Jung at Heart: Depth Psychological Approaches to Suffering

When suffering strikes, it is helpful to find a framework through which we may understand it, rather than seeing suffering as a random or meaningless event in one’s life. A purely clinical approach is of limited help, because there are many forms of suffering which are normal given the circumstances of the person’s life. People suffer in unique ways and require a personalized approach. Traditional religions all offer explanations for suffering and the reasons for it, and we will consider some of these, but depth psychology has its own unique approaches. Jung believed that the discovery of meaning in suffering is crucial, and this talk will describe some of the ways in which we may search for such meaning.

We will discuss suffering as an experience of liminality and initiation into a new level of consciousness, using as an example a depth psychological exploration of the Book of Job.

We will also consider an approach to suffering based on radical acceptance.

The presenter suggests reading

The Soul in Anguish: Psychotherapeutic Approaches to Suffering

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Dr. Lionel Corbett trained in medicine and psychiatry in England and as a Jungian Analyst at the C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago. He is a professor of depth psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute, in Santa Barbara, California. He is the author of five books: Psyche and the Sacred: The Religious Function of the Psyche; The Sacred Cauldron: Psychotherapy as a Spiritual Practice; The Soul in Anguish: Psychotherapeutic Approaches to Suffering, and Understanding Evil: A guide for Psychotherapists. He is the co-editor of four volumes of collected papers: Psyche’s Stories; Depth Psychology, Meditations in the Field; Psychology at the Threshold; and Jung and Aging.