Jungian Views of Schizophrenia Today

Jung's 1907 work The Psychology of Dementia Praecox pioneered a depth psychological understanding of schizophrenia for psychiatry. This is a chance to hear from present-day Jungian practitioners about how they apply concepts like complex, archetype, and psychological type to the treatment of psychiatric patients suffering from schizophrenia. Dr. John Beebe will provide an historical introduction to Jung's pioneering efforts to provide psychotherapy to patients suffering schizophrenic breakdowns. Dr. Eve Maram, a psychologist who has developed a feeling understanding of Jung's theory of complexes to patients who are overwhelmed by archetypal affects, will tell us how it is possible with compassion to establish a psychological connection with patients when the schizophrenic complex with its mix of terror, splitting, and fragmentation is making their self-presentations projective, intrusive, and daunting. Dr. Michael Escamilla will discuss Jung's psychiatric residency at the Burgholzli Hospital and describe his own way of applying both Jung's insights to his work with schizophrenic patients.