The Past to the Present

THE PAST TO THE PRESENT

Carl Jung named the personality types in his book Psychological Types and gave rise to an industry that specialises in the assessment of peoples abilities to work in a specific style; this was called psychometric testing, they were used to describe the character of the psyche. Jung’s four functions, thinking, feeling, intuition and sensation could all have introvert or extrovert attitudes making eight types in total.
He called thinking and feeling rational because they both evaluate experience, and sensation and intuition as irrational because neither evaluates but depends on a act of perception, he also added that your superior function (the one you most use) was conscious and that its opposite function was unconscious, with the other two functions acting as an auxiliary e.g. if thinking is your superior function or most differentiated function, its opposite, feeling, will be unconscious through a principle of compensation. The leftover other two intuition and sensation, will be partially conscious auxiliary functions which may serve the superior function. Jung realised that the eight types had different ways of being in the world and that if the neglected function was developed and conscious, one would achieve a rounded personality. Jung’s psychological types were not fixed for life, as he believed in the unique complexity of the individual and that the individual could change types at different stages in their lives.
Jung however did not live in a world of computers, of fractured families and 24hour access via telephone, blackberry, text messaging and television. He lived in a world of boundaries’ personal, moral and cultural, and we do not. Our personalities have changed our psyche expanded and in many cases fractured and split, the distinction between normal and abnormal or healthy and mentally distressed, has become a very fine line and our disassociation with ourselves a problem or challenge that comes knocking like an unwanted visitor just when we least expect it.

All biological organisms strive for balance both physically and psychologically, we have an inbuilt blueprint for health that functions regardless of how conscious or unconscious we are. The body acts as a containing vessel not only for our physiological functions but also for our psychological overflow. Trauma, memories and sensations can get trapped in this vessel, impeding its function towards homeostasis. When the system gets clogged dis-ease occurs both physically and mentally, our limbic brain (the seat of our instincts for survival) comes into play, cutting off the part of us that doesn’t function as it should. To achieve health in all areas is a journey into the unknown, a path of reconnection of all our systems with ourselves and ultimately with others that share our space and planet.
The Language of Emotions cards have been designed to help our clients reconnect to an essential part of themselves, they can be used as a teaching tool, a game or a memory wake-up call. By by-passing the thinking function and using art, breath, sound and association in a creative manner, they allow the body to speak, to fully express its longing to be heard. At the same time the active participation of the therapist allows the client to be held in a space of safety and trust. Recognising where gaps and voids exist in the client and the effects that they have on the clients overall story or patterning has long been the job of dedicated counsellors and psychotherapists. Accompanying and witnessing them on the journey of discovery and transformation. This long tradition is one that honours the
condition of suffering and being human. These cards can help in that process providing a therapeutic relationship has already been established. The insight gained to the participants deepens the understanding of both and allows the therapist to walk beside their client wherever that may lead.
For counsellors these cards can be used on a lighter level bringing art and sound into the therapeutic context where words have no impact. It will depend on your own training whether you work in-depth with these cards or on a lighter level, the cards have been found in prototype trials to work at both. It is the therapist that defines the depth.