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Jung once observed, “With glorious naivete a statement comes out with the proud declaration that he has no ‘imagination for evil’. Quite right: we have no imagination for evil, but evil has us in its grip” (Jung, 2019, p. 389). His words feel more relevant than ever, as we traverse—whether consciously or unconsciously—a world increasingly shaped by collective trauma. Jungian Analysis in a World on Fire: At the Nexus of Individual and Collective Trauma , edited by Laura Camille Tuley and John R. White, delves into the profound impact of trauma—not just on individuals, but on entire societies. The book confronts the wounds we inflict upon nature, evident in the climate crisis, industrialized animal slaughter, and pandemics, alongside the fractures within human relationships, reflected in systemic oppression, gender inequality, and mass violence.
Collective trauma does not remain confined to personal suffering; rather, it permeates entire cultures, embedding itself in political ideologies, social structures, and historical narratives. As its echoes reverberate across generations, it shapes the very fabric of our societies, influencing how we perceive ourselves and relate to one another (Feldman, 2022). In response, this volume brings together a series of thought-provoking essays that critically examine trauma's far-reaching impact and challenge us to seek transformative pathways toward healing and renewal.
Chapter 1, titled “Our Climate Crisis: The Need for an Active Analyst When Working with the Nature Archetype in Jungian Analysis”, by Stephen Foster, explores a key question: “How can psychotherapists contribute to addressing the climate crisis?” Drawing on both theoretical perspectives and his own clinical work, Foster urges scientists and therapists to move beyond “detached objectivity and neutrality” (p. 13). He argues that only by approaching environmental issues from a subjective standpoint, confronting our own shadows, and fully engaging with analysands when they