Midlife: Problems and Solutions : A Jungian Perspective on the Midlife Crisis

This book is the distillation of the professional wisdom of Renata Symonds (1913 - 2007), a London-based Jungian psychotherapist. She deals with the perennial problems of humankind that may particularly become evident at the threshold of the second half of life: finding meaning in one's existence; facing conflicts in work and marriage; dealing with depression, loneliness, and sexuality; and fear of death. These great themes are explored from the perspective of the writer's experience in helping people become aware of the unconscious aspects of their problems, especially through dream analysis. Many cases are described of how clients in this way - rather than by resorting to medical drugs to suppress symptoms - make real progress not only in resolving their difficulties but also in achieving inner growth as well. No dry treatise or self-help book - how to recognise if you're going through a midlife crisis and what to do about it - Renata Symonds speaks with warmth and enthusiasm of her approach to her clients' difficulties. The text is enriched by references to Jung and Freud and contains many literary and mythological allusions. This book will be of interest to the general reader with a basic knowledge of Jung's ideas, as well as those undergoing or contemplating psychotherapy.