What is analysis?
Analysis often involves twice-weekly sessions, with a key component being, where possible, your dreams. That being said, there is no definitive way to approach the analytic relationship.
Some issues can be addressed in a shorter time period (counselling/psychotherapy), with or without dream material, whilst others take time to explore, experience and unpack (analysis). So, even if you come to therapy with a particular issue or time frame in mind, it is important to remember that your psyche may have unexpected insights to reveal to you and analysis is the process that allows for those insights to emerge.
Accordingly, the more sustained the analytic process is, the deeper, richer and stronger the potential change will be. However, everybody's psyche and way of engaging with the therapeutic process is different and every individual person's set of circumstances and concerns are unique. There is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach and so the analytic relationship is always a creative and individualised endeavour.
From a Jungian perspective, our psychological symptoms or difficulties, although distressing experiences, can also be potentially life-enhancing avenues to explore. In other words, symptoms are often therapeutically valuable, even when painful at times, because they form the psychological prima materia - or starting point - which, when consciously held and engaged with, can enable the enriching growth or transformation of the personality to take place.
The analytic relationship essentially aims to facilitate this change and to alleviate suffering through the conscious engagement with the unconscious in a safe, confidential, non-judgemental and supportive space. The question is: What is your psyche asking of you? Jungian analysis never imposes any rigid or preconceived notions to answer this question. There is only one 'you' and it is your psyche that often holds the answers.
*Please note that as my practice is full I am not currently accepting new clients or referrals.