History

WEIMAR CONGRESS (1911)

Sandor Ferenczi (1), Sigmund Freud (2), Carl Gustav Jung (3)

Lou Andreas-Salomé (1), Emma Jung (2), Toni Wolff (3)

The Pan-Canadian Society for Analytical Psychology (PCSAP) was initiated in early 2023 with the goal of raising awareness in Canada to the major contributions of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961). This includes Jung’s contributions to psychology in general and to the vast theoretical and clinical perspectives in the field of psychoanalysis (see: “Analytical Psychology“. In practical terms, the PCSAP will offer all accredited professionals with a graduate degree the opportunity to undertake training leading to a diploma in Analytical Psychology recognized by the International Association of Analytical Psychology (IAAP). 

At the time of this initiative, the number of analysts in Canada listed by the IAAP was 77. The society from which these analysts cast their IAAP votes is listed below:

– 37 from OAJA (Ontario Association of Jungian Analysts)
– 14 from AGAP (Association of Graduates in Analytical Psychology)
– 11 from WCAJA (Western Canadian Association of Jungian Analysts)
– 7 from APJQ (Association des Psychanalystes Jungiens du Québec)
– 5 from CGJIZ (C. G. Jung Institute of Zurich)
– 2 from IRSJA (Inter-Regional-Society of Jungian Analysts)
– 1 from IGAP (Independent Group of Jungian Analysts)

This list indicates that the majority of Jungian analysts in Canada are located in the province of Ontario where, beginning in the year 2000, the only IAAP accredited Canadian training program in Analytical Psychology has been offered. However, the founding of two additional training programs had been attempted by both the Jungian analysts from the province of Quebec (APJQ) and by the analysts from Western Canada (WCAJA).

As for the project to create a training program in Quebec, there were 11 IAAP analysts at that time which met the required number needed for the project to be presented to the IIAAP and be voted upon at the congress in Vienna in August 2019. Unfortunately, the APJQ had to give up this project, following the adoption by the Quebec government of Bill 21 governing the practice of psychotherapy in Quebec. APJQ members who were unable to meet all the conditions set out in this law had to move to another province of Canada or to another country to continue their practice. This had the effect of reducing the number of members of the APJQ and of no longer being able to meet the conditions set by the IAAP for admission to a training program.

As for the project of creating a training program by the members of the Western Canadian Association of Jungian Analysts, preliminary work in the form of offering a seminar on the “Fundamentals of Jungian Psychology” as a prerequisite for potential candidates to enter a future training program was completed and the course was advertised. However, the minimum number of participants required to hold the course at that time was not met and so the it did not proceed. The idea of establishing a training institute was subsequently put on hold. 

In retrospect, the Pan-Canadian Society for Analytical Psychology follows in the footsteps of the 2015 initiative of the Jungian analysts from the Western Canadian Association that offered all Jungian analysts in Canada the opportunity to participate in a Symposium to be held May 29-31, 2015, in the beautiful Banff National Park, Alberta. 

According to the comments and photos in the archives of this symposium, in addition to the “regional histories of the presence of Jungian analysts in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, the Maritimes, and Quebec” and the texts of the lectures that were given, this symposium was greatly appreciated by all its participants and can now be considered the happy precursor of the PCSAP.

1. John Hoedl (PCSAP Co-Chair), 2. Marcel Gaumond (PCSAP Co-Chair & Quebec representative), 3. Tom Kelly (IAAP Past President), 4. Catherine Ellis (British Columbia Representative), 5. Mae Stolte (Alberta Representative), 6. Peggy Voth*, 7. Beaty Popescu (Nova Scotia Representative)

Adding to this history is the fact that the structure of the Analytical psychology training program now offered by the PCSAP was inspired by the training program offered by the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts (IRSJA) founded in the U.S. in 1973 to “bring C.G. Jung and analytical training to areas of the U.S. outside of existing training programs in major metropolitan areas”. And it turns out that many Jungian analysts and training candidates from Canada, and even Mexico, have been able over the years to become members of this “Inter-regional society” or to do their training in Analytical psychology there. This means that the PCSAP now intends to offer Canadians – and it is about time! – the same conditions that were offered by the IRSJA for 50 years, since its creation.

____________________

*Peggy Voth, from the province of Alberta, read the text Daryl Sharp had asked her to present on the history of Jungian psychology in Ontario. Marcel Gaumond, Catherine Ellis, Mae Stolte and Beaty Popescu, who also read the text they had written on the history of Jungian psychology in their respective provinces.