Moving Myths: A Heuristic Inquiry Into the Role of Jungian Concepts in the Theoretical Framework of a Dance/Movement Therapy Student

The purpose of this heuristic study was to develop a personal dance/movement therapy approach and interventions that utilize the Jungian concepts of myth and archetypes. The researcher, a 24-year-old graduate student, is grounded in a humanistic-existential therapy approach and is interested in bringing additional symbolism and metaphor to my theoretical lens by examining how these specific elements of Carl Jung’s psychoanalytic theory can enhance my current framework. Data collection and analysis took place over five Authentic Movement Skype sessions with the researcher and research collaborator participating from private rooms in their respective homes in Chicago, IL and Seattle, WA. The first session focused on the research questions, the next three sessions framed particular myths and the archetypes within them, and the final session revisited the questions and processed findings. Findings revealed the understanding of each archetype as bi-polar, and the acknowledgement of unconscious material from all individuals as an innate presence in the therapeutic relationship, with the overarching goal being to integrate these concepts into my theoretical approach. 65 pages