Jung embraced complexity in his vision of the mind and added to psychoanalysis a multitude of perspectives. Libido became an encompassing life force, and the psyche acquired much greater structural intricacy with new dynamic laws, such as the need for balance between aspects of our selves, or the energetic power of unconscious substructures. Personality differences in all their depth became understandable and expanded our theory of mind.
Adler places us in a social and cultural context where belonging and actively participating in the common good is essential to feel complete and effective. When we don’t feel those things we feel small, and develop a compensa- tory striving for power which can lead to suffering because it is a defensive drive. Kids need to grown up as active participants in the fabric of society to be satisfied adults.Initially a philosophical question, the meaning of our existence became a psychoanalytic one. We are fundamen- tally alone, yet seek comfort and validation from others, which always fails, creating anxiety. To protect ourselves we limit our range of experience, making even more fear, alienation and unhappiness. This method challenges our determinism, and through meaning aims to foster ownership of one’s fate.
Intersubjective psychoanalysis questions the power inequality between doctor and patient, which has many im- plications for treatment, including the assumption that the transference is just a projection onto the analyst, rather than a reaction forged out of the interaction of those two minds. Also, is there only one self, if self exists only within each of our relationships?