Individuation
What is individuation?
Individuation is the process of remembering, reclaiming, and becoming your truest self. The Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung used the term individuation to describe the main work of Jungian depth psychology. It is a process of gaining a clearer sense of self, of stepping into our own authority, and consequently a greater sense of purpose, meaning, and fulfillment in our lives. This involves disentangling and differentiating from messages we have received from our families and culture around what we should or should not do, think, be, and achieve. It also involves remembering and reclaiming whatever fragments of self we have had to split from to adapt to our family systems, social structures, and culture at large.
Individuation is a conscious exploration and integration of the unconscious aspects of self.
This journey is often lifelong and leads toward a greater sense of wholeness. Contrary to what it may seem, individuation (as opposed to individualism) can lead to a greater sense of connection to not only one's self, but to others, life, and the planet. The process can help connect to a genuine sense of compassion, and an urge to participate in and offer our work to the world in meaningful ways.
How can counselling help?
Depth-oriented therapy provides us with the space and strategies to facilitate the process of individuation.
These strategies explore and help integrate unconscious material to break free from old, worn-out, and destructive patterns, allowing us to step into more aligned ways of being. Through work with a depth-oriented therapist, we engage with methods of exploring the unconscious such as working with symbol and metaphor, dream tending, active imagination, and somatic awareness to gain insight into unconscious dynamics and cultivate a greater capacity to hold the complexity of our circumstances.
Moving away from rigid black-and-white beliefs…
We increase our capacity for living a creative life that is uniquely ours. This work views psyche as a multiplicity, and our symptoms as messengers. Rather than attempting to fix or figure out our symptoms, we are curious about them as messengers from the depths of the unconscious. We honour them as autonomous, and by following their threads deeper, we can see more clearly their origins and inquire about what they are needing. This inquiry involves listening deeply to our symptom’s unique and autonomous expressions. As we integrate unconscious content, the symptoms no longer need to be as loud to get our attention. Depth psychology aims not for a quick fix, but a long-standing transformation of consciousness. Rather than a band-aid approach, it involves powerful shifts, over time, towards a sense of wholeness and a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
Work with our counsellors who specialize in individuation:
