Looking in the mirror of the US election.

What is culture reflecting back at us?

24th October 2016

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I wouldn’t describe myself as politically minded or savvy but I would say that people fascinate me. It strikes me post-Brexit that we are doing the very British thing of ‘let’s just get on with it’ and we are witnessing the soap opera of the US election in disbelief although it is exactly what we’ve just been through but magnified.

For me when I look at Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton I see two symbols of power and people who have for whatever reason risen to the top of their game but who also carry wounds. We are all the same however the key is to what extent can the individuals own their shortcomings and manage their wounds?

I’ve read some great articles on Trump’s psychological make-up describing his narcissistic personality disorder and some even saying he’s a sociopath. Others are saying that both candidates are masters of repression and have buried their feelings for years in order to survive this very public showdown. The whole thing makes me sad and begs the question – how have we landed in this situation where our leaders don’t seem to have the character that we need at this time in the world? The UK is no different – with most of our leaders carrying wounding from boarding schools.

It seems to me that the sickness in our collective cultures is rising to the surface. We are seeing more transparency than ever before and it feels like there is no longer anywhere to hide. Emotions and pain will always find their way out! Life is a mirror and maybe the mirror of Trump shows us what we may have repressed and denied about ourselves. Maybe we also have a self-centred capitalist side, unconscious dreams of wealth and power or the desire for status and fame? Everything we see in these people we have the potential for inside as human beings.

If looking in the mirror is too much to bare then it’s definitely a sign that there is something there for us to learn from. Trump is at an extreme end of the spectrum and symbolizes so much of what Jung referred to as the human shadow. It means the aspects of us that we deny, reject, repress or are ashamed of in some way. Over time if we do not look at our shadow it will show itself through a life situation or challenge. There are chapters in our lives when the shadow really does come to the surface such as in adolescence or midlife.

Therapy is unique because it offers the space to explore everything about you that is out in the open and you are conscious of and to reach into the shadows and see aspects of yourself that you may be out of touch with. Once the light gets into the shadowy part of ourselves they cease to have as much control over us and this can be life changing. It's a recipe for finding humility and self-compassion.

One thing’s for sure – denying your pain over a long period of time results in the kind of grandiosity or shaming we are seeing right now on the world stage or mental/physical illness. For too long we've done the 'stiff upper lip' military approach and it hasn't worked. The trauma is too big now and so it's time to face into things rather than sweep it all under the carpet.

Therapy is not for 'the weak' – it is for the strong ones who recognize that they have some things to work through so that they can express themselves more fully and authentically in the world. It’s for people who want love to win over fear and those who just want to be well in every way. Please let me know if you would like to discuss having therapy for healing or purely for self-development.

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