Melissa Werner, Jungian Psychoanalyst

About the process of therapy

Jungian Psychoanalyst

I am a Jungian psychoanalyst in private practice in Birmingham, AL. I see adults, adolescents and children. With adults the

work is also called psychotherapy, with children it is called play therapy. I am currently accepting new clients.

The Work

I work with clients experiencing the inevitable human suffering caused by bereavement, illness, destructive relationships, work-related stress and life changes; and with clients who choose to engage with the unconscious and address issues of meaning and purpose

My practice is informed by my own inner work and life experience – having worked as a professor, trainer, teacher, administrator in academia, in government, in school systems. I have also done my own inner work with an analyst for more than two decades and trained at the Jung Institute in Zurich for the last decade.

I believe that therapy is a mutual process where together with clients, we look for a way out of the storms, the darkness and the difficult places that would otherwise prevent us from experiencing life fully.

Work with Adults

Jungian Psychoanalysis is a form of depth therapy developed by the Swiss psychiatrist, C.G. Jung.

Most people seek therapy because they are suffering in some way, seeking relief from painful symptoms that obscure peace, well-being and joy.

Some sense that they have lost touch or betrayed themselves in some way and are seeking a return to their own true path.

Others feel disenchanted with traditional clinical psychotherapies and medications and seek an alternative approach to symptoms and suffering.

Still others may simply want to know themselves in a deeper way, to engage with the inner world of the psyche by working with the dreams and symbols of the unconscious.

There are also many good excuses for not using therapy: "I'm too busy", "I just need to get on with it and try harder", "it won't change my current situation", "I am not very good at talking about things"...

The reality is that not all our difficulties get resolved "naturally". Sometimes, we need to actively, consciously work on them. And we need the presence, support and guidance of somebody else to encourage us, support us and help us bear witness to our lives. Life can be overwhelming to an individual alone.

Psychotherapy creates the time and space where we tackle issues that we would otherwise too easily avoid. Like medicine helps heals the wounds of the body, psychotherapy can help heal the less obvious, but often as painful, wounds of our heart and soul.

Jungian analysis is not for everyone, usually an analyst and client meet once a week. Two people sit facing one another in an exchange of thoughts and ideas. Their relationship one of two people, intent on making space for unusual, client centered solutions for issues and problems.

What can you expect if you decide to meet with a Jungian analyst for a consultation? I meet with prospective clients for a first session to determine whether the therapeutic relationship feels promising for productive work. Often a patient’s dream can be helpful in reaching this decision. If both of us agree that the relationship appears to be satisfactory, we will agree to a regular schedule for sessions.

Reasons Jungian Analysis might be right for you

Feelings of meaninglessness

Desire for increased self-knowledge and awareness

Creativity blocks

Relationship issues

Issues related to sexual orientation

Work-related problems

Midlife Crises

Addictions

Trauma

Grief and/or loss

Chronic pain or illness

Depression or mood related issues

Anxiety, stress

Spiritual Crises

Self-confidence or self-esteem

Personality - unhelpful patterns

Children and Adolescents

Reasons for seeking therapy for a child

Difficulties may include, but not be confined to:

Infancy and early childhood difficulties:

Separation difficulties, sleep disturbances, feeding or eating disturbances, bedwetting, crying, nightmares, phobias and fears, failure to make satisfying relations with parents and/or others, divorce or separation, sibling jealousy and aggression, sexual preoccupations, sexual identity issues. There are manifest symptoms of depression in this age group that do not present as ‘depression’ per se. A pervasive sense something is “not right”.

Middle Childhood

Middle childhood difficulties:

The areas listed above may apply, as well as aggressive or difficult relations with parents, siblings and others; learning difficulties and behavioral difficulties in school.

Adolescents

Excessive anger or unhappiness, aggression, substance abuse, self-harm, suicidal behavior, excessive introversion and brooding, sleep and eating disturbances, school or work difficulties,

relationship difficulties.

I work with children of different ages differently, but the same analytic principles apply to children of all ages as to adults. I usually use certain play and drawing materials as a means of communication and understanding of unconscious mental life. With adolescents, the play materials are not used, generally, and the emphasis is, as with adults, more on verbal communication.

Work with children entails regular contact with the parents as well, with the exception of older adolescents, normally. This too will be discussed.