Carl Jung was known to be endlessly creative and said art is an innate drive within all of us. People who identify as creatives are prone to certain mental health issues that are somewhat specific to their work. In particular, their shadow material is often overlooked in our culture in favor of a more romantic, poetic view of their identities. Author Jessica Carson uses Jungian theory in her book Wired This Way, a guide to the wellbeing of the creative spirit. It helps us understand creatives as more fully complex human beings. In this discussion, they touch on:
While working extensively with patients suffering from depression, Jungian analyst and psychiatrist David Rosen uncovered helpful clues to understanding this widespread malady. When people feel grief and despair or suffer from suicidal thoughts, they may feel like they are dying inside. In order to regain the will to live, Rosen believes, only a part of them – a false self – needs to die. When the false self is permitted to die symbolically (egocide) through drawing, pottery, writing, or other forms of creative expression, a kind of mourning process is set in motion. When the cycle comes to an end, the person is transformed and experiences new life, a rebirth of purpose and meaning. This workshop focuses on understanding depression and the quest for meaning, discerning the creative potential of suicide, and recognizing and treating depression and suicidal people. Crisis points such as adolescence, mid-life, divorce, and loss of a loved one are discussed. Drawing from actual case material, Dr. Rosen presents the egocide and transformation model, explains how it is applied and how it works, and explores its creative potential. It was recorded in 1994.
David Rosen, MD is a Jungian analyst and psychiatrist in College Station, Texas. He is a McMillan Professor of analytical psychology, professor of psychiatry and behavioral science, and professor of humanities in medicine at Texas A&M University. He is the author of four books, including Transforming Depression: A Jungian Approach to Using the Creative Arts.
The views and opinions expressed in the podcast and blog posts are those of the respected speakers or authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the C. G. Jung Institute of Chicago.
$
Old passwords may need to be reset
If you have not changed your password since May 2022, you may need to reset your password before you can log in.
When we migrated from our old website to this new one last spring, we used a plugin that checked the old website’s database for users’ passwords. This has now been removed, due to conflicts with newer versions of WordPress. If you have an old account and have not updated your password since the migration, you’ll need a new password that is stored in the WordPress database. New users are not affected.
If you have any issues or questions, contact Ben Law at blaw@jungchicago.org or 312.701.0403.