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Carl Jung pioneered the principles of positive psychology. An article by Llewellyn E. van Zyl Ph.D. from Psychology Today Key points Carl Jung pioneered ideas of personal growth, strengths, meaning, and well-being. Jung's individuation process mirrors modern thinking on self-actualization and personal growth. Jung stressed meaning and purpose as crucial for mental health and well-being. Jung's idea about archetypes laid the foundation for psychology's emphasis on strength-based growth. If you've ever read anything about positive psychology, you've likely come across names like Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who hailed in the discipline in 2000. But the roots of positive psychology can be traced a lot further back, all the way to Carl Jung. Yes, the same Carl Jung often associated with the shadow, archetypes, and the unconscious . While history has overlooked his contributions, Jung was perhaps the first true pioneer of what we now call positive psychology. Let's look at his contributions to a now flourishing field. The Hidden Positive Side of the Psyche Jung was deeply passionate about understanding how individuals can grow, develop, and ultimately thrive. At a time when Freud ’s psychoanalysis dominated psychology with its strong focus on psychopathology, Jung believed that every individual has the potential for growth and fulfilment. In his work, Jung (1908) challenged the negative views of the human psyche and instead proposed that individuals possess an innate ability to move toward wholeness and well-being. He didn’t just ask, “What’s wrong with you?” He also asked, “What’s right with you?” Individuation: A Journey to Wholeness One of Jung’s most significant contributions to positive psychology is the concept of individuation. This is the process of integrating all the parts of our personality to become whole or our "true selves." Unlike concepts such as self-actualisation, which focuses on reaching a final, optimal state of functioning, Jung believed that individuation was a lifelong journey of personal growth and development. He saw it as integrating all aspects of one’s personality, the good and the bad, into a unified, authentic self. Individuation is not about becoming perfect. It's really about becoming whole by embracing that we are flawed beings with both developmental areas/weaknesses and strengths. For Jung, individuation was a pathway to true personal growth and fulfilment. These ideas mirror positive psychology’s emphasis on balancing the positive and negative and reaching one’s full potential. The Importance of Meaning Jung’s influence on positive psychology is perhaps most evident in his exploration of meaning. In Modern Man in Search of a Soul (1933), Jung suggested that many psychological problems stem from a lack of purpose and that searching for purpose was a central part of the human experience. Jung famously said, “Man can stand the most incredible hardships when he is convinced that they make sense.” This insight laid the groundwork for Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy and the ideas in his book Man’s Search for Meaning . By proposing that every individual needs to connect to something larger than themselves, Jung in his later theories pushed for people to find deeper meaning and purpose as a means to achieve full individuation. In the context of positive psychology, meaning is a critical component of well-being. Research consistently shows that meaning is one of the strongest predictors of happiness , success, and resilience . Jung’s early conceptual work anticipated what we now take as common knowledge: The search for meaning isn’t a luxury but a fundamental human need. Embracing Strengths, Archetypes, and Self-Reflection Jung’s exploration of archetypes as universal, recurring symbols or themes in the human experience was ground-breaking. He believed that archetypes, such as The Hero, The Wise Old Man, or The Caregiver , represent potential paths for personal growth. The archetypal patterns provide individuals with frameworks for understanding their strengths, much like how positive psychology encourages people to identify and cultivate their strengths today. Jung argued that connecting with archetypes helps individuals unlock their inner resources, which helps them develop a greater sense of self-awareness and leads them to a more fulfilled life. His idea is echoed in modern positive psychology’s emphasis on leveraging one's strengths as a path to flourishing. Further, he also promoted self-reflection and introspection as a means of self-healing, which are both central techniques used in the majority of positive psychological interventions aimed at improving well-being. The Shadow and Positive Transformation One of the more controversial aspects of Jung’s theory at the time was his concept of the shadow: the dark parts of ourselves we hide, deny, or reject. While it might seem counterintuitive, Jung saw embracing of our shadow as a pathway to personal growth. By confronting and integrating our shadow, he argued, we can achieve a more authentic and complete version of ourselves. Although positive psychology often focuses on strengths and virtues, it doesn’t shy away from the fact that growth often comes from facing challenges and adversities. More modern approaches in positive psychology states that we need to understand, and appreciate the value of negative experiences, as these are what help push us to grow. Jung’s work reminds us that happiness and well-being aren’t about avoiding negative experiences but, rather, confronting them and valuing them for the contributions they make to our growth trajectories. In this way, Jung anticipated the modern positive psychology view of post-traumatic growth , whereby individuals grow stronger and more resilient after facing adversity. Spirituality and Transcendence Another area in which Jung’s influence shines is his exploration of spirituality and transcendence. He believed that spirituality plays a crucial role in psychological well-being. Jung’s approach wasn’t about religion per se but, rather, about connecting with something greater than oneself, which echoes the positive psychology focus on spirituality as a pathway to well-being. This aspect of transcendence and connection is a cornerstone of the positive psychology movement and a core virtue in the VIA Strengths Framework. The idea that feeling part of something bigger than ourselves can enhance our sense of purpose, meaning, and happiness is deeply rooted in Jung’s theories. Conclusion So, was Carl Jung the real father of positive psychology? The evidence is hard to ignore. While he might not have coined the term, he was undoubtedly its first true champion. He mapped out the terrain long before Seligman arrived, showing us that the path to a fulfilling life isn’t about avoiding the darkness but integrating it. References Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification . Oxford University Press. Seligman, M. E., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction (Vol. 55, No. 1, p. 5). American Psychological Association. Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being . Free Press. van Zyl, L. E., Gaffaney, J., van der Vaart, L., Dik, B. J., & Donaldson, S. I. (2024). The critiques and criticisms of positive psychology: A systematic review. The Journal of Positive Psychology , 19 (2), 206-235. I'd like to thank Prof. dr. Danie du Toit for his input on earlier drafts of this manuscript.

