Jungian Therapy

Also known as Jungian analysis, Jungian therapy is a psychoanalytic approach that was developed by Carl Jung who is considered, alongside Freud, to be one of the pioneers of modern depth psychology, particularly of the unconscious mind.

While Freud believed that dreams and the unconscious were personal and contained within the individual, Jung argued that the personal unconscious is only the surface of a much deeper, broader collective unconscious. The collective unconscious is an uncontrollable, inherited part of the human psyche, made up of patterns shared by all of humanity. Jung called these patterns archetypes.

A central element of Jungian psychotherapy is exploring the relationship between the individual and their psyche by bringing aspects of it into consciousness. Jung proposed that the unconscious is expressed through archetypes – innate, cross-cultural projections that are universally recognised and understood. These archetypes shape how humans experience certain aspects of life and can be seen in symbols in dreams, religion, and art.

While Jung believed there was no limit to the number of possible archetypes, he identified four core ones that exist within all humans:

1. The Self: this represents the unification of the unconscious and conscious parts of the mind. It is thought to be the central and governing archetype of the human psyche.
2. The Persona: This refers to how we present ourselves to the outside world. It is not our true self but rather the image we wish to project to others, which may be an idealised version of ourselves. Alternatively, it can be a false impression used to influence others’ opinions and behaviours. At times, we may confuse our persona with our authentic self, but self-actualisation and awareness in Jungian therapy help us distinguish between the two.
3. The Anima/Animus: The Anima represents the ‘feminine’ aspects within the male psyche, while the Animus embodies the ‘masculine’ qualities within women. Jungian analysis suggests that all men have feminine elements in their psyche, and vice versa. In the Western world, however, these archetypes are often suppressed, which can lead to inner conflict and limit our potential. Jungian therapy aimsto help individuals accept their Anima/Animus, integrating both the unconscious and conscious mind to foster a sense of wholeness.
4. The Shadow: This reflects deeper, darker elements of our psyche. It represents our repressed ideas, instincts, weaknesses, shortcomings, and desires. Jung believes that these latent dispositions are found in all human beings. The crucial thing is that, rather than accepting this element of their own psyche, some people will project their shadow onto others. In Jungian analysis, the individual is encouraged to integrate the shadow and the real self. This self-acceptance is considered key to wholeness.

Jungian therapy is a talking therapy, but also uses various methods of exploration through the process such as dream analysis, creative activities (painting, drama, dance, sand paly, etc), and word association tests.

Back to therapies