between aspects of our conscious life and our unconscious.  He meticulously studied worldwide symbols, religions, mythopoetic literature, and mythologies to demonstrate their universal themes (archetypal) and how central they are to the health of our lives.  As importantly, he concluded that in spite of conflicts, psyche is working toward an inner potential that is becoming.

In 1948, the C. G. Jung Institute Zurich – Kusnacht was founded with the cooperation Jung . It can be found: http://www.junginstitut.ch/english/.  Its vibrant and rigorous international program continues to train Jungian Analysts.

The Client and Therapist Relationship

Jung described the client/therapist relationship as central, respecting it as a professional collaboration. Often the word relational is used to describe the nature of the Jungian professional process. This concept is valid today and alive in my practice. Contemporary research revalidates that the quality of the client and therapist relationship is the most vital factor in a therapeutic process. I work to create meetings in which trust and collaboration are hallmarks of our process together.

To find out what is truly individual in ourselves, profound reflection is needed; and suddenly we realize how uncommonly difficult the discovery of individuality is. ― C.G. Jung

The Therapy Process

An analytic process is a collaboration, and it requires work on your part. I encourage you to bring and to explore your dream life in relation to issues you are working on now. I encourage you to engage in an additional mode of processing material, such as writing, drawing for example, your session work can be robust and over time it can become more meaningful for you.  In these ways, you become involved in integrating what you are discovering into your conscious personality.

Analytic process or conversation is a Jungian way of describing therapy sessions. Meeting regularly, at least once a week is key to your process, and I prefer this timing. As desired, or in crisis, we may meet more often.  Studies point to the effectiveness of Jungian therapy (Roessler, 2013).

Any analytic process is synchronous with time.  Contrary to the American culture of immediacy, shorter-term Jungian Psychotherapy and longer-term Jungian Analysis take time. I describe it as a longer rather than a shorter process.  Sometimes people feel worse before they feel better. It is part of the therapy process.

Each person is unique in his or her complexities, energies, histories, and traits. I respect these differences during our process and have deep experience in working with them.