C.G. Jung was reticent about writing about his understanding of alcoholism, gleaned initially from his experience in the Swiss army and in the Burgholzli hospital, because he was wary of being misunderstood by his professional contemporaries. The contrast between his three early case studies of alcoholic patients with his later perspective, following his personal explorations culminating in the birth of Liber Novus, is striking.  The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and all the self-help groups which have arisen from it exemplify a spiritual path to individuation, acknowledging the power of the collective and the personal shadow.  The presenter will consider the implications of this in clinical practice.

‍

Alcoholics Anonymous. The Twelve Steps.  On Google

Addenbrooke, M.,   Saying goodbye to the hero:  Jung, Liber Novus and conversion fromaddiction.  Journal of Analytical Psychology, 60 (2015): 371-389.

Addenbrooke, M., (2011) Survivorsof Addiction:  Narratives of Recovery.  London: Routledge.

‍