'Going into Analysis...'

Nairobi, Kenya

I am currently in Nairobi until early May before starting a new exciting HR transformation director role back in London. I am also more than excited to open my Jungian Analysis private practice in London at the same time. So why Nairobi? Well, I am also interested to open a Jungian Analysis practice in Nairobi. My family are originally from east Africa and I am keen to make a difference in my country or rather, African region of origin. I also went to a British international school in Kenya during my early teens. Kenya has a special place in my heart where I made life-long friends. And who doesn't love or aspire to go on, a safari to see wildlife in the natural habitat?!

I recently completed a psychiatric clinical placement in Uganda, where I was born, as part of my training as a Jungian Analyst. With another 5 weeks of working in a psychiatric hospital to complete, I am looking for a placement in Nairobi to experience psychiatric treatment in another African country, and explore possibilities to open a Jungian Analysis practice in the city. You can read more about my Nairobi trip in my next blog in the series, 'What's it like to train as an Analyst?' out next week. In the blog, I will talk about the challenges of finding a psychiatric clinical placement. During my search, I am also taking some time out to expore Nairobi. I visited a Giraffe sanctuary which has worked hard to conserve the Rothschild Giraffe. A unique species of Giraffe in Kenya. The experience of feeding these majestic animals was truly magical.

Rothschild Giraffe

Jungian Analysis

What is Jungian Analysis? As you can imagine I am often asked this question whenever I am asked what I do for work. I am a Jungian Analyst-in-training which means that I am still in training and can see patients and clients under supervision. I provide Jungian Analysis, or Jungian psychoanalytic therapy, to people whether children, young people or adults from all walks of life. A Jungian Analyst is essentially a psychoanalytic therapist who works with individuals on a wide range of emotional issues which are negatively impacting the individual's mental health, personal or work life.

Jungian Analysis is an approach to talk therapy that seeks to bring the unconscious mind into conscious awareness as part of the treatment of the emotional issues. This is what constitutes the 'analysis'. It offers the individual the opportunity to talk through worries, difficulties or needs in a secure, confidential setting. The goal is to gain a sense of well-being by aligning the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind.

Jungian Analysis is a long-term dialectical relationship between two people, the Analyst and Patient or Client also known as the Analysand. Both analyst and analysand are equally involved and there is a two-way interaction between them, what is sometimes called, a therapuetic alliance of the analyst and patient.

People go into analysis because something is bothering them. It may be a conflict within themselves or with others, it may be suffering or a traumatic experience, it could be work related, there are many reasons why people go into analysis. They might not seek 'analysis' but something about the process appeals to them or feels like it could resolve their emotional difficulties. There is no limit on what you can bring to analysis.

The most well known form of analysis is Freudian Psychoanalysis based on the work of Sigmund Freud. Jungian Analysis is based on the work of Carl Jung who was a close collaborator and friend of Freud. The two fell out over differences of view about psychoanalytic theory resulting in a parting of ways. Freud continued his work which remains today. Jung went on to develop his own psychoanalytic theory, known as analytical psychology or Jungian psychology, the foundation of Jungian Analysis.

In a Freudian analysis you can expect to lie on a couch facing away from the analyst. In a Jungian analysis you can expect to be seated facing the analyst. Both analyses use dreams as a way to access the unconscious mind, but both analytic practices remain separate practices to this day.

It is difficult to overcome the experience of emotional pain and suffering, to feel like life has no meaning or purpose, to feel helpless and to face hurdles and adversity in your ambitions, goals, aspirations and in relationships with others or feel unable to express how you are feeling. Talking to someone can bring immense relief, however, to find a way to access your own inner resources, to find your own inner strength can be a transformative experience, which can leave you feeling relief, free from distress or nagging thoughts, at peace with yourself and others, more resilient and with a newly discovered or reconnection with aspects of yourself that were long hidden.

Jungian Analysis is a form of therapy that helps to alleviate emotional suffering and supports you to better cope with life's ups and downs. It is directed toward an exploration of a person's unconscious, contents and processes, in order to alleviate emotional or psychological suffering felt to be no longer tolerable because of its interferences with living. The goal of Jungian Analysis is a person's movement towards healing or wholeness. This means coming to terms with the unconscious, its specific structures and their dynamic relations to consciousness as these become available during the course of therapy.  

'It is an essential feature of Jungian Analysis that in working towards a healthy mind, the unconscious is given a central voice, for example, through the analysis of a person's dreams, fantasies or imagination, personality type, and even drawing, painting, and sandplay'

dream analysis. a person records their dreams and brings them to analysis for interpretation and understanding the meaning within the context from which they have arisen. 

active imagination. a process of 'dreaming with open eyes', which facilitates the engagement of the unconscious into a person's conscious mind. 

drawing, painting, sandplay. other creative ways to facilitate the engagement of the unconscious into the conscious mind, a non verbal, therapeutic process that makes use of a person's drawings, paintings, a sandbox using toy figures, and sometimes water, to create images, pictures or scenes of worlds that reflect a person’s inner thoughts, struggles, and concerns. 

personality or psychological type. to become aware of one's typical patterns and in others, to better understand the dynamic nature of the human character, and to open oneself up to personal growth. 

Jungian Analysis is beneficial to all people regardless of their upbringing, culture, identity, and personal history. In fact, these factors play an important role in analysis. 

