Randall D. Ordovich Clarkson, MD
May 15, 2022
In the world of psychotherapy, there are few figures as critical as Dr. Carl Gustav Jung. With concepts such as the collective unconscious, the shadow self, and elaborate dream archetypes, Jung's impact on the field of psychotherapy is no less significant than that from the likes of Sigmund Freud, B.F. Skinner, Jean Piaget, Carl Rogers, and Aaron Beck. Furthermore, Jung's abilities as an artistic polymath lands him between the creative dimension of art, psychology, and medicine with powerful works such as the Red Book, a collection of writings and paintings inspired by his dreams over a course of decades.
To Carl Jung, one of the most important goals was to evaluate the “individual’s quest for individuality and meaning” (Murdock, 2017, p. 70). Jung was somewhat of an existentialist and understood that, “in the first half of human life, better adjustment to the external world often means the healing of a neurosis” (Cavaglion, 2010). In this process, Jung pulled from several aspects of philosophy, occultism, mythology, and symbology, all of which culminate into what we commonly refer to as Jungian archetypes. These archetypes represent the manifestation of the collective unconscious which is theorized by Jung to impact the psychological state of the individual. Moreover, as Murdock (2017) explains, the collective unconscious can, “change over time and across cultures, but even if the visual and culturally specific details changed, the essential characteristics of the specific archetype did not” (p. 70). These cultural influences and collective pressures/expectations can greatly impact one’s psychological state. In Jungian terms, the negative aspects of life may push an individual to develop “complexes.” These complexes may involve, “life events that he does not understand or that are too painful for him to incorporate into the ego; the complex is formed and relegated to the personal unconscious (Murdock, 2017, p. 72).
Jung pulled from several aspects of philosophy, occultism, mythology, and symbology, all of which culminate into what we commonly refer to as Jungian archetypes
In Jungian analysis, another goal is to help identify and assimilate the shadow self. Jung described this shadow self as “simply what a person does not want to be,” including, “the negative aspects of the personality, an assortment of everything unpleasant that one would like to conceal, the part that is inferior and unworthy, sometimes the projected ‘evil other,’ as well as unconscious instinctual drives or forms of aggression and sexuality” (Cavaglion, 2010). Jung understood the shadow to be a very powerful force in one’s psychology. Therefore it is important to identify one’s shadow self, lest one should succumb to it. Furthermore, as explained by Cavaglion (2010), "social morality, the facade of roles and rules of correctness, politeness and decency (the Greek mask or the persona in Jungian terms) elicit and preserve the repression or negation of this human aspect.” In order to achieve greater understanding of the Self, one must overcome the mask/persona and “come to terms with the shadow” (Cavaglion, 2010). In this process, Jungian analysis comes in four stages.
CONFESSION STAGE: This is where client’s “history, ego, and unconscious” and be fully explored by the therapist (Murdock, 2017, p. 73). This is similar to Freud’s free association stage.
ELUCIDATION STAGE: In this stage, the patient’s transference is explored by the counselor who will thereby provide the patient with potential insights and interpretations.
EDUCATION STAGE: This is where is where insight is implemented through action.
TRANSFORMATION STAGE: In this stage, the patient becomes fully self-actualized and understand both their conscious and unconscious experiences. Incidentally, Carl Jung thought that very few people achieve this state of self-actualization, and if they do, they would likely be much older and better able to self-reflect (Murdock, 2017, p. 73)
One of the most pivotal aspects of Jung's contribution to psychoanalysis involves his work in dream and symbolic archetype analysis. In terms of dreams, Jung writing in 1956 states that, "It was the understanding of dreams that first enabled us to investigate the unconscious aspect of conscious psychic events and to discover its nature" (Jung, 2012, p. 67). It is the nature of dreams to essentially elucidate and provide meaning to our everyday waking lives—an unconscious script to our conscious modes of being. Jung further posits how the process of Freudian free association is the ultimate manner by which psychotherapists can understand the underlying processes taking place in a patient's mind. Such free association can play a crucial role in diagnosing the cause of a patient's distress or in-congruence—often times spoken directly from the horses' mouth, as it were (Jung, 2012).
Today, it is important for behavioral therapists to understand what therapeutic modality or theory would be best suited for their patients. For instance, certain patients with anxiety and depression might be best suited for a framework consistent with Aaron Beck's cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or even Albert Ellis' rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT). However, certain patients who are struggling with the darkness within, particularly those of transcendental or theological overtones might want to explore a Jungian approach. That said, the types of patients that would best respond to Jungian analysis are those who are capable of delving into both light and dark aspects of their mind. These patients would likely have a challenging history that is currently affecting their current psychological state. They would have to identify the archetypal structures of their persona and deconstruct the complexes that have formed as a result of familial history and other social pressures. This will assist them in discovering their shadow self which can be source of a great deal of problems. However, once identified, an individual’s shadow can be assimilated to create self-awareness and, with hopes, eventual self-actualization.
REFERENCES
Cavaglion, G. (2010). A Jungian interpretation of sexual addiction: A case study of mid-life crisis. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 17(3), 185-209.
Jung, C. G. (2012). The Undiscovered Self: With Symbols and the Interpretation of Dreams (New in Paper). Princeton University Press.
Murdock., N. L. (2017). Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: A Case Approach (Fourth ed.). Boston: Pearson.
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