ABSTRACT
To this point we have followed the concept of individuation to see that the ideal of psychic process involves bringing consciousness in contact with unconscious needs so as to keep ego apprised of the larger psychic reality within which it operates. Problems arise for individuation when one is sidetracked by complexes, which originate in an organism’s automatic responses to crisis-like situations and then perpetuate themselves through convergence zones that see every new emotional situation as another instance of an old pattern. Such automatic and relatively unchanging reactions do not allow for suffi cient analysis of one’s momentary life-situation to ensure accuracy of perception and adequacy of response. Individuation is impossible so long as an accurate grasp of one’s life-situation cannot be formed. Fortunately, emotion-driven complex-reactions can be reduced when an individual learns to restrain automatic responses in the interests of conscious refl ection. The brain is wired to make complex resolution possible, and it makes sense to conclude that an effective psychotherapy will introduce techniques to assist in the process of differentiating our feelings and acquiring a more accurate and objective view of the life-situation that confronts us.
