Jungian Analysis
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.
As one of the great explorers of the human psyche, 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.
Jungian Dream Analysis
For Jung, images from dreams, fantasy, reverie, or our own creation are not static. Rather, they are dynamic inner ways of personal expression and energies from our unconscious realms. They are full of vigor and feeling.
Images emerge from dreams, reveries, daydreams, fantasies, and even nightmares. In working with images, Jung was looking for meaning for individuals. Careful reflection upon images can lead to better discernment about them. Integrating this awareness into our conscious lives gives rise to healing for the wounded psyche.
More specifically, images in your psyche can be translated into personally meaningful language, making these inner events more available for understanding. As you work with your dream and other images, you can develop skills that serve you well beyond the end of your therapy with me. It is also important to say that your dreams are specific to you, and you are the expert concerning your dream.
The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.
― C. G. Jung
I work with the person and their dreams. There is no requirement to do so but typically, paying attention to them is part of the therapeutic process.. Within our work, dream images are respected as living elements. In today’s world of technology and fast pace, learning to work with one’s dreams may take getting used to. It takes some dedication to the investment you are making in yourself.
I encourage your engagement in the expression of inner feelings or images especially when you grapple with depression or anxiety. Expression means drawing, painting, writing, or body movement concerning your dreams. I encourage whatever form of expression is best for you. For example, I know a woman who embroiders her most meaningful dream images, and a man in his 60’s who has taken up painting so that he can bring his dream images into conscious life. Also, there is a well-known story about Jung, who during a major difficulty earlier in his life, went to the shore of the lake and spent hours daily in meditation while he used the stones of the shore to build structures, much as he did as a boy. He too found meaning and feeling in his chosen form of expression.
Images from your dreams and your other resources (such as journals or drawings) can guide the form of the therapy.
Jungian analysis is a safe and supportive process, regularly leading to deeper understanding of one’s issues and to pragmatic solutions regarding life situations and issues.
Approach to Therapy
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 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 talking, art therapy, dream analysis 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.
Trained in complementary theories such as Self Psychology, trauma theory, cognitive approaches, and with an experience in career and professional support, I approach my practice with a deep experiential background.
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
Dreams and other energies, such as imagination, frequently enter into the therapy space. I work with the person and their dreams. Within our work, dream images are respected as living elements. Paying attention to them is part of the therapeutic process. In today’s world of technology and fast pace, giving dreams and inner work time with may take getting used to. Therapy takes dedication to this investment you are making in yourself.
I encourage engagement in the expression of inner feelings or images inside and outside of sessions, especially when you grapple with depression or anxiety. Expression means drawing, painting, writing, or body movement with your dreams. I encourage whatever form of expression is best for you. For example, I know a young woman who embroiders her most meaningful dream images. A man in his 60’s who has taken up painting so that he can bring his dream images into his conscious life. There is a well-known story about Jung went to the shore of the lake and spent hours daily in meditation during a major difficulty earlier in his life. His choice was to use the stones of the shore to build structures, much as he did as a boy. He too found meaning and feeling in his chosen form of expression.
Images from your dreams and your other resources (such as journals or drawings) can guide the form of the therapy. If dream work is not desired, individuals often work with writing or other forms of expression.
Jungian analysis is a safe and supportive process, regularly leading to deeper understanding of one’s issues and to pragmatic solutions regarding life situations and issues.
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. More and more 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.
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