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This Jungian Life Podcast

Joseph Lee, Deborah Stewart, Lisa Marchiano
  • 4.7 (1.6K)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Join us—Lisa, Deb, and Joseph—for sometimes irreverent but potentially life-changing conversations. Every Thursday, we explore culture, relationships, and depth psychology through the lens of Carl Jung. We devote a segment of each episode to analyzing a listener’s dream.

  1. Dark Forces in the Psyche: Our Self-Destructive Impulses

    3D AGO

    Dark Forces in the Psyche: Our Self-Destructive Impulses

    Why is it that we sometimes fail to rise to life’s most important challenges? Why do we instead procrastinate, withdraw, self-sabotage, or feel unable to move toward the life we want? This week, at a listener’s suggestion, Jungian analysts Lisa Marchiano and Deborah Stewart explore the concept of anti-libidinal forces in the psyche: those self-destructive impulses that oppose growth, pleasure, and forward movement. We discuss the ways this phenomenon has been addressed within the profession, including Freud’s death drive, Melanie Klein’s concept of the bad breast, Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ predator in the psyche, and Donald Kalsched’s protector/persecutor. Libido was understood by Jung to mean life energy, rather than being purely sexual. We explore how blocked libido can become depression, paralyzing fear, hoarding behavior, vicious self-criticism, or simply an inability to begin or complete what matters most. Through stories such as Bluebeard, Jonah and the Whale, and Marduk and Tiamat, we consider inner monsters that threaten to devour vitality. Anti-libidinal forces, however, are not the end of the story. We also discuss the heroic task of meeting fear, reclaiming disowned energies, and choosing life one step at a time.Read the dream we analyze in full on our website. Connect With This Jungian Life Download our free Dream Recall Meditation Guide. Send a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠dream⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for us to analyze on the show. Check out our TJL ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow This Jungian Life on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    1h 8m
  2. [SUBSCRIBER BONUS] What's Up With The Princess' Rage?

    3D AGO ·  BONUS • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    [SUBSCRIBER BONUS] What's Up With The Princess' Rage?

    Hey Patrons, Today we're discussing a question submitted by a supporter: "Can you unpack the rage of the princess in the Frog Prince? Reading this tale recently, I experienced a visceral bodily shock when the princess hurled the frog against the wall. It feels like I contain a storehouse of unexpressed rage that needs unpacking. What do you advise?" Thanks for supporting This Jungian Life! ~ Lisa, Joseph, and Deb

    10 min
  3. Psyche in the Age of AI

    APR 23

    Psyche in the Age of AI

    Our lives have already been altered by rapidly expanding access to artificial intelligence (AI). In this week’s episode, we consider how this latest technological revolution might be reshaping the human psyche. Hosts Lisa Marchiano and Deborah Stewart are joined by a special guest, the author and Jungian analyst Christina Becker, to explore the psychological impact of AI’s incursion into our work, home and relationships. One of the major AI use cases has been for advice, self-reflection and companionship. Some users are even referring to this as “therapy”. This raises thorny questions: what happens when a sycophantic AI interface constantly mirrors us back to ourselves as being in the right? How does this affect our judgment, our relationships, and our connection to reality? Christina Becker shares her work exploring the potential of AI to support Jungian dream analysis. Together we ask whether it is possible to use this powerful tool consciously, while also being aware of the fantasies and projections we bring to it, and maintaining the integrity of our inner lives. Read the dream we analyze in full on our website. Follow Up Read Christina Becker’s book, Soul-Making: A Journey of Resilience and Spiritual Rediscovery Request Christina Becker’s Jungian-based dream interpretation prompt on her website  Read Lisa Marchiano’s article, “ChatGPT-Induced Psychosis and the Good-Enough Therapist”, Psychology Today, July 2025 Download our free Dream Recall Meditation Guide Send a dream for us to analyze on the show.

    1h 28m
  4. [SUBSCRIBER BONUS] Bracing for the Crash

    APR 23 ·  BONUS • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    [SUBSCRIBER BONUS] Bracing for the Crash

    Hey Subscribers, This week, we're discussing a dream submitted by one of our supporters, a 63-year-old woman who is a retired librarian: "I'm sitting in the window seat on a plane. The man in front of me is talking loudly in my direction, which irritates me. He's interrupted by another man at the front of the plane who is yelling, 'Second window out!' I think, 'Second window? Who knew about the first window?' I look out and see that we are rapidly descending backwards at an angle into a boreal forest. With a crash imminent, I consider if there's any chance of survival, then quickly calculate the best position to crash. Head between legs? Bracing seat in front? Ideally, I would not want my bones to be crushed, but this immediately feels like a silly reflection. The woman beside me is hyperventilating and praying. I think, 'Boy, when death comes, it sure comes quickly.' I feel calm, but wake up with my heart beating violently." Thank you for supporting This Jungian Life! ~Lisa, Joseph, and Deb

