Personality type has always helped us appreciate our gifts and accept our blind-spots. Now “depth typology” reveals our undiscovered talents and deepest challenges as well. Depth Typology C. G. Jung, Isabel Myers, John Beebe, and The Guide Map to Becoming Who We Are describes the expanded framework and whole-psyche dynamics of Jungian analyst John Beebe’s state of the art type model. Not only does this book explain in detail what the model is and how it works, it describes the context as well—its theoretical foundations and how it fits with modern scientific knowledge and our evolving understanding of personality, as well as the current psycho-socio-political need for such an advancement in understanding ourselves. These new insights broaden the scope of psychological type and dramatically enhance its usefulness in a multitude of arenas. Type professionals, depth psychologists, and laypeople alike can use this powerful tool for maximizing individual potential, fostering better relationships, elevating teamwork, and defusing conflict. Depth typology is already inspiring innovations in a multitude of type applications and endeavors. It has initiated a new era in the exploration of personality and seems certain to continue inspiring new insights and innovative applications, due to the broader and deeper perspective it brings to the field. We now have a true whole-type model of personality, including for the first * An understanding of our cognitive modes of operating that is more vivid and accurate because it is based on the actual building blocks of personality, the eight function-attitudes. The functions and attitudes of type provide a theoretical framework for thinking and talking about personality, but shifting the focus to the function-attitudes allows us to use a framework that describes the live, dynamic mental processes that are actually at work. * A framework that encompasses both the go-to conscious gifts and the unconscious challenges of each personality type. Rather than limiting type to the ego-side of personality, the model encompasses, for the first time, the whole personality, including even the collective unconscious. * The energy factor that is responsible for our innate patterns of motivation and emotional baggage. Formerly a purely cognitive model, this expanded view of psychological type now also encompasses the emotion-related energies that drive us. These insights enable anyone to better navigate their unique path of personal growth and understand and manage their deepest psychological challenges. Understanding how all of the mental processes of type and their associated emotional energies influence our perceptions, interactions, and choices can enable us to live happier and more successful and fulfilling lives. Teachers, counselors, consultants, and trainers who already use personality type in their work will be able to verify “reported type” more quickly and reliably, to understand and address deeper and more resistant challenges, and provide more effective and lasting support for their clients. Clinical psychologists and analysts will find that Jung’s framework for understanding normal consciousness can now be applied to the unconscious as well, providing a new and powerful tool for dream interpretation and enabling professionals to flex more effectively to relate and communicate with patients.
This is essential reading if you are interested in both Jungian psychology and Myers-Briggs. This is a very deep book and it took me at least a few months to read it a little bit at a time. I made highlights on almost every page. The last several chapters are very practical, covering the workplace, parenting, and spirituality and creativity. The Beebe type model is fascinating and greatly expands upon the Myers-Briggs principles. I'll be pondering this and revisiting it for a long time.
For me, the author spent too much of the book explaining the arguments for why depth typology is important and not enough time explaining how it works and what it specifically means for each of the function-attitude types. In general, it seems he was targeting researchers and therapists with this book, not the layperson. So it could be that I am just not the intended audience. I probably would have been better off reading some of Beebe's material or other resources to better understand my type and how I develop myself. He spent a lot of time generally summarizing other authors and researchers in the space but did not go into too much depth on any of them, seemingly assuming the reader is already familiar.
Hmm, I guess I should have known modern Jungian stuff brings with it New Age baggage. The core of this book (chapters 3-8) has amazing insight and is very clear in its explanations, hence why I bumped it above 3 stars. But ugh, it is bookended by stuff I did not sign up for, such as the author's thoughts on quantum vs Newtonian mechanics, or his political and societal hopes and dreams. Like sure, interesting extra depth, but he's done that classic INTJ thing of making a very clear logical rationale that is presented as objective, but that has actually been built to protect his Fi values. Not so rational now, are you INTJs? I can see through your plans.
Hunziker really explores Jungian typology from its roots all the way up through Beebe's model. I expected a book worth a place on my shelf, but it is better than that. I am putting this at the top of the list for getting not only an overview of typology but actually putting it into application. Pair this with his previous title, Building Blocks of Personality Type to have a decent working knowledge of type.
Too much context. Not enough content. The material that was new to me was just completely wrong. The sad problem with Typology is the hallucinogenic effect of the models, whereby one can propose a theory that sounds entirely reasonable but, in fact, is not grounded in real experience, instead of observing the relationships and interactions of people and forming a model from that evidence. Such was the case here, where Hunziker tries to suggest that an ENTJ and an ISFP have an inclination to be attracted to one another due to their similar 'spines and arms', whereas the ENTJ-INTP relationship is doomed because of the dichotomy of ego and shadow. That said, there is no need to dispute the theoretical claims here, because one can simply observe the interactions they have with their shadow type and will see that the complete opposite fact is true, that they are perfectly compatible.
Despite my critical view of the book, I do believe it contains many valid and insightful ideas, even though the ones I found interesting originated with others, not from Hunziker himself. For example, the bidirectional triggering of function-attitudes and the archetypes as well as the stages of FA development.
It did present pretty well Jung’s perspective which was very helpful, as I wanted to first get an idea on what jungian analysts promote before going into deeper waters. It also made me extremely curios to read Mark Hunziker’s other book -Building Blocks of Personality Type- as I now really want to understand each cognitive function and this book doesn’t exactly describe them as I hoped it will.