Paradoxical affinities: otherness and ambivalence as creative pathways

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychoanalysis
• Jungian Psychology

Background:

• The author's personal history as the child of Jewish refugees.
• The impact of pre-World War II displacement on identity.
• The author's professional background as a Jungian analyst.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the evolution of the author's perspective on Carl Jung and his theories.
• To explore the influence of paradoxical affinities on personal and professional identity.
• To analyze the effects of experiencing 'otherness' in international psychoanalytic contexts.

Main Methods:

• Autoethnographic reflection on personal history and professional development.
• Exploration of theoretical concepts within Jungian psychology.
• Analysis of cross-cultural supervisory and teaching experiences.

Main Results:

• Personal background significantly shaped the author's engagement with Jungian concepts.
• Paradoxical affinities played a key role in the author's identity formation as an analyst.
• Experiences of 'otherness' provided unique insights into psychoanalytic practice.

Conclusions:

• The author's evolving attitude towards Jungian psychology is deeply intertwined with her personal history and experiences.
• Understanding 'otherness' is crucial for developing a nuanced Jungian analytic identity.
• Personal and professional development in psychoanalysis are often influenced by complex, paradoxical factors.