ABSTRACT
The focus on the self as the touchstone of psychic development is a distinguishing feature of C. G. Jung’s concept of individuation. Individuation refers to the process of becoming an individual—i.e. something both separate and unique and whole and undivided. Although individuation is unique constellation in each individual, it is made up of progressive differentiation of features that are themselves universal. Certain typical motifs, which Jung refers to as archetypes and which have correlations with Kleinian unconscious phantasies, occur again and again. This has immense importance for stance we take towards the manifestations of shared unconscious phantasies in marriage. Where individuation is occurring in an unimpeded way, conscious and unconscious operate in harmony, enabling progressive differentation and integration of unconscious contents into uniquely dynamic whole. Many couples come to therapy complaining of unequal development, especially when one partner has been in individual therapy, often a more respectable way of making a bid for freedom than having an affair.
