Analytic (Jungian) Psychology

Definition

Analytical Psychology, developed by Carl Gustav Jung, explores the relationship between the conscious and unconscious aspects of the mind. Jung viewed the psyche as a self-regulating system seeking balance, with the ego representing consciousness, the personal unconscious holding forgotten experiences, and the collective unconscious containing universal archetypes shared across humanity. Unlike Freud, Jung emphasized psychological growth rather than pathology, proposing that personal development - what he called individuation - involves integrating the unconscious into conscious awareness to become a whole, authentic self.

Example

A person experiencing recurring dreams about being lost might, from a Jungian perspective, be encountering an archetypal symbol of the Hero’s Journey—a call from the unconscious to explore unacknowledged parts of the self. In therapy, the individual would be encouraged to reflect on these symbols through dream analysis, active imagination, or creative expression, not to “interpret” them literally, but to understand what the psyche is attempting to communicate about personal balance and growth.

Why It Matters

Jung’s ideas continue to shape modern psychology, art, spirituality, and personality theory. Concepts such as introversion and extraversion, archetypes, and the collective unconscious influenced both academic and popular understandings of the mind. Analytical Psychology matters because it recognizes that meaning, imagination, and myth are not mere byproducts of the mind. They are essential elements of being human. By integrating reason with the symbolic and intuitive, Jung’s work invites a deeper engagement with the inner life and the shared patterns that unite all people.