What can you expect from Jungian Analysis?

• privacy and confidentiality

• trust and integrity 

• professionalism

• generally, analysts meet with prospective clients or patients for one or two sessions to determine whether the therapeutic relationship appears to be conducive for productive work

• a weekly 50 minute session with the analyst. Jungian Analysis requires both commitment and regularity. A minimum requirement is a weekly session

• each session is part of an ongoing therapeutic relationship with the analyst 

• each session is held in-person at the analyst's practice

• an in-depth discussion about what brings you to therapy 

• an examination of the main areas of living and major tasks in life including your personal history, relationships with others, love, sex, profession, career or work situation, studies, social life, creativity, physical health and wellbeing, satisfaction, and enjoyment of life

• analysis involves talking therapy, and engaging with the unconscious, for example, by looking at the individual's dreams

• looks at the unconscious mind in order to alleviate emotional distress and suffering which is interfering with conscious living

• the goal is a coming to terms with the unconscious, and its dynamic relationship to consciousness as these become available during the course of analysis

• patients or clients in analysis are asked to stay receptive to the unconscious, to the less rational, more ambiguous, and often mysterious sides of the personality rather than obeying only the rules of common sense, collective values and attitudes, or rational and practical considerations

• cost of analysis is a fixed-fee per session

How does Jungian Analysis help?

The Analyst and Analysand (patient or client) work together on a problem or issue that the Analysand is facing. The Analyst aims to facilitate a meaningful, conscious, developmental relationship within the Analysand and with others. Jungian Analysis treats a broad range of symptoms and moods. For example, anxiety, depression, trauma, developmental issues, personality disorders, past and life circumstances, unconscious dreams and fantasies, current difficulties and aspirations, transitioning from current to new life, achieving harmony between internal and external goals, and seeking meaning in life. The Analyst and Analysand work creatively together with all aspects of the Analysand's psychological and emotional patterns which aims to develop awareness and enable change as the Analysand come to terms with their limits and potential.

Professional accreditation

The practice of Jungian Analysis requires extensive training. To qualify as a certified Jungian Analyst, the therapist must complete a post-graduate training programme at an institute approved by the International Association for Analytical Psychology (IAAP). This training takes a minimum of four years, but more often requires six or seven years.

My work as a Jungian Analyst is conducted under the auspices of training at ISAPZurich, based in Zurich, Switzerland and this encompasses the requirement to conduct the analysis under the supervision of recognised ISAP supervisors. ISAPZurich is the non-profit educational arm of the Association of Graduates in Analytical Psychology Zurich (AGAP), one of the founding member groups of the International Association for Analytical Psychology (IAAP), the worldwide umbrella group of recognition for Jungian Analysts and Analytical Psychologists. AGAP is a Group Member of the International Association for Analytical Psychology IAAP, and accredited by the IAAP as a training group.

Some common reasons why people come to analysis

anxiety

emotions characterised by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.

Anxiety is not the same as fear, but they are often used interchangeably.

​Anxiety is what we feel when we are worried, tense or afraid - particularly about things that are about to happen, or which we think could happen in the future.

Anxiety is a natural human response when we feel that we are under threat. It can be experienced through our thoughts, feelings and physical sensations.

 Anxiety is considered a future-oriented, long-acting response broadly focused on a diffuse threat, whereas fear is an appropriate, present-oriented, and short-lived response to a clearly identifiable and specific threat.

developmental issues

lack of development in a person's personality or life stages e.g. childhood, adolescence and adulthood. 

unconscious fantasies and dreams

seeking to understand the meaning of unconscious dreams and fantasies in the current life situation. 

achieving harmony between internal and external goals

addressing conflict between one's inner and external goals and aspirations. 

depression

a negative affective state, ranging from unhappiness and discontent to an extreme feeling of sadness, pessimism, and despondency, that interferes with daily life. Various physical, cognitive, and social changes also tend to co-occur, including altered eating or sleeping habits, lack of energy or motivation, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, and withdrawal from social activities.

personality disorders

any of the group of personality disorders involving pervasive patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and the self that interfere with long-term functioning of the individual and are not limited to isolated episodes e.g. borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, schizoid personality disorder.  

current difficulties and aspirations

difficulties in areas of personal growth, work and career, family and relationships. 

seeking meaning in life

life feels meaningless, addressing existential crises. 

trauma

any disturbing experience that results in significant fear, helplessness, dissociation, confusion, or other disruptive feelings intense enough to have a long-lasting negative effect on a person’s attitudes, behaviour, and other aspects of functioning. Traumatic events include those caused by human behaviour (e.g., childhood abuse, rape, war, industrial accidents) as well as by nature (e.g., earthquakes) and often challenge an individual’s view of the world as a just, safe, and predictable place.

past and existing life circumstances

difficulties and challenges in previous or current life situation. This may be work or career related, may arise from difficulties in relationships or others.

transitioning from current to new life

adapting or adjusting to significant changes in one's life. 

Once again there are no limits to what you can bring to analysis, it could be personal and/or work related. The question is whether analysis is right for you. It is deep work and requires commitment but the outcome of such work can be transformative.

Thanks for reading the blog, subscribe and be the first to read the next blog in the series, 'Going into Analysis..'

Nick