Jungian Therapy
Jungian therapy, also known as Jungian analysis, is based around the practice of psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung. It focuses on revealing the unconscious through exploring dreams, meditation, art, literature – any form of study that encourages introspection. The hope is to unify the conflict between the conscious and unconscious self.
Jung believed that the individual's unconscious mind is part of a much larger collective unconscious, which in turn consists of archetypes, or patterns, shared by people across cultures. Jungian therapy seeks to understand these patterns and thereby explain our behaviour patterns.
Jung also maintained that when the authentic self is blocked in some way, the result is psychological/emotional distress, taking the form of depression or other problem. The 'goal' of Jungian therapy is individuation, a process in which different aspects of the personality are brought into harmony.
Jungian analysis is a depth therapy and is long-term, usually with at least one session a week, sometimes more.
What can Jungian therapy help with?
- Depression
- Lack of meaning
- Spirituality crises
- Childhood difficulties
- Major life transitions
- Addiction
- Grief and loss
- OCD
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Who was Carl G. Jung?
CG Jung was a Swiss psychologist, who once worked under Sigmund Freud before they went their separate ways due to academic and intellectual differences.
Though both psychologists were heavily invested in the importance of the subconscious, Jung disagreed with Freud's emphasis on sexual development and instead argued for the value of the collective unconscious and the power of archetypes.
Jungian archetypes
Jungian archetypes are depicted as images and themes with universal meanings across a wide range of cultures. These archetypes appear in dreams, literature, religion or art.
There are numerous Jungian archetypes. Here are some of the main ones:
1. The persona
The persona is the outward face that every person shows the world. You might think about it as a 'mask'.
This persona is not our true self, it is the one that we believe is accepted by society.
2. The shadow
The shadow archetype contains creative and destructive energies. The shadow contains all the parts of ourselves that we deny and don't want to know about ourselves.
3. The anima/animus
The anima/animus, according to Jungian archetypes, are the mirror images of our biological sex. In other words, the unconscious feminine side in men and, vice versa, the unconscious masculine side in women.
4. The self
Every individual should be aiming to achieve a state of selfhood, to offer a sense of unity between the conscious and unconscious.
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Techniques in Jungian analysis
Some techniques in Jungian therapy include:
Active imagination
As a client, you will be encouraged to imagine scenes to represent the unconscious material you are working on, and then to imagine yourself within these scenes as a active participant.
This process allows you to gain different perspective on a situation.
Art
Some Jungian therapists work with art and creative mediums in sessions, believing that art provides a route to unconscious material.
With the emphasis on the meaningfulness of symbols, art works can also be interpreted and dissected.
Dream analysis
Dream analysis is a key component of Jungian analysis. Jung believed that dreams contained symbols which could be read in order to better understand our unconscious material.
If you struggle to remember your dreams, try keeping a piece of paper and a pen by your bed and scribbling down a few words whenever you can. Many people report that this, over time, helps with their ability to recall their dreams.
Word association
Word association exercises can reveal unconscious thoughts and feelings that might be influencing our behaviour.
The response time, as well as the word itself, can be of value to the therapy process.
Jungian perspectives on midlife and ageing
In Jungian thought, our life is split into two key phases. Our early life is our outward-reaching, productive time, where we are shaped by ideas of what others/the society around us wants from us.
There comes a time in everyone's life where the identity that we hold dear in this first stage no longer feels relevant.
The second phase of our life should be, if managed well, dedicated to more inward-focused contemplation and work.
In this sense, a 'midlife crisis' can be seen as a natural event as an individual transitions between these two stages and redefines their sense of self.
Training as a Jungian therapist
Training as a Jungian analyst usually takes between four and five years, including working intensively with clients in multiple sessions a week.
Trainees are expected to have both personal therapy and supervision.
All therapists on Welldoing are verified annually as members of reputable professional associations to ensure a high standard of training.
Relevant organisations
Last updated October 2024
What is psychoanalysis?
The benefits of working with dreams in therapy
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