Jung identified tension between opposites as a fundamental dynamic in the human psyche – positive/negative, superior/inferior, strong/weak, fixed/volatile, masculine/feminine – energies often in conflict yet potentially able to work together in a creative partnership. Generally one side of the opposites is preferred while the other is dismissed and relegated to the unconscious where it accumulates energy and conflict between the conscious ego and the unconscious develops. Jung described the relationship between the opposites as “either confronting one another in enmity or attracting one another in love.”
Jungian psychotherapy recognizes that underlying conflict can be transformed into constructive, creative tension. A Jungian analyst is sympathetic to the complexity of inner life, who through their own development has worked to deepen understanding of who they are. A Jungian approach goes beyond problem solving to explore the diverse aspects of the personality and encourage their co-existence.
Not only undesirable characteristics but positive, unrecognized potential can be repressed and hidden away in the unconscious. Jungian psychoanalysis can help you identify and release those untapped resources. Dreams usually reveal what has been forgotten, are often profound in their insight, and guide you towards becoming a whole, integrated individual. It’s as if there is an initiative residing deep within every person striving for awareness, balance and authentic life.