Depth Psychological Approach
Individual therapy is offered over Zoom or through Telehealth on secure servers.
All of our team members are depth psychology-oriented, soul-centred, and work with the unconscious elements. Depth psychology is a method based on the teachings of the Swiss physician C. G. Jung. It is a form of psychotherapy, which addresses the interaction of conscious and unconscious elements, bringing the latter into consciousness in order to focus on life experiences that can create feelings of meaninglessness, exhaustion, loss of creativity, and spiritual emptiness. Typically meeting once-a-week, the client and therapist create a sacred space to address the struggles and difficulties, stresses and questions affecting the client’s outer and inner life. Often as the therapy progresses it suites the client to meet less frequently.
This therapeutic method addresses the issue and complexes and identifies unconscious, long-standing patterns, feelings, and negative perceptions. Work with dreams often awakens untapped creativity and informs the direction of the therapy. Depth psychology addresses the symbolic level of the symptom or issue, taking into consideration the history of the issue, its origin, and development in order to understand the underlying and not yet conscious meaning of the symptom or problem.
Depth Psychology
Depth Psychology as a therapeutic practice recognizes the psyche is at the heart of our human suffering and growth.
The word psychology is derived of two root words: psyche and logos. Psyche is Greek for “soul,” and in Latin is, “animating spirit.” Logos is a rational and organizing principle connected with “word” and “knowledge.” Therapy is derived from therapia, which is Latin for “taking care of,” while in Greek it means, “to cure.”
Depth psychology is, at its essence, caring for (therapia) and engaging in discourse to develop knowledge (logos) of the mysterious animating spirit, the deep soul (psyche). In short, it is caring for the soul.
Origins
Moving into relationship with the soul is a path to individuation as Carl Jung described. Individuation is a process whereby we each move toward wholeness and living a full and meaningful life that is unique for each person. It recognizes that there are archetypal and mythic underpinnings in every person’s life.
As we become aware of these patterns we can find our authentic way of being in the world and live a life inspired from our individual, in-divisible deep source. Often emotional suffering—particularly due to relationship and vocation—as well as illness, depression, and addictions are symptoms of the soul.
My approach is to move into relationship to the archetype at the core of the complex or wounding and find meaningfulness in it. As a depth therapist I provide a supportive relationship that helps the individual live an authentic, unique, and creative life that is meaningful and purposeful.
Dreams
Dr. Shelby trained extensively in various modalities of dream work and is certified as a clinical dream tender. Her approach with dreams is to use them as a guiding compass to the unique individual’s psyche terrain and she uses these various techniques, but predominately use intuition – both hers and yours – to work with the dream. Often the client’s material spills into her dreaming psyche as part of the transference process in therapy.
We are part of a larger dream belonging to something greater than our individual egos. Because dreams are alive and animating all the time, we do not attach a single meaning to a dream symbol. Dr. Shelby encourages a curiosity and fostering of a relationship to the dream figure, as though one were meeting a new person they wanted to get to know.
Common Struggles
Depth psychotherapy looks into issues and patterns of behavior at a deeper level. “Symptoms,” however, can show up in myriad ways.
Addiction • depressed and down • stuck or unable to get out of a rut • anxious or worried • unable to relax or feel at ease • racing thoughts • overwhelmed • feeling lost • at a quarter- or mid-life crisis • struggles in relationships • challenges with emotional or sexual intimacy • facing an affair • contemplating divorce or separation • creative blocks or self-sabotage • grief or loss of a loved one or stage of life.
Perhaps it is a desire to experience more aliveness and connection — more juice, reverence and appreciation for what is really vital to you on your path.
How Long?
What does a successful therapy outcome look like?
The process of “becoming” and individuation is a life’s journey. However, there are periods in life that are more intense and where you may need more therapy support than others.
From a depth psychology perspective, what changes is your perspective of the situation or issue. Often the individual just outgrows the problem through time and self-exploration.
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