Denise Grobbelaar:

Working with Image & Narrative

Jungian Analyst, Psychotherapist & Clinical Psychologist.

Wanderer above the Sea of Fog - Caspar David Friedrich (1818)

Welcome to a transformative path toward self-discovery and healing. As a Jungian Analyst, my role is to guide you on a profound journey of individuation —the process of becoming your true and unique self. Together, we will explore the depths of your psyche, unravelling the layers of conditioning and unconscious patterns that may obscure your authentic identity and possibly lie at the root of your suffering. Through this transformative journey, you'll become more self-aware as you gain deeper insights into your inner world, uncover, and embrace your unique inherent strengths, and ultimately, live a life aligned with your genuine self. The more present we become to our deeper Self, the more spacious, calm, joyful and responsive (rather than reactive) we become in our engagement with the world around us. To assist in identifying these patterns or aspects of Self, therapy involves talking about day-to-day experiences, memories, dreams, and other visionary experiences.

I invite you to explore the uncharted territory of your psyche, to engage in the profound process of shadow work. Together, we will embark on a path of illumination, uncovering those hidden aspects of yourself that have long been relegated to the shadows. This introspective approach is a powerful means of healing and personal growth, as we delve into the depths of your unconscious mind to integrate those often overlooked, yet vital, elements of your identity. A focus area is to identify patterns and parts within the broader personality of the person that need acceptance and integrating; or the need to be transformed, especially if patterns/parts are limiting and/or imprisoning the person in maladaptive thinking or behaviours. Embrace the opportunity to confront your shadow, for within its enigmatic depths lie the keys to unlocking your fullest potential and achieving a more authentic and harmonious life.

Galatea of the Spheres - Salvador Dali (1952)

The Sleeping Gypsy - Henri Rousseau (1897)

Join me on a journey of self-discovery through the realms of image and story. What are the images that inspire and guide you? What are the stories that you live by? Within the depths of the unconscious mind, we uncover the narratives, patterns, symbols, and archetypes that shape your inner world. By delving into the rich tapestry of your psyche, we explore the multiplicity of voices and stories that reside within you, offering insights into your personal mythology Through Jungian analysis, we navigate the labyrinth of your soul, helping you integrate these elements and find meaning in your life's unfolding narrative. Join me on this profound exploration of self, as we unlock the power of image and story to guide you towards greater self-awareness and wholeness.

We know that the wildest and most moving dramas are played not in the theatre but in the hearts of ordinary men and women who pass by without exciting attention, and who betray to the world nothing of the conflicts that rage within them except possibly by a nervous breakdown. What is so difficult for the layman to grasp is the fact that in most cases the patients themselves have no suspicion whatever of the internecine war raging in their unconscious. If we remember that there are many people who understand nothing at all about themselves, we shall be less surprised at the realization that there are also people who are utterly unaware of their actual conflicts.

Carl Gustav Jung - CW 7 ¶ 425

Meet Denise

Guiding you through the journey of self-discovery, I bring my deep curiosity and profound reverence for the Earth’s dreaming and the images from the mystery of the psyche.

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Courses

Learn from me as I share my passion for topics that truly interest me, drawing from extensive training and in-depth research to provide you with valuable insights and knowledge.

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White Lion

The white lion, as an embodiment of the archetype of the Self, resonates as a powerful living symbol in my psyche, manifesting repeatedly in my dreams and waking images.

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Dreams show us the landscapes of our souls. Where do your dreams regularly take place? What is the felt sense of that space? How does it speak to you? According to the African indigenous perspective on dreaming, the landscapes in our dreams denote our DNA and the people we originate from.

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Categories: Dreams, Indigenous Worldviews

But what happens when the stories we choose to live by lead us down dark and treacherous paths? The Netflix series “The Last Airbender" offers a compelling example of this question through the character of Admiral Zhao and his unrelenting pursuit of becoming a legend by slaying the Moon Spirit.

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Categories: Archetypes, Fairy Tales, Movies, Series & Books, Story & Narrative (Personal mythology)

Carl Jung astutely observed the tendency of human beings to unwittingly perpetuate their own suffering while remaining oblivious to the root causes within themselves. Despite externalizing blame onto the world, the true origins of these narratives lie within the unconscious.

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Categories: Shadow

Jung believed that the psyche operates as a self-regulating system, akin to the body, aiming to maintain internal stability amidst external influences. This equilibrium involves a balance between polarities wherein the psyche integrates unconscious elements like archetypes and complexes into conscious awareness. Through self-discovery and transformation, a process Jung termed ‘individuation’, individuals seek to manifest their unique potential and achieve inner harmony, fostering a sense of wholeness.

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Categories: Individuation (Hero & Heroine's Journey), Psyche, The Unconscious

Animal visitations in our dreams represent archetypal patterns and qualities unique to their species; thus, each animal carries an essence that we need to inquire about to understand the dream's message beyond our personal associations...

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Categories: Animal Symbolism, Dreams

In the modern world, where urban and technological landscapes often overshadow the natural world, there is an ever-increasing disconnect between humanity and the environment that sustains us. The consequences of this detachment are far-reaching, impacting on the very essence of our well-being. Jung saw our relationship with nature as essential to the development of consciousness and wholeness (Sabini 2001). Jung stated that in the “civilization process, we have increasingly divided our consciousness from the deeper instinctive strata of the human psyche” (Jung, 1964, 36).

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Categories: Consciousness, Earth & Nature, Ecopsychology, Indigenous Worldviews