Inviting the Unconscious to Engage in Depth Psychotherapy
The goal of depth psychology is to integrate some of what is unconscious into conscious awareness. So how do we do that at Rezak Therapy?
Safety for Self and Psyche
The first order of business is creating a safe space of acceptance and trust. The best conditions for depth psychotherapy are weekly sessions. On the same day, time, and physical location each week. This consistency assists in building and maintaining a trusting relationship with your depth psychotherapist. In our busy lives, this is not always easy to do, but it is the gold standard for depth psychotherapy.
As important as building a strong connection with your therapist is the consistency and frequency of a regular weekly therapy session. Furthermore, this consistency invites the psyche to drop in and show itself. To Carl Jung, the psyche is a self-regulating system, like the body. It maintains a balance between opposing parts of the self while striving for growth. In Jung’s words, it is “the totality of all psychic processes, conscious as well as unconscious.”
Personal Unconscious and Collective Unconscious
Jung believed that part of the unconscious is personal. The personal unconscious includes contents from personal experiences that were one time conscious but have been forgotten or repressed. He also conceptualized a collective unconscious.
The collective unconscious has never been in consciousness. Never been individually acquired, and exists by heredity. Jung believed that definitive forms in the psyche exist and are ever-present. However, these forms (or motifs) are carried in archetypes and mythological themes that span across cultures and eras since the dawn of time.
Images and Symbols
The life’s work of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, among other pioneers of psychodynamic theory, examined various approaches to accessing and exploring the unconscious. Jung believed that the unconscious self communicates with our conscious self through symbols and images. These symbols and images come forth in our dreams. As well as imagination, play, art, mythology, and other experiences. As such, Jung saw mythology as a symbolic statement of the human psyche.
Dreams
Freud stated that dreams were “the royal road” to the unconscious. Freud was interested in a scientific approach to dream interpretation. While Jung was more interested in the symbols, images, and archetypal representations in dreams. Depth psychotherapy incorporates writing down and reciting our dreams. Furthermore, your therapist might ask you to keep a dream journal and share different ways to help you better remember your dreams.
“The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind.”
Sigmund Freud
The language of dreams is symbolic. For example, each person appearing in a dream is there because of what that person represents or symbolizes to you. They are less likely present because of what that person might think or say in your waking life. There may be someone from your childhood who continually appears in your dreams. Rather than assuming you have repressed feelings about that person, a depth psychotherapist would be curious about that person as a symbol for something else in your life. Similarly, an in-depth psychological interpretation often explores each character in a dream as a part of yourself.
Therapeutic Approaches
Depth psychotherapists incorporate many techniques to help you gain more access to your unconscious. Some of these include free association, active imagination, and transference dialogues. As well as sand tray therapy and the exploration of mythology in various forms.
Somatic psychotherapy approaches can also be very helpful in accessing the unconscious through movement. Such as Somatic Experiencing, Brainspotting, or EMDR. Therapy modalities using ketamine, psilocybin, and MDMA also can provide access to the unconscious in much the same way as dreams.
Ready to Become More Aware of Your Unconscious With Depth Psychology in Pasadena, CA?
Unlock the depths of your psyche and embark on a transformative journey towards self-awareness. Embrace the power of depth psychotherapy to illuminate the shadows of your unconscious mind, paving the way for profound healing and personal growth. Take the courageous step towards self-discovery and reclaim ownership of your narrative at Rezak Therapy—your journey to consciousness begins now. Follow these three simple steps to get started:
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if Depth Psychotherapy is right for you
Begin meeting with a skilled depth psychotherapist
Start your growth journey and reclaim your mind
Other Services Offered at Rezak Therapy in Pasadena, CA
At Rezak Therapy, we’re here to help you align with your most authentic self. So in addition to Depth Psychotherapy to help you find your true self, we also offer services for those struggling with depression and anxiety, couples looking to explore their connections, and the Artists Way Group which is a 12-week adventure of artistic discovery and personal exploration. For more on depth psychology and our other services check out our blog.
