Embracing a Depth Psychology Approach to the New Year

Reflect on your life journey and enter the new year with clarity and growth.

What if the second half of life isn’t just about growing older but about rediscovering who you truly are?

During the first part of my life, my mind drove me to set and achieve goals—a trait I saw as undeniably good. C.G. Jung, one of the founders of depth psychology (the study of the unconscious), observed that the first half of life focuses on building a strong sense of self while fitting into the larger community. However, when we go too far, our identity risks becoming overly dependent on external validation.

My well-established ego left me unprepared for the quiet unease that surfaced at 38. The faint dissatisfaction scared me, so I largely ignored it. Yet, I was drawn to meditation and yoga, devoured spiritual books, and shared my deeper longings with my husband. Ten years later, my soul, no longer willing to be ignored, orchestrated a tragic falling apart, dismantling my 24- year marriage and consulting business.

The falling apart was exactly what I needed to free my fearful mind from its grip on the meaning of my life. In a moment of surrender, I embraced the irrational call to pursue an MA/PhD in depth psychology—a journey I explore and share in “When Sex Meets God: A Midlife Story.”

The second part of life is about turning inward and reconnecting with our eternal essence—a core often stifled by adults and systems repressing natural talents and passionate desires. As you learn to trust this deeper part of yourself, which I call the self, it becomes a bridge to something greater—what some call God. Through this connection, something new is created: of and from you, but not only from you, and in service to something beyond yourself.

Your mind, however, won’t be helpful in this process. Its protective nature clings to what it already knows, seeking only to affirm and confirm. Instead, it’s essential to learn the language of your unconscious, which speaks through symbols, metaphors, and emotions. Recognizing the everyday doorways through which your unconscious speaks allows you to explore life’s patterns and transform them into new perspectives.

Jung suggested that humanity’s fate depends on self-reflecting individuals. As stagnant systems crumble today, new ideas seem to arise almost mysteriously. If we look closer, we can see how the agitation and creativity of a small group often catalyze a collective consciousness shift—always moving toward greater understanding and love.

Self-reflection is essential to this process and can help usher in a new age. As
2025 begins, how can you harness your more profound wisdom to shape this rich chapter of your life? Take some time to reflect on the following questions and journal your thoughts:

Reflection prompts

• Write your life story in three words, then expand it into three acts of a play. What story or movie does your life seem to mirror? What lessons were you supposed to learn, and which are still waiting to be discovered?
• What is your earliest memory of feeling free or liberated? How old were you, and what was happening in your life?
• Reflect on your relationship with anger and other strong emotions. What and who triggers you, and what is your earliest memory of feeling that way?
• What occupies your mind these days? A thought, a show, a fantasy, a color?
• What films impacted you most in your twenties, thirties, or midlife? Which ones do you rewatch, and why? Which characters or stories resonate with you?
• Explore your approach to spirituality. Did you inherit or reject your beliefs? Have they evolved? Are they in harmony with your deepest desires, or are there conflicts that need resolving?
• Describe your relationship with sexuality. What kinds of people or situations arouse or inspire you?

Once you’ve written your reflections, reread them with curiosity. Don’t judge; observe your life as it unfolds before you. What patterns or insights stand out? Use these reflections to guide your vision for the year ahead.

For more insights, visit www.deborahlukovich.com.