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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by roxy27 on August 30, 2007, at 21:28:01
I am seeing a therapist for the first time, and her profile says she emphasizes on Jungian psychology. I am familiar with Jung, but I am curious if anyone out there has had experiences with this type of therapy/therapist. Any thoughts out there?
Posted by DAisym on August 31, 2007, at 12:34:47
In reply to Jungian Psychology, posted by roxy27 on August 30, 2007, at 21:28:01
I think therapists who "practice" Jungian psychology do dream work and think in terms of archetypol psychological constructs. My therapist leans more towards self-psychology but he is a big fan of James Hillerman, who writes about classic architypes and the soul's code. I've read his books, they are dense but interesting.
If you are at the beginning of therapy, now is a good time to ask all these questions. I think I'd like to know why she chooses Jung and how she applies his theories. It is likely to tell you a lot about her.
And it has been my experience that most therapists have an eclectic approach, no matter what their major influence is.
Posted by Maria01 on September 2, 2007, at 22:22:25
In reply to Jungian Psychology, posted by roxy27 on August 30, 2007, at 21:28:01
My T is Jungian...and absolutely wonderful to work with. The Jungian framework involves a lot of discussion of the different archetypes that make us who we are, as well as the "shadow self" that emerges and how we can deal with that. There's no blaming, pathologizing, drama, etc.
The Jungian framework also takes into account one's soul and purpose, but not in a touchy-feely, New Age way. There is also a lot of dreamwork( a lot of archetypes and symbols are thought to show up in dreams)for clients who are so inclined. Great experience so far, and I notice there is less drama and I feel much more balanced as a person because there is not this constant analysis of and harping on my negative qualities and experiences. It's a much more balanced approach, and I feel so much healthier than I did with my previous T.
Posted by RealMe on September 2, 2007, at 22:58:00
In reply to Re: Jungian Psychology, posted by Maria01 on September 2, 2007, at 22:22:25
I am really happy for you that you found someone who is a better match.
Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't have become Jungian as Jung's family originated in Sweden before migrating to Switerland. My maternal grandmother's name was Gerda Jung from Sweden--as a young girl she told the story of how she tended cows for Alfred Nobel. Anyway, maybe I am related to Carl Jung. Who knows!!! What a traiter I was to lean more toward Freud and yet reject some of his stuff. Ironically, he thought early on that many of his female patients had been sexually abused and modified his theory when his cohorts said he would be basically "drummed out of town on a rail" if he persisted with that notion, and so he modified his theory but never really gave up on the notion (privately). Too bad he couldn't stand his ground as now a days most Freudians even admit that he was likely right that these women had been abused by their fathers.
I remamber in school thinking Jung was really interesting and fasinating. There is a big group of Jungians in Chicago. One of my classmates is now a Jungian therapist.
RealMe
(OzLand)
Posted by Maria01 on September 3, 2007, at 11:07:06
In reply to Re: Jungian Psychology » Maria01, posted by RealMe on September 2, 2007, at 22:58:00
I took some psych. courses while in school, and I really liked Jung's work. The more contemporary Jungians have also brought some of the Humanistic framework into their work as well.
I gotta admit...I was never a fan of Freud..he seemed too misogynistic and too rigid for my taste. He only saw people's "pathology" if you will, and not much else.
With respect to my former T, I could never really buy her rationale that my pain triggered hers....my life was from the Brady Bunch compared to hers. She is a CSA survivor; I never experiened CSA. She's the mother of two grown kids, I don't have any kids and am not very big on kids. I struggled mostly with depression, and of course, she was working thru a lot of things regarding her CSA....I'm just happy to be out of there. Something triggered her, and it wasn't me.
Hmmm...time for some geneaology research on your part! That would be a trip of you were related to Jung! Your grandmother sounds so interesting. It's never too late to further study Jung =) I just think his perspective is so much healthier. I've always been partial to Jung, Adler, Rogers, et al because of their more wholistic views on human beings. We are so much more than our faults and experiences, and they really take that into account.
Truth be told, I had spiraled downward so much toward the end of working with my ex-T; I was beginning to see myself as nothing but this bundle of problems and hardships because that's how she chose to see me. I was just wanting to regain some equilibrium in light of getting laid off and getting my car stolen shortly thereafter(It was a Honda Civic...one of the most frequently-stolen cars because of parts. It was recovered a few days later, but was esstentially gutted) and she was wanting to plow ahead and really keep me off balance. It really escapes me how a therapist and her supervisor can discharge someone in my situation without benefit of a follow-up. Just boggles my mind. I digress...
Do look into your "family tree" =)
Posted by RealMe on September 3, 2007, at 14:22:30
In reply to Re: Jungian Psychology » RealMe, posted by Maria01 on September 3, 2007, at 11:07:06
What is ironic is that I have csa issues, and when I was working at Menninger's, I was working on the Trauma Recovery Unit with almost exclusively women with csa histories and dissociative identity disorders or at least dissociative issues. I never once was triggered by anyone, even people I saw for therapy. I had my stuff so nicely locked away that even later when working with sex offenders, I wasn't bothered. That still holds true. Very strange as I was doing evaluations on most of the sex offenders coming through the court system. Never triggered by anything. My stuff started to emerge when I all of a sudden developed all sorts of physical problems around 2.5 years ago. Then all my stuff started coming back into consciousness. So, now I deal with it, and the sex offenders still were not bothering me. My T thought this was unusual. That is there stuff though, and not mine and they did nothing to me. So.
Re my therapeurtic approach when I was doing therapy, I was not a strict Freudian, no way. My approach was more of an object relations (ala drive theory) and ego psychology approach--more wholistic and building on strengths as well as identifying problems and how the relate to the present, etc. My husband is an Adlerian, and so I know a lot about Adlerian approach too.
I have to wonder about your intern therapist. I doubt you triggered her. She should have been put on LOA. If my stuff had come up then, I would have taken a LOA. Her supervisor is just as responsible for letting her continue. I think my treatment at Menningers is what helped me to maintain my boundaries and contain my stuff so that it did not interfere with my work and still doesn't. But I still would rather not try to do therapy right now. I don't need to be "testing" myself.
Take care.
RealMe
(OzLand)
Posted by Maria01 on September 3, 2007, at 15:10:59
In reply to Re: Jungian Psychology » Maria01, posted by RealMe on September 3, 2007, at 14:22:30
Your response gives me faith that there are healthy practitioners out there who do respect their boundaries and limitations..that is wonderful to hear.
Yeah, I never really bought the "your pain triggered my pain" rationale/line/platitude given to me by my ex-T on termination. The funny thing is that any harmful actions brought about by this intern will fall on her supervisor's license, so I'm shocked to hear via the grapevine that this intern is not on LOA. I'm just so glad to be out of there..it's just sad that she is being allowed to practice, and possibly do more harm than good.
Good on you for remaining on LOA until you feel the time is right to return. I really wish more T's would do that.
Object relations...I remember it well from my schooling =)
Posted by RealMe on September 3, 2007, at 16:48:09
In reply to Re: Jungian Psychology, posted by Maria01 on September 3, 2007, at 15:10:59
I'm not on a LOA from psychology, just from doing therapy. I do evaluations for now.
Posted by Maria01 on September 3, 2007, at 19:31:57
In reply to Re: Jungian Psychology » Maria01, posted by RealMe on September 3, 2007, at 16:48:09
That's what I had figured...just wasn't sure ;)
At any rate, I'm glad you know and respect your boundaries/limitations, and that you are taking care of yourself. I have so much respect for that.
This is the end of the thread.
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