A Jungian approach

Most talking therapies are based on the theory and technique of Psychoanalysis developed by Freud at the beginning of the last century. Among the major post-Freudian developments, Jungian analysis, or analytical psychology, is based on the work of Carl Jung (1875-1961).

Jung focused his energies on dream symbolism through elucidating mythology, religion, alchemy and philosophy in relation to the collective unconscious.

Jung was fascinated by the idea that we carry mental predispositions which “cannot be explained by anything in the individual's own life and which seem to be aboriginal, innate and inherited shapes of the human mind” [1- C. G. Jung, Man and His Symbols (London 1978) p. 57].

These are evident in dream symbolism in particular, and he focussed his energies on this and elucidating mythology, religion, alchemy and philosophy in relation to the collective unconscious, which had far-reaching implications for the analytical psychology of the individual.

Jung saw the central task of his therapy as enabling the individuation of the person, which he understood as a transformative and healing process achieved through the integration of the opposing forces within the individual, both negative and positive, and generated by the collective and personal unconscious.

In our work, coming to an understanding together of how the unconscious affects and has meaning for you is a fundamental part of the process of change. Dreams have an important place in this work, because when we dream we are open to our unconscious in a way that is impossible when we are conscious and awake.

You may find that you dream more when you are in therapy, and this gives us the opportunity to explore the messages from the unconscious that are implicit in dream imagery, which we believe are the signposts on the healing journey of linking your past, present and future.