Jungian therapy, sometimes known as Jungian analysis, is an in-depth, analytical form of talk therapy designed to bring together the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind to help a person feel balanced and whole. Jungian therapy calls for clients to look at the “real” self rather than the self they present to the outside world.
Jungian therapy comes out of the work of Carl Gustav Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist active in the early 20th century. Jung was Sigmund Freud’s chosen protege, although the two later split over differing ideas on the subconscious. Along with Freud, Jung is one of the most famous people in the history of psychology. His ideas have influenced many of today’s therapy types, as well as the fields of art, film, music, and culture more generally. The concepts of “introversion” and “extroversion” come from Jung, as does the idea of having a “complex.”
The modern-day lie detector test comes out of Jung’s word association exercises. The artist Jackson Pollock was a devoted Jungian therapy practitioner, and his paintings were often the result of his attempts to explore his unconscious. The Myers-Briggs personality test, though no longer considered scientific, was developed by a Jungian acolyte.
In recent decades, other therapy types grounded more in empiricism and evidence became more popular than Jungian therapy, which includes elements of mysticism and faith. Still, Jungian therapy is practiced today and retains a devoted following of clients and practitioners.
References
David C. Hamilton, Jungian Analyst, IAAAP
International Association for Analytical Psychology
Jung, C. G., & Storr, A. (2013). The Essential Jung. Princeton University Press.
Michael Whitney-Mark Whitney Productions. (n.d.). Matter of heart: The extraordinary journey of C.G. Jung into The soul of man. United States.
Last updated: 12/19/2022
