1. Methods for investigating the unconscious

Every curious reader can derive great benefit from learning the different aspects of maturing from neurosis. After all, who these days is not at least in part neurotic? Beyond the general public, this exposition is targeted at two specific reader cohorts.

On the one hand, the insights are tailored towards people who are interested in conducting ‘analyses’ on others. While this can include accredited psychotherapists it might well also comprise readers who are just intrigued to explore the psyche of others. In sum, everyone is meant here who wants to use Jungian principles to augment their relation to others, whether professionally or privately. Naturally, this is the cohort that is most directly addressed in the following chapters. This is because, by default, the assumed setting is that of a dialogue between two people in Jung’s writings. As a result, it will prove easier to implement his insights in that same setting.

On the other hand, this exposition is also addressed at readers that are either merely curious about the topic or want to derive therapeutic tools they can apply to themselves. A note of encouragement to the latter: For its drawbacks, self-therapy also has unique benefits. Independence, ever-present accessibility and self-accountability are just a few. In self-therapy, the individual is required to stand on their own two feet from the very get-go, thereby reducing the risk of a dysfunctional transference to the therapist. Jung himself made the controversial assertion that, fundamentally, no difference exists between psychotherapy and a supreme moral effort. Every supreme moral effort done in a solitary setting can just as well be regarded as self-therapy. Every effort to ‘attend, do service and take care of’ [1] one’s psyche is by definition psychotherapy.

To implement the lessons of the following chapters, a more creative approach is however required: One must find a way to translate the setting of therapist-patient into an internal setting. A setting whereby one plays the part of analyst and analysand simultaneously. Even though it might take some time to get accustomed to this technique of internal dialogue, the effort will be well rewarded. Besides, becoming practiced in this form of inner dialogue will be necessary anyway for anyone who is interested in Jungian therapy. Particularly for dream analysis and active imagination (discussed in Chapter 1.3) this is an indispensable skill.

Having clarified the ‘instructions of use’, let us proceed to outlining the four basic methods of investigating the unknown in a patient or in oneself in chronological order.

When encountering a new patient first, Jung advocates for conducting the ‘association test’. In short, ‘its principle is to discover the main complexes through disturbances in the association ex­periment. As an introduction to analytical psychology and to the symptomatology of complexes, this method is recommended for every beginner’ [2].

Secondly, a ‘symptom-analysis’ can be administered to the patient. What Jung seems to have meant with this is an investigation of the link between symptoms and past time psychic injuries. ‘By means of hypnotic suggestion it was attempted to get the patient to reproduce the memories underlying certain pathological symptoms. The method works very well in all cases where a shock, a psychic injury, or a trauma is the chief cause of the neurosis. In a case of shock the method can have a therapeutic effect through "abreaction" of the traumatic content’ [2]. Because this method is only sparsely commented on by Jung, it unfortunately needed to be omitted from the catalogue.

Thirdly, once this material has been gathered from the patient and acquaintance has been established the therapist can proceed to ‘Anamnesic analysis’. ‘The material elicited in this way is a more or less coherent sequence of facts told to the doctor by the patient, so far as he can remember them.’

Finally, after having covered all conscious recollections the therapist must descend a layer deeper straight to the horse’s mouth so to say (i.e. the unconscious itself). ‘From now on we are concerned with the liv­ing psychic process itself, namely with dreams’ [2]. Without further ado, let’s dive straight in. Fascinating insights await us.

References

1.        Harper, D. (n.d.). Therapy. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved December 31, 2024, from https://www.etymonline.com/word/therapy

2.        Jung, C. G. (1954). The development of personality. The collected works of C. G. Jung (R. F. C. Hull, Trans., Vol. 17). Princeton University Press. [Chapter 4: Analytical psychology and education]