Reference no: EM133932720

Problem

For lack of a better term, we can describe Robert as a fortune teller of sorts, a mystic. He is 56, with an Irish American ancestry and accent, and earns his living by telling people what they can expect to happen in the future. He accomplishes this by reading tarot cards and by laying his hands on his clients. He claims to "sense" things when he does this; he can see what will happen to his client. He does not understand how it happens, but he says he can almost see things in his mind's eye.

He also earns money by contacting people who "have crossed over to the other world." In other words, he claims to be able to talk with the dead. To do this, he must be able to have contact with an article that the deceased had touched. Robert explains that it is not the feel of the object that is important in this feat or in predicting the future; rather, it is being able to experience a person's "psychic energy." After touching the object, he concentrates and goes into a type of trance in which he allegedly makes contact with, and talks to, the deceased. His clients believe he is actually doing this, and so does Robert. His clients claim that he tells them only their deceased loved ones would know.

Robert says that he has always had these types of abilities. As a teenager, he says that he would frequently sense that a particular event would occur, or he would know that something had happened even though no one had told him. The experiences involved both minor and more major events. For example, when he was younger, Robert says that he would know when to put the coffee on for his father, who worked irregular hours. Robert just knew when his father was coming home, and his father always wanted a cup of coffee when he got home. Robert tells a story about his grandfather dying: On that day Robert had been filled with a sense of foreboding. Only later that day did Robert learn about the death, which explained his sense of dread. Robert firmly believes these memories to be true. Others, however, are more skeptical, believing that he is reinterpreting past memories according to more current beliefs and experiences. For example, even though Robert believes that he has always had these psychic experiences, he wasn't always as interested in the paranormal as he is today. This interest, though always present, really did not expand and encompass his life until he reached the age of 40. It was then that he started having seizures, or at least he started noticing these seizures. When Robert started having these seizures, he went to a doctor and was diagnosed with simple absence seizures. People who have this type of seizure are not always aware that they have had a seizure because they tend to continue whatever behavior was interrupted by the seizure itself once it is over. During these seizures Robert simply stares forward. The seizures typically do not last long-about 10 to 20 seconds-and begin and end abruptly. However, Robert knows when the seizure is about to occur because he experiences what has been termed an aura, sensations that indicate the onset of a seizure. For Robert, this includes a change in body temperature and an increase in a feeling of anxiety or tension. It is during this time that Robert claims to be able to see the future or make contact with the dead. Most people who experience these types of seizures do so only during childhood, and the seizures tend to disappear by adulthood. But Robert's started, or he first noticed them, during adulthood, and he takes them as a sign of his special abilities. His seizures can be controlled with medication, but the medication causes headaches and an upset stomach. Beyond this, Robert is reluctant to take the medication because he is afraid that he will lose some of his psychic ability if he controls his seizures. So he does not take his prescription.

As he neared his 40th birthday and started having (noticing) seizures, Robert contemplated death and began to study paranormal activities. This study influenced the interpretation of his own physical experiences with seizures and, he believes, allowed him to hone his mystical skills, which in turn gradually led to his current occupation and lifestyle. Get the instant assignment help.

Today, Robert earns money speaking to groups of interested parties about the paranormal. At these events, he describes his experiences and his beliefs about the "other world." He especially enjoys this type of interaction. It makes him feel knowledgeable and sage, as though he were a prophet and the members of his audience were his disciples. His last speaking engagement drew a crowd of 1200 at a college in California. During this performance, he singled out a number of people and spoke directly to them, apparently giving them messages from deceased loved ones. Stopping in the middle of his talk because of a seizure, he then pointed to one young woman in the audience and told her that her father had a message for her: that he "understands and forgives." She broke down in team He told another woman that her deceased husband wanted to let her know that he was happy.

His friends describe Robert as impractical. Although he has been able to make a living this way, Robert has trouble with everyday tasks: keeping house, keeping track of his money, and having enough food. His house is always messy; he needs an accountant to keep track of his money; and he often goes to the refrigerator or cupboard only to find nothing substantial to eat.

His lifestyle is decidedly different from most people's. Certainly, it resembles that of a rock star more than that of a banker, with all his traveling and his performances. Even when he is at home for an extended period, he has many more visitors than most people have because of personal appointments with him for advice and guidance. At these sessions, he uses his mystical tools and powers to give his clients information from "the other side." Not surprisingly, his friends consider him somewhat odd and eccentric. Other people who do not know Robert very well think that he is either "wacko" or a con artist. Even his agent/manager thinks of him as only entertainment. Although Robert occasion- ally is concerned that he is "selling out," he believes that he is helping others.

Using Jung's theoretical concepts and stages, assess Robert's personality by answering the following questions.

1) What are archetypes? In what level of consciousness are they contained, according to Jung's theory? What archetype has Robert been influenced by? Provide evidence for your answer. How does it influence his behavior?

2) At what stage is Robert presently, according to Jungian theory? What types of events should he be experiencing at this stage? Is there evidence for these experiences in the case study? Explain.