The Rebirth and Renewal of Psychological Types

Abstract

This year heralds the centenary of the landmark publication of Psychological Types, a text that is arguably the most recognizable of all Jung’s works. The groundbreaking theory he expounded in that book has led to a wide spectrum of reactions, ranging from scorn to enthusiastic acceptance. This paper examines the influence of popular psychological assessments as well as the opinions of Jungians whose attitudes toward typology are many and varied. The author proposes a means of viewing typology that is complementary to the Jungian notions of complex and archetype, citing a real-life example that utilizes all three to analyze a presenting problem. A path forward is suggested that revitalizes psychological type theory by demonstrating its relevance to the study and practice of depth psychology.

Acknowledgments

My deepest gratitude to Dr. John Beebe and Adam Frey for reviewing this article prior to publication.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Vicky Jo Varner

Vicky Jo Varner obtained her PhD in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. A former professor for the University of Philosophical Research, she taught Masters-level Jungian topics, and developed a six week multi-media course to teach Jung’s functions of consciousness, which she presented under the banner of the Association for Psychological Type (APTi) in the U.S. and U.K. She has presented numerous papers at conferences convened by the International Association for Jungian Studies and the International Society for Dialogical Studies. As a master typologist and ICF-Certified professional coach, she specializes in alchemical typology, personifications, and visualizations. Her website is www.TypeInsights.com.