    10 min
  5. The Labyrinth: Soul’s Winding Journey

    APR 16

    The Labyrinth: Soul’s Winding Journey

    The labyrinth is a powerful metaphor for psychological development and the path of individuation. This week Jungian analysts Lisa Marchiano and Deborah Stewart consider how twists and turns in the path of life (especially in early adulthood), ask us to confront uncertainty, anxiety, and the unknown. Ego may crave a straight, well-planned path, but life inevitably offers something else: a fiendishly difficult labyrinth. If we want to get the most out of the journey, we’ve no choice other than to give it all we’ve got. Through the story of Theseus and the Minotaur, we reflect on the necessity of facing up to our darkness. Ariadne’s thread, which allows Theseus to return after slaying the beast, shows us the vital role of connection in helping us find our way back. We also explore the story of Abhimanyu from the Mahabharata. Abhimanyu’s mother gives him some knowledge of the labyrinth, but doesn’t tell him the way out, leading to tragedy. If we’re going to crack the code and exit the labyrinth, we’ll require a soulful attitude towards life, and the right psycho-spiritual teachings. Finally, we turn to the contemplative labyrinth. This is not a place to escape from, but a path toward the center. Here, the journey becomes one of surrender, reflection, and gradual movement toward wholeness. Read the dream we analyze in full on our website. Connect With This Jungian Life Dream Studio: Our new ⁠Dream School program⁠ on dreams and art starts April 16. Send a ⁠⁠⁠⁠dream⁠⁠⁠⁠ for us to analyze on the show. Check out our TJL ⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast merch⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow This Jungian Life on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    1h 6m
  6. [SUBSCRIBER BONUS] Swallowed Whole

    APR 16 ·  BONUS • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    [SUBSCRIBER BONUS] Swallowed Whole

    Hey Subscribers, This week, we're discussing a dream submitted by one of our supporters, a 39-year-old woman who is a CPA: "I'm on an open savanna. A silverback gorilla and a lion run amok. I wasn't afraid of them. But, I was worried when I saw a gorilla charging down a dirt road toward my guy friends. The lion ran straight at me, and I climbed a tree to escape, but it followed me up and swallowed me whole. I didn't feel fear or pain, only acceptance." Thank you for supporting This Jungian Life! ~Lisa, Joseph, and Deb

    10 min
  7. LOW ENERGY: Where Can We Source the Drive to Take Action? (Re-Publish)

    APR 9

    LOW ENERGY: Where Can We Source the Drive to Take Action? (Re-Publish)

    Many people just can’t rally to do what’s necessary and improve their lives. Is it possible they just don’t carry much vitality, or is some inner conflict blocking their access? We share personal stories of ‘energy loss’ and offer insights into purposelessness. Carl Jung tells us inner energy flows according to its own laws, but if we can’t harness it? Expect to learn why some people are naturally low-energy, which aspects of your psyche might be leaking energy, how over-aligning with cultural norms can cut off access to instinctive vitality, where we can look for solutions, and much more... SPECIAL NOTE: This is the second dream we've interpreted from this listener. The first interpretation follows. This is an extraordinary opportunity to see how a dream sequence evolves! Read along with our dream interpretations HERE. Connect With This Jungian Life Dream Studio: Our new Dream School program on dreams and art starts April 16. Send a ⁠⁠⁠dream⁠⁠⁠ for us to analyze on the show. Check out our TJL ⁠⁠⁠podcast merch⁠⁠⁠. Follow This Jungian Life on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠.

    1h 58m
  8. [SUBSCRIBER BONUS] What is the Demon Lover Archetype?

    APR 9 ·  BONUS • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    [SUBSCRIBER BONUS] What is the Demon Lover Archetype?

    Hey Patrons, Today we're discussing a question submitted by a supporter: "Can you please discuss the demon lover archetype? Deb made reference to it in the Death Mother episode and I would love to learn more." Thanks for supporting This Jungian Life! ~ Lisa, Joseph, and Deb

    20 min
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Hosts & Guests

4.7
out of 5
1,619 Ratings

About

Join us—Lisa, Deb, and Joseph—for sometimes irreverent but potentially life-changing conversations. Every Thursday, we explore culture, relationships, and depth psychology through the lens of Carl Jung. We devote a segment of each episode to analyzing a listener’s dream.

Information

  • Creator
    Joseph Lee, Deborah Stewart, Lisa Marchiano
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    529
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Joseph Lee, Deborah Stewart, Lisa Marchiano
  • Show Website
    This Jungian Life Podcast
  • Provider
    Lisa Marchiano

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