Carl Jung and Osteopathy: Body and Mind in Harmony

Table of Contents

Introduction

Carl Jung, the renowned Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology, although he did not directly address osteopathy in his work, addressed more general concepts related to the body, the psyche, and healing. These concepts may have implications for holistic approaches to health such as osteopathy.

Jung deeply explored the complex connections between mind and body, highlighting the crucial importance of psyche-body balance. His integrative view of health laid the foundation for a more holistic understanding of human nature. Although his work did not directly address alternative medicines such as osteopathy, his ideas about the importance of balance, individuation, and deep self-understanding can be applied within the context of holistic medical practices.

Osteopathy, as an alternative medical discipline, positions itself at the delicate intersection of the psychic and the physical. By merging the principles of Jungian psychology with the manual techniques of osteopathy, a fascinating field emerges where inner balance is reflected in physical health. This combined approach aims to understand the mysteries of the human psyche through Jung’s fundamental principles, while integrating the subtle practices of osteopathy.

In this joint exploration, we discover how the synergy between Carl Jung and osteopathy offers intriguing insights into how psychological and physical dimensions intertwine. This integration creates a balance essential to the overall health of the individual, transcending the traditional boundaries between psychology and physical medicine.

A Psyche in Harmony: Carl Jung’s Holistic Vision

Carl Gustav Jung, a major figure in 20th-century psychology, distinguished himself by a profoundly holistic approach to the human psyche. Unlike his mentor Sigmund Freud, who focused primarily on unconscious drives and intrapsychic conflicts, Jung proposed a broader, more integrative view of psychological functioning. For him, human beings could not be reduced to their traumas or defense mechanisms; they had to be understood in their entirety, in a constant dynamic between the conscious and the unconscious, between body and mind, between the personal and the collective.

At the heart of Jungian thought is the concept of individuation , a process of unifying the different components of the personality. Far from being a simple development of the personality, individuation aims at the emergence of the self, that is to say, the deep and authentic identity of the individual. To reach this state, the human being must explore the recesses of his unconscious, integrate his shadows (repressed or unknown aspects of himself), and strive for a balance between the psychic polarities that constitute him: masculine/feminine, rational/intuitive, introverted/extroverted, etc.

Jung did not view the psyche as a disembodied entity. On the contrary, he recognized the importance of the body in the expression of psychological processes . Repressed emotions, internal conflicts, or unintegrated experiences could, he believed, manifest as physical symptoms. This view prefigures modern psychosomatic approaches and resonates particularly well with disciplines such as osteopathy, which focuses on both structural imbalances and their emotional repercussions.

Another fundamental contribution of Jung: the collective unconscious . This reservoir of images and experiences shared by all humanity, transmitted over generations, manifests itself through archetypes —universal symbols such as the Mother, the Hero, the Sage, or the Shadow. These archetypes appear in our dreams, our myths, our behaviors, and even in certain pathologies. Jung saw in these symbols keys to understanding the deep dynamics that drive the individual, well beyond his personal experience. Thus, each symptom could be interpreted as a symbolic message , an invitation to explore a still unexplored facet of oneself.

Jung’s holistic approach is also based on the search for meaning . He saw suffering not as an inevitability to be eliminated at all costs, but as an opportunity for growth. For him, personal crises—whether psychological, physical, or existential—had the potential to catalyze inner transformation. From this perspective, the therapist is not simply a caregiver, but a companion in the process of individuation, a witness to the other’s inner journey.

Finally, Jung emphasized the importance of spirituality in mental health. For him, it was not a matter of adhering to a particular religion, but of cultivating a living and personal relationship with the sacred, with what he called “the soul.” This spiritual dimension, often neglected in contemporary scientific approaches, is nevertheless essential in a holistic vision of the person.

In short, Jung’s view of the psyche is a call to reconcile opposites, listen to the body’s messages, explore the symbolic world, and seek deep inner coherence. It offers a valuable framework for those—therapists and patients alike—who wish to approach mental health not as the mere absence of disorder, but as a path to inner harmony and wholeness .

Unexpected Bridges: When Jung Meets Osteopathy

At first glance, Carl Jung’s analytical psychology and osteopathy appear to belong to two distinct worlds: one focused on the dynamics of the psyche, the other on the structure and function of the body. Yet, when one ventures beyond appearances, profound resonances emerge. These two approaches, although developed independently, share a common philosophy: that of the unity of the human being, considered in all its dimensions—physical, psychological, emotional, and symbolic.

Jung emphasized the importance of integrating body and mind in the quest for health and balance. In his writings, he argued that unresolved psychological conflicts could find a somatic outlet, expressing themselves through bodily symptoms. These were signs, bodily symbols, that the unconscious used to signal inner dissonance. This view echoes the osteopathic approach, where physical tensions are often interpreted as manifestations of a global imbalance , which may include emotional or psychological factors.

