Jungian Psychoanalyst

Background information on Carl Jung

Carl Jung 1875-1971

Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and founder of Analytical Psychology. After Jung met Freud in Vienna in 1907 the two began an intense five-year friendship. In time the relationship between the two deteriorated. Freud was unhappy with Jung’s disagreement with some of the key concepts and ideas of Freudian theory. In 1912, Jung published 'Psychology of the Unconscious' outlining the clear theoretical divergence between himself and Freud, as well as forming the basic tenets of Analytical Psychology. Jung believed the human psyche exists in three parts: the ego (the conscious mind), the personal unconscious and the collective unconscious (which included Jung’s ideas concerning Archetypes). Jung likened the collective unconscious to a reservoir which stored all the experiences and knowledge of the human species, and was one of the clear distinctions between the Jungian definition of the unconscious and the Freudian. Jung’s proof of the collective unconscious was his concept of synchronicity, or the unexplainable feelings of connectedness that we all share. Further, Jung had an inexhaustible knowledge of mythology, religion and philosophy, and was particularly knowledgeable in the symbolism connected to traditions such as Alchemy, Kabala, Buddhism and Hinduism. Utilising this vast knowledge, Jung consequently believed that humans experienced the unconscious through numerous symbols encountered in various aspects of life such as dreams, art, and religion.

Jung’s work has left a significant impact on the field of psychology. His concepts of introversion and extroversion have contributed extensively to personality psychology and have also greatly influenced psychotherapy.

Further reading on Jungian Psychoanalysis

• 'Jung: A Very Short Introduction' by Anthony Stevens (2001)
• Carl Jung - an introduction to Jungian psychology
• Freud vs Jung - similarities and differences