Why do we keep repeating the same patterns—even after doing all the “right” things to feel better?
This is a question I come back to again and again in my work and it lives at the heart of what depth psychology invites us to explore. In this short clip from my guest appearance on the Full Plate Full Cup podcast, I unpack what depth psychology really is, and why it might be calling to you if you're tired of self-help that stays on the surface.
Depth psychology, often described as the “psychology of the soul,” offers something different from more behaviorally focused approaches. Rooted in Jungian and analytical traditions, it’s not just about symptom relief. It’s about uncovering what’s been buried, disowned, or forgotten, and making space for those parts to be seen, integrated, and reclaimed.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t value in strategies like CBT. I’ve trained in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and I believe there’s a time and place for those tools. Sometimes we do need a bandage—to stop the emotional bleeding, to get through the day. But healing doesn’t end there. Without addressing the deeper wound, we end up slapping on one bandage after another, never actually tending to the root cause.
In our culture, we’ve been sold a love story with quick fixes. Take the pill, download the habit tracker, reframe the thought. But that surface-level approach can only take us so far. Depth work asks us to slow down, to descend, to meet what lies underneath the symptoms, and in doing so, to find transformation instead of temporary relief.
What stood out to you in the clip? I love hearing from you and I love creating a dialogue amongst community.
One of the reasons depth psychology spoke to me so deeply was because of how holistic it felt. It held space for all of it, not just the thinking mind, but the body, the dreams, the archetypes, the soul. Jung’s work, in particular, felt like an invitation back into the feminine, into a way of being that honors intuition, slowness, and complexity.
Unlike Freud, whose legacy dominated so much of early psychology and whose views were largely shaped by a patriarchal lens, Jung was deeply influenced by indigenous cultures and often credited the traditions and teachings that shaped his thinking. While he was still a product of his time, there was something about his approach that felt more inclusive, more soulful, more reverent of the unseen. There’s even a saying in the field that “Freud is the father of psychology, but Jung is the mother.” And for me, that says a lot about the energy this work holds.
Coming from a high-achieving, hustle-oriented background, I felt something in my own system soften when I encountered depth psychology. It wasn’t about optimizing or fixing. It was about listening. Honoring the inner world. And creating space to meet ourselves with more curiosity and compassion.
Depth work isn’t about making the ego disappear. It’s about making the unconscious conscious. It’s about going down so we can come back up more integrated, more whole, more human.
Our June live Q&A session for paid subscribers is happening 06/26 at 11am PT. This is a chance to ask questions, share your experiences, and gain deeper clarity on what boundaries mean for you. You can also submit any topic or question for me to cover ahead of time!
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