Osteopaths, like Jungians, observe that the body “speaks.” A restriction in a diaphragm, persistent tension in the neck, or pelvic imbalance may be more than mechanical dysfunctions: they may reflect resistances, fears, memories inscribed in the body’s tissues. This idea, that the body stores what consciousness has repressed , resonates deeply with the Jungian perspective of the shadow—that inner space where unaccepted aspects of the self are relegated.

Another point of convergence is found in the quest for balance . Jung spoke of individuation as a dynamic process aimed at harmonizing psychic opposites and achieving a more unified self. Osteopathy, on the other hand, works to restore mobility and balance in the body, seeking to reestablish the fluidity of exchanges (blood, lymphatic, nervous) and the coherence between structure and function. These two approaches – psychic and physical – actually aim for the same goal: to reconcile internal dissonances to allow the individual to find their axis .

Furthermore, Jung emphasized the importance of symbols in inner transformation. Dreams, illnesses, and pain can be interpreted as coded messages from the unconscious. Osteopathy, although less directly oriented toward the symbolic, nevertheless offers a listening space where the body becomes the theater of a silent symbolic narration . An attentive osteopath will be able to perceive in a patient’s posture, in their reactions to mobilizations, or in their subjective descriptions of pain, clues to a narrative larger than simple physical dysfunction.

Finally, one of the richest links between these two disciplines lies in their approach to the person as a whole . Neither Jung nor osteopaths are content to treat symptoms. They are interested in the person as a whole: their history, their relationships, their dreams, their body, their fears and their hopes. This holistic approach, based on listening, intuition and a deep understanding of the being, gives their practices a transformative power that goes beyond the strictly therapeutic field.

The Body as a Living Myth: Archetypes and Symbolism in Osteopathy

At first glance, Carl Jung’s analytical psychology and osteopathy appear to belong to two distinct worlds: one focused on the dynamics of the psyche, the other on the structure and function of the body. Yet, when one ventures beyond appearances, profound resonances emerge. These two approaches, although developed independently, share a common philosophy: that of the unity of the human being, considered in all its dimensions—physical, psychological, emotional, and symbolic.

Jung emphasized the importance of integrating body and mind in the quest for health and balance. In his writings, he argued that unresolved psychological conflicts could find a somatic outlet, expressing themselves through bodily symptoms. These were signs, bodily symbols, that the unconscious used to signal inner dissonance. This view echoes the osteopathic approach, where physical tensions are often interpreted as manifestations of a global imbalance , which may include emotional or psychological factors.

Osteopaths, like Jungians, observe that the body “speaks.” A restriction in a diaphragm, persistent tension in the neck, or pelvic imbalance may be more than mechanical dysfunctions: they may reflect resistances, fears, memories inscribed in the body’s tissues. This idea, that the body stores what consciousness has repressed , resonates deeply with the Jungian perspective of the shadow—that inner space where unaccepted aspects of the self are relegated.

Another point of convergence is found in the quest for balance . Jung spoke of individuation as a dynamic process aimed at harmonizing psychic opposites and achieving a more unified self. Osteopathy, on the other hand, works to restore mobility and balance in the body, seeking to reestablish the fluidity of exchanges (blood, lymphatic, nervous) and the coherence between structure and function. These two approaches – psychic and physical – actually aim for the same goal: to reconcile internal dissonances to allow the individual to find their axis .

Furthermore, Jung emphasized the importance of symbols in inner transformation. Dreams, illnesses, and pain can be interpreted as coded messages from the unconscious. Osteopathy, although less directly oriented toward the symbolic, nevertheless offers a listening space where the body becomes the theater of a silent symbolic narration . An attentive osteopath will be able to perceive in a patient’s posture, in their reactions to mobilizations, or in their subjective descriptions of pain, clues to a narrative larger than simple physical dysfunction.

Finally, one of the richest links between these two disciplines lies in their approach to the person as a whole . Neither Jung nor osteopaths are content to treat symptoms. They are interested in the person as a whole: their history, their relationships, their dreams, their body, their fears and their hopes. This holistic approach, based on listening, intuition and a deep understanding of the being, gives their practices a transformative power that goes beyond the strictly therapeutic field.

Osteopathy at the Heart of Integrative Medicine

Carl Gustav Jung profoundly influenced our understanding of the connection between psyche and symbol. He believed that the unconscious expressed itself not only through words or behaviors, but also through archetypal images drawn from what he called the “collective unconscious”: a universal reservoir of symbols, narratives, and figures shared by all humanity. These archetypes—the Sage, the Shadow, the Mother, the Hero, among others—are not mere abstractions. They act as living forces, structuring our dreams, our reactions, and, potentially, our physical symptoms. This is where a fascinating dialogue with osteopathy begins.

Because the body is also a language. And through palpation, listening to tissues, and feeling, the osteopath accesses a form of bodily narrative that is often unconscious. