Brian Collinson, RP

A lot of people face difficult, potentially life changing decisions in their personal journey. How can we possibly make such choices in an authentic way?
"No Choice but to Choose: Making Life Changing Decisions "

No Choice but to Choose: Making Life Changing Decisions - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst I’ve written on the subject of “life changing decisions” a number of times in the past. Yet I think it’s such a vitally important topic that I’m returning to it in this blog post. In a huge variety of ways, hard decisions are something with which clients continually wrestle.  Photo by Pix...

Hope is so essential. Here's Part 2 in my series on finding hope in situations that are radically uncertain.
"How to Find Hope in Uncertain Times: Part 2"

How to Find Hope in Uncertain Times: Part 2 - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst This is Part 2 in my series on “Hope in uncertain times”in which we’re exploring ways to be grounded in hope in our uncertain modern circumstances. In this post we’ll continue to open up the theme of hope as a vital antidote to anxiety or despair.  Photo by Nick Fewings  In our last episod...

Hope is so essential to human life
"How to FInd Hope in Uncertain Times: Part 1"

How to Find Hope in Uncertain Times: Part 1 - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst “Hope in uncertain times” is a very important and very relevant phrase, that rings with a particular importance at the present moment. Hope feels like a vital antidote to anxiety or despair in times when outcomes seem unclear and some possibilities can seem downright scary.   Photo by Mark-Ol...

Summer is a time for travel---and it can also be about encountering yourself.
"Vacations and Your Journey of Self Discovery"

Vacations and Your Journey of Self Discovery - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst The expression “journey of self discovery” is a metaphor that is used very widely. To some, it might even seem cliche, but it is far more than that. It is rooted in the metaphor of human life as a journey, which as neurolinguistic research has shown, is one of the symbols that is most deeply [.....

Art and creativity can bring you into living contact with the undiscovered self.
"Art and Creativity for Healing: A Depth Psychology Approach"

Art and Creativity for Healing: A Depth Psychology Approach - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst For a good number of people, the idea of using art and creativity for healing in psychotherapy might seem quite odd. After all, don’t we call psychotherapy “the talking cure”, the idea being that if we talk through the things are are going on in our lives and the things that trouble us, we’l...

Burnout, combined with other stresses and anxieties can powerfully impact us.
What can we do?
"Facing The Great Exhaustion and Finding Your Way"

Facing The Great Exhaustion and Finding Your Way - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst It wasn’t so long ago, in the days of the pandemic, that we often heard the term the Great Resignation, but a term which has come into currency more recently is “The Great Exhaustion”. This is a term related to the workplace, and as you might expect, also related to the current epidemic of bur...

At midlife and beyond, spirituality can start to take on greater and greater significance.
"Our Need for Spirituality at Midlife and Beyond"

Our Need for Spirituality at Midlife and Beyond - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst If you’re familiar with the writings of C.G. Jung, you will likely be aware of the importance that he places on spirituality and “religion” in our life journey in general, and particularly in our midlife journey and beyond. Why does Jung insist that this issue of spirituality and “religion.....

Workplaces seem to be getting more and more challenging.
What do you do if your workplace is toxic?
"Surviving a Toxic Workplace: a Depth Psychotherapy Perspective"

Surviving a Toxic Workplace: a Depth Psychotherapy Perspective - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst In today’s work world, many people are confronted with the challenge of surviving a toxic workplace. In recent years, and especially since the pandemic, awareness of people’s experience of toxic workplaces has greatly increased. Here in the middle of the 21st century, people are often devoting m...

How do I get to my real, authentic life?
"Waiting for My Real Life to Begin"

Waiting for My Real Life to Begin - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst “Waiting for my real life to begin” is the title and a lyric from a Colin Hay song. It seems to be a lyric that resonates with many of us, at many different stages and points in life. As we in Ontario stand at the beginning of the school March break, perhaps it resonates with us. […]

Shadow: always uncomfortable, but vitally important,
"How Does Your Shadow Personality Show Up in Your Life?"

How Does Your Shadow Personality Show Up in Your Life? - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst In recent years, there has been a lot written about the shadow, or shadow personality. Although the idea originates with C.G. Jung, many other therapists and authors are now writing about it, and many find awareness of the shadow personality to be of great importance in understanding themselves and....

Creative living can sound like a platitude.
Yet the reality of creative living is something that we really need,
"The Real Gold: Creative Living in the Second Half of Life"

The Real Gold: Creative Living in the Second Half of Life - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst Creative living can sound like a platitude—perhaps the slogan of a trendy furniture store! Yet, in reality, it’s very important to consider what creative living might mean for us. This question is especially important for people in the second half of life. What does creative living mean for us a...

There is so much loneliness today. What can we do about it?
"Loneliness and Solitude: A Key Issue for Our Time"

Loneliness and Solitude: A Key Issue for Our Time - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst It’s well known that loneliness is a crucial issue in our time. Our recent experience with the pandemic has only highlighted our awareness that modern life for many in Canada and around the world is extremely lonely.  How do we cope with loneliness, and how is it related to that other human state...

Midlife is both a time of letting go and mourning, and also potentially a time of reinvention and renewal.
"Heartache in the Middle Journey: Grief and Loss at Midlife"

Heartache in the Middle Journey: Grief and Loss at Midlife - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst The journey of a full life is long; by the time people reach the middle of their journey, they have very likely experienced grief and loss. Perhaps this seems to be counter-intuitive. If so, that may be because our culture has an overly narrow conception of grief and loss. Photo by Andrea Piaquadio....

Work burnout is profoundly connected to issues of the value and meaning that we find in our work.
"Work and Burnout: Yes, You Can Burn Out and be Unaware of It"

Work and Burnout: Yes, You Can Burn Out and be Unaware of It - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst By now, burnout is widely recognized as the phenomenon of debilitating exhaustion that individuals feel from their jobs. However, it’s only relatively recently that the World Health Organization has given it official recognition, describing it as a malady stemming from “chronic workplace stres...

This time around New Year can lead to deep reflection about ourselves.
"The New Year: My Personal Journey and the Individuation Process"

The New Year: My Personal Journey and the Individuation Process - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst The New Year is often a time that is associated with a sense of renewal and new beginnings. It is often associated with the tradition of “New Year’s resolutions”, which are often associated with the idea of “Making a new beginning”. Now, of course, resolutions are not always kept, and the ...

For many, the experience of grief and loss through the Holiday period is particularly difficult:
"Coping with Holiday Grief: A Depth Psychotherapy Perspective"

Coping with Holiday Grief: A Depth Psychotherapy Perspective - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst In recent years a great deal has been written on the subject of coping with holiday grief. Much that has been written is sensitive and insightful. Yet, there are also a number of very important things that emerge if we view this topic from a Jungian depth psychotherapy perspective. Photo by Jakob Ow...

If I feel that something basic is missing from my life, what can I do?
"Fear of Missing Out and the Spectre of the Unlived Life"

Fear of Missing Out and the Spectre of the Unlived Life - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst Something we hear a lot about in contemporary culture and in social media is “FOMO” or “Fear of Missing Out”. As psychological researchers M. Gupta and A. Sharma have documented on social media sites FOMO is a widespread reaction involving “…the perception of missing out, followed up w...

The Holidays can be a time that is filled with meaning, but they can also be a time of frenetic busy-ness. How do we sort through it all?
"Searching for Meaning and the Journey to the Holidays"

Searching for Meaning and the Journey to the Holidays - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst Jungian depth psychotherapists emphasize that searching for meaning in our lives is a central life task. As Jung emphasized in his famous quotation, The least of things with a meaning is worth more in life than the greatest of things without it. Photo by Firaz Ali  This dimension of finding meanin...

There are many kinds and shades of grief, and one very important kind of grief is associated with job loss. How can we deal with it?
"Recovery from Grief Around Job Loss: Finding a Way Forward"

Recovery from Grief Around Job Loss: Finding a Way Forward - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst People often speak of recovery from grief in the context of losing a loved one. However, recovery from grief can also be essential when we confront job loss. Photo by Nathan Cowley  When someone experiences job loss—especially when the job is meaningful and engaging and the person planned to stay...

Everyone goes through times of disorientation in their lives, when it's hard to know which way to go. How can we get through?
"Finding My Way: Meaning and Value in My Unique Journey"

Finding My Way: Meaning and Value in My Unique Journey - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst “Finding my way” is a particularly evocative phrase. In my experience in clinical work, it seems to be a phrase that resonates with individuals at widely different points in their lives. The phrase is as likely to appear in a session with a young adult, as it is in a session with a senior, or [....

Most of the time, we're unaware of what the unconscious is bringing into our lives.
"The Unconscious as a Source of Change in Your Life"

The Unconscious as a Source of Change in Your Life - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst The unconscious mind is deeply connected to the whole issue of change in your life. This may not be immediately obvious, but it is nonetheless true. Psychological change is very often related to factors that we first of all experience on the unconscious level. Viktor Frankl was certainly correct w...

Money is actually one of the most emotional things in human life. How can we best deal with it, to enhance our lives?
"Money Troubles, Depression and Hope"

Money Troubles, Depression and Hope - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst We are currently living in some difficult economic times, and money troubles can have profound psychological impacts. Not the least of these can be experiences of depression related to financial matters. If we look at these money issues from the perspective of depth psychotherapy, what can they teac...

As we move through the course of our lives, the choices we make often count for more---we're playing for keeps.
"In the Second Half of Life, We Make Difficult Decisions"

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In the Second Half of Life, We Make Difficult Decisions - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst Often, we do have to make difficult decisions in the second half of life. That is often because, on some level, we have started to realize just how much the decisions we make as we enter or pass the mid-life transition really count—how much is at stake. Photo by Karolina Piccouska In the earlier...

The work world is changing. Is it still possible to find fulfillment?
"Finding Meaning in Work: Is It Still Possible?"

Finding Meaning in Work: Is It Still Possible? - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst “Finding meaning in work” is a phrase that has become a sort of meme. We even find business magazines such as Inc. exhorting us to “Do work that gives your life meaning”. Yet, how do we actually do that, in today’s world? Photo by Andrea Piacquadio One thing is clear: finding meaning in ...

Our social self is much like a mask...
"Social Self, Jungian Persona and Our Lives Now"

Social Self, Jungian Persona and Our Lives Now - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst The social self and the Jungian persona are subjects that I’ve written about before. Yet given the nature of the world we live in, this remains a very relevant subject that is worthy of our further exploration. Social Self, Persona, Social Masks Photo by Llanydd Lloyd Recently I had the privile...

Having anxiety the night before the working week starts is a very common experience.
What can it tell us about ourselves and our lives?
"Sunday Anxiety and the Course of Your Life"

Sunday Anxiety and the Course of Your Life - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst “I’m writing this blog post about Sunday anxiety on an actual Sunday. I’ve just come back from spending some time interacting with others in my community, and I’m struck by the subtle change in atmosphere on Sunday from the way things feel on Saturday. Photo by Michael Heise It’s subtle,...

How do we deal with doubt, conflict and uncertainty?
"Doubts and Conflicts? The Undiscovered Self May Be Calling…"

Doubts and Conflicts? The Undiscovered Self May Be Calling… - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst “The undiscovered self” might sound like an odd phrase. Some might find it downright distasteful. What do we mean when we talk about the undiscovered self? And what possible connection might it have with our doubts and conflicts? Photo by Ronald Sanchez Doubts and conflicts are something we all ...

The autumn season is just about to begin. What does autumn bring for you?
"The Autumn Seasonal Change and the Flow of Our Lives "

The Autumn Seasonal Change and the Flow of Our Lives - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst The autumn seasonal change can have an immense effect on us. I recognize that autumn proper doesn’t begin until September 21st. Yet the changes that we go through every year just before and during that time can have huge psychological impacts. Photo by Jacqueline Smith Sometimes we don’t even no...

We're undergoing a series of very disturbing climate events. How can we best cope?
"Worldwide Wildfires: How Do We Deal with Climate Anxiety?"

Worldwide Wildfires: How Do We Deal with Climate Anxiety? - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst Lately, the news has bombarded us with story after story of a plague of worldwide wildfires. We have all reeled from report after report of new and incredibly destructive blazes.  Photo by ArtHouse Studio We are staggered by the destruction of natural environments, developed areas, and, in many cas...

We talk a lot today about loving oneself. What, really, is that all about?
"Making the LIfe Long Journey to Love Oneself"

Making the Life Long Journey To Love Oneself - Brian Collinson, RP and Jungian Analyst “To love oneself” is a phrase that gets bandied about a great deal in psychological circles, and also in the many varieties of spirituality that we encounter in our current world. It can seem to carry a great many shapes and colours. It certainly does seem that we mean many different things when...