How do you perceive the world? In this animation video we introduce Sensing (S) and Intuition (N). We explain the two different ways of perceiving our outer and inner worlds in a visual and musical way. This animation video was produced by BAPT member, Josh Leach. Script, Animation, Voiceover and Music by Josh Leach, BAPT member Script and Production by Jerry Gilpin, BAPT Treasurer Editing by Shaun Hill

In this animation video we explore two different decision-making styles, Thinking and Feeling, and how they can be Extraverted or Introverted.

Discover your Personality Type Our register of type practitioners and the following organisations provide services in personality assessment. You may have to contact a certified practitioner in the personality assessment tool or instrument to access the questionnaire. The Myers-Briggs Company TypeCoach Keirsey Step Research Career/Life Skills Resources TypePro Gifts Compass Inventory And here are some free quizzes to start you off Personality Wizard This site has free activities for you to self-discover your personality type. It’s a great introduction to finding out more about your personality. The Myers-Briggs Company website has short descriptions of each of the 16 personality types identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Watch Jean Kummerow’s TED talk on type Personality Page Click on “portraits of the personality types” for more descriptions of the 16 personality types. Keirsey This site has the Keirsey temperament sorter. Temperament is a different and complementary theory to type and provides valuable insights into why we do what we do. Personality Hacker Here you can take a free test at Personality Hacker to discover your unique personality. Watch Susan Cain’s TED Talk Interaction Styles Li nda Berens developed the Interaction Styles model and there is information on her site about this and other approaches to psychological type. Learn about Type Take a look at our learning resources about type.

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The Power of Personality Webinars 2024-25 Our interactive webinars are an opportunity to delve more deeply into the practical applications of type to our work and home lives. Tickets for our webinars are £20 for non-members and FREE for all members. Upcoming Webinars Wed, 12 Feb The Power of Personality: Coaching with Temperament / Webinar Membership Offer MORE DETAILS 12 Feb 2025, 17:00 – 19:00 GMT Webinar Identify how to apply knowledge of Temperament to the coaching process. ALREADY A BAPT MEMBER ? Please ensure you are logged in and then select a ticket - your discount will be applied automatically.