Psychology of Wellness | Psychology Definitions | Jungian Psychology

Psychology Definitions: Jungian Psychology

Jungian Psychology:

Jungian psychology, also know as analytic psychology is a system of psychoanalysis proposed by Carl Jung. Jungian psychology interpreted the psyche primarily in terms of philosophical values, primordial images and symbols, and a drive for self-fulfillment.

Jungian therapy is an analytical form of talk therapy with the goal of bringing together the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind to help clients achieve a creative balance among the many polarizing and conflicting forces. Jungian therapy focuses more on the source of a problem than on the manifestations or symptoms.

Jungian therapy encourages clients to delve deeper into the darker elements of their mind, discovering the "real" self rather than the self presented to the outside world.

Foundational Concepts of Jungian Psychology

Basic concepts in Jungian psychology are:

the ego, according Jung, represents the conscious thoughts, memories, and emotions of a person. The ego is largely responsible for feelings of identity and continuity.
the personal unconscious, made up of memories, thoughts, and feelings from personal experience;
the collective unconscious, made up of archetypes inherited from human ancestors, creating the foundation of an individual’s intellectual life and personality; and
dynamic polarities, or tension systems, which derive their psychic energy from the libido and influence the development and expression of the ego: conscious versus unconscious values, introversion versus extraversion, sublimation versus repression, rational versus irrational.

Jungian Archetypes

The Persona

The persona (or mask) is the outward face we present to the world. The persona conceals our real self. The persona is a conformity archetype. This is the public face or role a person presents to others.

The Anima/Animus

Another archetype is the anima/animus. The anima/animus is the opposite of our biological sex. Anima/animus is the unconscious feminine side in males and the masculine tendencies in women.

Each sex manifests culturally transmitted attitudes and behaviors. However, beneath the cultural learning the psyche of women contains masculine aspects, and the psyche of a men contains feminine aspects.

The Shadow

The shadow is the animal side of our personality, similar to the Freudian id. The shadow archetype is the source of both creative and destructive energies. Jung’s shadow archetypes reflect predispositions that once had survival value.

The Self

The self provides a sense of unity in experience (a coherent narrative). For Jung, the ultimate aim is to achieve a state of selfhood (similar to Maslow's self-actualization).

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