[SisterSRN]

I am thinking of trying a Jungian therapist. I have been in & out of "regular" therapy for years, and I have made a lot of progress and really doing well right now. I am just interested in maybe going deeper, though I don't feel I have to. In a way it seems like a good idea to try this while I am feeling well.

I know Jungian analysis involves looking at dreams and symbols, but not any details. I am curious to see if anyone else knows more, or better yet, has experienced this type of therapy.

[spiritual_emergency]

Hello SisterSRN,
I've not had any form of Jungian analysis but I have been hanging out with Jungian thought for a few years now. As a result, I might be able to point you in some helpful directions.

The above is a very basic image of Jung's model of the psyche. Most of us spend our lives hanging out in that gray zone, a.k.a. consciousness -- that which we are aware of. But sitting just behind the borders of the ego is the unconscious -- that which we are not aware of yet still powerfully molded by. Much of the aim of Jungian based analysis is to "go deeper" as a means of coming into a conscious relationship with the entirety of the psyche. This may be part of the reason it is occasionally referred to as "Depth Psychology".

It's worth emphasizing that the language of the deeper psyche is not the same as the language of the rational, ego-based world. It does not speak in logical, rational terms; rather, the deeper psyche communicates via images and symbols. For this reason, there can be a heavy focus on dreams or possibly, active imagination, and the interpretation of the same. There will likely also be a great deal of exploration as related to archetypes: age-old patterns of actions and behaviors that emerge from the deep psyche.

For the record, I tend to recommend Jungian explorations most often to those who have experienced psychosis because for these individuals, their ego has fragmented or collapsed and they are plunged into the depths of the unconscious without preparation or warning; finding their way out again requires an understanding of the terrain. However, you don't need to have experienced psychosis to benefit from Jungian analysis...

What is Jungian Analysis?

Jungian analysis is a well established therapy and psychotherapeutic approach based on the work of Carl Gustav Jung, the Swiss psychoanalyst (1875 - 1961). A Swiss empirical research study completed in 2003 determined that a Jungian based psychoanalytic therapy was very effective in successfully treating a broad range of emotional and psychological distress including:

- depression
- anxiety
- addictions,
- mid-life or spiritual crises
- feeling of meaningless
- spiritual emptiness
- relationship difficulties
- recovery from loss or trauma

Click here to read the executive summary of the study

An exploration into a Jungian vein might start with a google search to see if a Jungian trained analysis practices in your geographical area. If you can't find one, there is much you can do on your own. I suggest you return to your preferred search engine and locate one of the thousands of free articles on the net related to Jungian psychology. There are also hundreds of books you can choose from -- I recommend you begin with an interpreter of Jung as opposed to Jung himself. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Marion Woodman, Anne Baring, Robert Bly, Robert Johnson -- these are all authors who write from a Jungian perspective.

You might also be able to join (or start!) a group in your area devoted to exploring Jungian thought or dream interpretation. I have found my own explorations into Jungian perspectives to be nothing short of fascinating; like any other form of psychotherapy however, there can be painful aspects. A good therapist however will never push you further than you want to go.

Best of luck to you.

~ Namaste

See also: a few links to get you started...
- Archetypes and the Individuation Process
- The CG Jung Page
- Jungian Analysis and Psychotherapy
- Women Who Run With the Wolves

Thanks for sharing, spiritual_emergency.