Carl Gustav Jung

I have an anger problem. Not violent—I've never hit anyone—but I explode at small provocations. Traffic, incompetent coworkers, my kids leaving messes. I say things I regret. My wife says she's walking on eggshells. I've tried the stoic approach: catching myself before reacting, telling myself that nothing external can disturb me unless I let it, reminding myself that my anger hurts me more than it hurts the targets. It works sometimes, but it feels like I'm constantly suppressing a volcano. The pressure builds. A therapist suggested a different approach: instead of controlling the anger, understand it. "What is the anger protecting? What wound does it cover? You need to integrate this part of yourself, not exile it." She wants me to explore the anger, even express it in safe contexts, rather than always pushing it down. But that feels dangerous. What if exploring the anger just feeds it? What if I need control, not understanding? Should I master my anger through discipline, or should I try to understand and integrate it? — The Anger Management Question in Phoenix

62 votes

I've been in therapy for two years, and I've hit a wall. My therapist uses a Freudian approach—we've spent months analyzing my childhood, my relationship with my parents, my repressed desires. I've gained insight into patterns I never saw before. But I don't feel transformed. I understand why I am the way I am, but I don't know who I'm supposed to become. My therapist says we need to keep working through the past. "The unconscious material is still there," she says. A friend recommended a Jungian analyst. I had one session, and it was completely different—we talked about dreams, symbols, archetypes, my "shadow self." It felt mystical, almost spiritual. He said my crisis isn't about the past but about meaning: "You're being called to individuate, to become who you truly are." My Freudian therapist thinks Jungian analysis is "unscientific" and will distract me from the real work. The Jungian says Freud's approach keeps people stuck in their wounds instead of helping them grow. I can't do both. Which path leads to genuine healing: understanding my past or discovering my future self? — The Therapist's Crossroads in Boston

63 votes