Freud and Jung have been acknowledged as the founders of depth psychology and psychoanalysis. C.G. Jung (1875-1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and researcher in the field of consciousness. The School of Analytical Psychology is based on and developed from Jung's work and writings.
Jungian Work is not different from authentic Jungian psychotherapy or Jungian psychoanalysis, yet Jungian Work implies a slight differentiation. In today's world psychotherapy has often been demoted to a state controlled management of symptoms while psychoanalysis has become a vanishing art, often met with hostility in contemporary culture. For many it has lost its meaning as a potentially transformative and healing approach to psychological problems. The term Jungian Work also holds some reminiscence of the great work in the alchemical tradition, the Magnum Opus of psyche, that is so much at the core of Jung's work.
The Jungian approach is unique. It is not only a method to treat psychological problems, but also a unique way of perceiving and engaging everyday life. It is geared towards activating one's inner resources in order to find meaning and the capacity to fully claim one's life.
The richness of Jungian work is based on Jung's understanding of the archetypal dimension of the psyche. Jung saw the potential for genuine healing and transformation embedded within the soul. (In Jungian thought psyche is used synonymously with soul). The way to access this potential is through the imagination. Dreams, the images of memories, all psychic experiences will be imaginatively engaged in Jungian work and therapy.
The idea of Jungian Work also implies that authentic Jungian therapy is work, sometimes playful, sometimes heart-wrenchingly painful, yet always making room for the soul's story to be told. Jungian Work requires commitment to oneself and to the process of the analytic journey. But the rewards can be truly life changing!
This list is by no means complete, but these are some of the most common psychological problems that can be portals into Jungian work:
Feelings of Depression or Anxiety
Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors
Feeling stuck, being unable to make a decision
Addictions to various behaviors or substances
Relationship problems
Vocational problems
Difficult life transitions (i.e. a divorce, a child leaving home, menopause, etc)
Loss and bereavement
Aging
Past traumatic experiences
Immigration issues, such as difficulties adjusting to a new country and culture
Feelings of meaninglessness and loss of joy
Creative struggles (writer's block, etc)