What is analytical (Jungian) psychology?
Short answer
Analytical psychology is the approach created by Carl Gustav Jung. It works with the personal and the collective unconscious, giving weight to symbols, images and dreams, and takes individuation — becoming who one is — as its horizon.
What comes into the work
Dreams, recurring images, myths and personal creations enter as session material. The professional helps the person look at what that material says about where they are.
Processes often run longer, since they are not organised around goals closed at the start.
Frequently asked questions
- Is analytical psychology the same as psychoanalysis?
- No. The two began close — Jung and Freud worked together — but separated early and are today distinct approaches with their own concepts and practices.
- Do I need to remember my dreams?
- It is not a requirement. Dreams are one material among several, and the work proceeds with whatever the person brings.