Abstract Archetypes are central to Jung’s model of the mind and his concept of the Self. He observed that patients with psychosis demonstrated cultural content in their hallucinations and delusions that were not learned, leading him to define archetypes as impersonal unconscious patterns. Although Jung’s description of archetypes evolved over time, the core idea of inherited, universal patterns in psychological and cultural phenomena has remained consistent. The paper aims to provide an overview of affective neuroscience and Panksepp’s brain hierarchy model, to summarize contemporary archetypal thinking and to explore what Panksepp’s affective neuroscience can add to our understanding of archetypes. We end with examples of how this novel combination of theories can play out in the therapy room and in our day‐to‐day lives.
Abstract There is confusion around the definition of the term archetype with highly problematic and contradictory conceptualizations continued to the present day. As a solution for this problem the author argues that Jung‘s conceptualization of archetype theory is not one coherent theory, but contains four different theories which have to be clearly separated from each other. The last one is a theory about a universal process of psychological transformation which takes place in life as well as in psychotherapy, and this idea could also be called the core theory of Analytical Psychology. A large part of Jung‘s works deals with the attempt to draw a map of this process, hence his studies in alchemy, religion, mythology etc. On the background of the state of the art in biology/human genetics/evolutionary psychology as well as in anthropology/paleoanthropology it can be argued that the majority of Jung's claims of the universality of certain human patterns, religious ideas etc., cannot be supported. Based on these detailed analyses it is proposed to give up on the biological and anthropological argumentations contained in classic archetype theory, as they are not backed by evidence from the relevant disciplines. As a solution Analytical Psychology should reduce its archetype concept to the last of the above‐mentioned parts of the theory, which is the idea of a universal process of psychological transformations which provides a map for psychotherapy. Here we need more research into the actual shape and contents of this transformation process. Some empirical findings supporting this model are presented.
Abstract Drawing on Carl Jung's theory of archetypes, this article examines how symbolic images organize both individual psychology and cultural life. It argues that within the United States, the relative marginalization of the Divine Feminine—alongside a sustained elevation of masculine‐coded values—has contributed to psychic and social disequilibrium. In contrast to many ancient societies, where feminine figures functioned as structuring presences within spiritual and communal systems, contemporary American culture offers few widely shared images that embody sacred feminine authority. The result is reflected in estrangement from the natural world, constricted emotional and relational capacities, and persistent diminishment of women's subjectivity. A clinical vignette illustrates how this symbolic deficit can manifest in one woman's loss of agency and self‐worth, as well as her movement toward reclaiming an inner sense of sacred grounding. The article concludes by proposing renewed engagement with archetypal figures such as the White Buffalo Calf Woman and the Black Madonna—not as singular solutions, but as potent compensatory images among many capable of carrying wisdom, compassion, and moral strength. Such symbols, it suggests, may serve a transformative function in addressing a missing dimension within the American psyche.
Abstract This article explores the complexities of male desire during adolescence. This formative period offers opportunities for a boy to discover desire as a creative and pleasurable experience, both physically and psychologically. Accumulating such experiences furthers a kind of male initiation in which a boy's body is accepted and embraced as he approaches manhood. However, there are many points along this path in which desire can tip into destruction. Sabina Spielrein's seminal paper on this topic of creation and destruction is reviewed. An example from contemporary media, the Netflix series Adolescence , shows a representation of such a destructive outcome. Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther , written over 250 years ago, retains relevance for understanding another tragic turn in this balance of desire. In this story, a young man's desire becomes his self‐destruction. A clinical example offers evidence for the fragility of tipping points in male adolescence when desire spirals into madness. The author discusses the importance of real contact with a father or father figure and introduces a concept of a scarecrow father to show possible factors contributing to a destructive, rather than a creative, evolution of male desire in adolescence.
