Dark Forces in the Psyche: Our Self-Destructive Impulses

About this episode

The episode explores self-destructive impulses and anti-libidinal forces in the psyche that hinder personal growth and vitality.

Why is it that we sometimes fail to rise to life’s most important challenges? Why do we instead procrastinate, withdraw, self-sabotage, or feel unable to move toward the life we want? This week, at a listener’s suggestion, Jungian analysts Lisa Marchiano and Deborah Stewart explore the concept of anti-libidinal forces in the psyche: those self-destructive impulses that oppose growth, pleasure, and forward movement. We discuss the ways this phenomenon has been addressed within the profession, including Freud’s death drive, Melanie Klein’s concept of the bad breast, Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ predator in the psyche, and Donald Kalsched’s protector/persecutor. Libido was understood by Jung to mean life energy, rather than being purely sexual. We explore how blocked libido can become depression, paralyzing fear, hoarding behavior, vicious self-criticism, or simply an inability to begin or complete what matters most. Through stories such as Bluebeard, Jonah and the Whale, and Marduk and Tiamat, we consider inner monsters that threaten to devour vitality. Anti-libidinal forces, however, are not the end of the story. We also discuss the heroic task of meeting fear, reclaiming disowned…

People in this episode

Hosts: Lisa Marchiano, Deborah Stewart

Topics covered

• self-destructive impulses
• anti-libidinal forces
• Jungian analysis
• mental health
• personal growth
• fear and vitality

Keywords

• self-sabotage
• procrastination
• depression
• libido
• mental health
• Jungian analysis
• fear
• personal growth

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Bluebeard, Jonah and the Whale, Marduk and Tiamat

More episodes of This Jungian Life Podcast

• The Cry of Merlin: A Jungian Approach to the Wizard · June 11, 2026 · 1h 13m
• Working with Short Dreams and Fragments · June 4, 2026 · 59 min
• The Devouring Mother: Facing Archetypal Darkness · May 28, 2026 · 1h 6m
• Coniunctio: The Alchemy of Union · May 21, 2026 · 1h 43m
• Desirous Dreams: Our Private Erotic Encounters · May 14, 2026 · 1h 9m
• Jung and the End of the World: Can Depth Psychology Save Us? · May 7, 2026 · 1h 4m