Jung and Counselling

Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) is one of the most influential figures in the history of psychology. His concepts — including archetypes, the collective unconscious, and individuation — have shaped modern therapeutic practices and influence New Age thinking in general. I am not a Jungian psychoanalyst myself, but his ideas have offered some profound, and even mystical, insights into human experience.

The Collective Unconscious

Sigmund Freud (an early colleague and friend of Jung) defined and explored the personal unconscious, which contains an individual's repressed memories and experiences. Jung added the idea of a collective unconscious shared by all humans.

Some images or motifs appear in myths, dreams, and art across civilizations. For example, the story of a primeval flood that destroys most of humanity (Noah’s Ark in the Old Testament) is also found in Hindu, Norse, Inca, Greek and Babylonian myth. Their ubiquity led Jung to conclude that we as a species have a shared knowledge and experience. He called this the Collective Unconscious: a set of universal patterns and themes that transcend culture and time.

The Collective Unconscious expresses itself in the form of Archetypes – shared symbols that operate beneath our conscious awareness to shape our understanding of the world. These include the Hero, the Great Mother, the Wise Old Man, and the Shadow. They can appear in our dreams, in literature, in the visual arts and all forms of storytelling. For example, Lara Croft is an archetypal Explorer; Yoda or Dumbledore, the Wise Man; Gandalf/Merlin, the Magician; Harley Quinn/Ace Ventura, the Jester. Dorothy (Wizard of Oz) and Lewis Carroll’s Alice are prime examples of the Innocent.

Jung believed that by engaging with these symbols—through dreams, active imagination, or creative expression—individuals could uncover hidden aspects of themselves and integrate them into their conscious lives. He called this process of self-discovery individuation.

Jung's exploration of archetypes and the collective unconscious has inspired countless interpretations in astrology, tarot, and other esoteric practices. For example, the concept of the Shadow — the hidden, often darker aspects of the self — has become a central theme in New Age teachings about personal growth and transformation.

Jung’s Influence on Modern Therapy

• Psychodynamic Therapy explores the unconscious mind and its influence on behaviour. Jung brought a deeper understanding of symbolic material in therapy.
• Jung's focus on self-actualization and spiritual growth aligns closely with humanistic and transpersonal therapies. These approaches emphasize the holistic development of the individual, incorporating Jungian concepts like individuation and the integration of the Shadow.
• Jung used active imagination and creative expression in his work. This has inspired art therapy, sand play and the general use of metaphor, symbols and imagery to access the unconscious. These methods open the door to engage with our archetypes.
• Jung's interest in myths and storytelling also resonates with narrative therapy, which encourages clients to become the authors of their own life stories. By exploring archetypal themes, clients can reframe their narratives and find deeper meaning in their experiences.

My work contains elements of all the above. I particularly like another key Jungian concept: the idea that the therapy process is like an alchemical container in which the thoughts and feelings of both patient and analyst can be held safely. The containing of these emotions and thoughts in session is central to the way I work.