Trauma, Soul, and the Body in Jungian Analysis

Through a clinical vignette the author describes Jungian analytic work as it unfolds in a relational, affectively attuned way, while also focusing on the direct moment-to-moment experience of the body. The neuropsychological underpinnings of what Donald Kalsched refers to as the archetypal affect ignited in trauma are explored. Focusing on the body as the primary portal for the healing of trauma, the author highlights how attention to the somatic dimension of experience keeps Jungian analysis grounded and relevant. She elucidates how the mythopoetic reality revealed in depth psychotherapy weaves this into a tapestry of personal meaning, facilitating deep psychological transformation.