Depth Psychology in Pasadena, CA

Depth work is profoundly personal and greatly connective. It’s possible you may find life powerful messages from a dream image or discover the meaning of a recurring dream. In addition, you may experience the phenomena of synchronicity. Or you may unearth your personal myth and change parts of yourself you felt were unchangeable. After that, you will better understand your pathway of individuation and your place “in the family of things” as Mary Oliver put it. 

Depth Work is Expansive and Magical

Therefore with depth work, it can be expansive, poetic and beautiful. It connects your internal experiences to the external world. While it is dedicated to that which is below the surface, Jung wrote that the psyche is not limited by the boundaries of time and space. In addition, depth work is connective and integrative.

Bring the Unconscious to Consciousness 

Depth work gently acknowledges messages from the unconscious and allows them space in conscious thought, feeling and action. For instance this way we work to free ourselves of old patterns, thoughts and beliefs which stand in the way of our growth as humans. 

What Happens in Depth Session?

Imagine looking at your life as if it were a dream, a myth or a folk tale. For instance you may discover unseen patterns and reveal pieces of yourself you did not fully understand. Imagine going into a dream and working with an image from that dream. Similarly imagine being able to connect that dream image directly to waking life, bringing the message of the dream into your waking hours. 

Exploring Patterns of Behavior and Belief

Depth sessions look for patterns and personal beliefs. Keys to understanding your reactions and delicate and resilient internal landscape of the Self are found through this kind of work.

Above all depth work can feel quite magical and unique as you gently walk the internal pathways of self.

What is the Shadow in Depth Psychology?

The term “shadow” refers to the parts of ourselves which are not fully known to us, sometimes utterly unknown. Therefore, some parts of ourselves we so fully deny that we have no consciousness of them at all.

Denial of Emotions 

If you know someone who seems very angry most of the time, yet they deny feeling anger, this is an example of someone potentially in the grasp of their shadow. It is so displeasing to be angry, yet they can not stifle the power of the emotion of anger. This person may also project their anger onto others. Therefore they will react as if others are quite angry when they are not.

Understand Your whole self Through Depth Psychology

The shadow parts of ourselves are what we project onto others. We do so unconsciously, and when we become aware of this issue, we can, for example, integrate our anger by owning it. Or we can allow our anger to whatever extent we may, and become more at peace with it. For instance we can move shadow material into the light, up to the surface, where we can consciously work with it.