Jungian Therapy: Everything You Need to Know

Jungian Therapy (sometimes called Jungian analysis) is a type of therapy that is focused on bringing together the conscious and unconscious minds in an effort to help a person’s mental wellbeing.

A particular focus is made on bringing out the ‘real’ person, rather than the one that is presented to the outside world. Jungian therapy tends to go in-depth, and is a therapy that has proven popular.

The therapy is based on Carl Jung’s approach to psychology, and is what largely led him and former friend Sigmund Freud to part ways – given their opposing stances on the intricacies of the human mind.

The Science Behind Jungian Therapy

Jungian Therapy follows the work of Jung’s Analytical psychology approach to the mind. Jung believed that the personal conscious mind sits atop a much deeper unconscious mind.

The unconscious mind (Jung referred to this as the collective unconscious) is made up of patterns (that he referred to as archetypes) that are common among all humans. It is these patterns that leads to a person not being able to break habits that they have – whether it be addiction, anxiety or engaging in events that lead to depression.

This therapy revolves around the idea that by improving self-awareness and delving deep into the unconscious, that mental wellbeing can drastically improve.

How Does Jungian Therapy Work?

Jungian Therapy is something that is typically delivered over a long period of time. This is normally at least three months. Change takes time. Jungian therapy aims to find and analyse the root of a problem someone is facing in – which may involve trying to uncover repressed memories.

Many techniques are utilised. These include word association – where the therapist says a word and the patient responds with the first thing that comes to their mind. Other techniques include dream analysis, regular discussion, examination of past memories and creative tasks like painting or dance. These various methods can help a patient overcome their difficulties.

It can be difficult to determine when a person has reached a point where they are happy to leave therapy. Generally, it can be judged by whether or not the patient achieves what Jung referred to as ‘individuation’ – where their conscious and unconscious mind are in tune with one another.

It is very important for an individual to be highly committed to therapy, and to speak truthfully and engage in the different techniques used. Once a person reaches the state of individuation, they are well equipped for the future, in terms of avoiding relapse.

When is Jungian Therapy Useful?

Jungian Therapy has the potential of being useful for a range of mental health conditions. In any case where an individual wants to delve into their unconscious – perhaps to try and process an old trauma or deep-rooted problems – they can feasibly gain relief from Jungian Therapy.

Typical conditions that may derive benefit from this treatment include Depression and anxiety. However, any case that involves deep-seated issues or is rather complex, could well benefit from Jungian Therapy.

It is also not limited to mental health conditions. Jungian therapy can often be used for a person looking to look deeper into their unconscious and understand themselves more.

Many therapists will use what they refer to as an ‘integrative’ style of therapy – which will mean they combine different areas from different therapies.

Therefore, while not many ‘Jungian therapists’ are available, many therapists will in fact include elements of Jungian therapy into their personal philosophy.

How effective is Jungian Therapy?

Jungian Therapy seems to be effective in many cases. A large study in 2013 reviewed several other studies into Jungian Therapy. The researchers found that all studies showed that Jungian Therapy led to ‘significant improvements’ – not only for symptoms and interpersonal problems, but also in improving ‘personality structure and everyday life conduct’ [1].

Moreover, the researchers found improvement continued to remain stable for a six-year period. The study concluded by stating completing 90 sessions was the optimal amount to gain the most from Jungian Therapy. This evidence is very positive for showing the potential effectiveness of Jungian Therapy.

Further evidence supports the use of Jungian Therapy in cases of Schizophrenia [2]. However, while many people will find their symptoms lessen due to this therapy, it isn’t for everyone.

How to find a therapist?

It is recommended that you contact your GP and inform them of your problems. They will refer you to the relevant mental health team.

If you are aiming to use the private sector, you could ask your GP or someone you know for a recommendation. You can also look online – the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy have a therapist directory on their site.

See Also

• Jungian Therapy: Everything You Need to Know
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Jungian Therapy
• 8 Things You Should Know About Jungian Therapy
• Carl Jung’s Collective Unconscious Theory and Mental Health
• Carl Jung’s Theory of Individuation and Mental Health
• What is the Difference Between Freud and Jung’s Psychoanalytic Theory?
• What Are The 4 Key Archetypes According to Carl Jung?
• List of Therapy Types

Alternatives

If talking therapy alone hasn’t worked, then your Doctor may suggest adding a medication.

There are many other types of therapy, you can see an exhaustive list of them here.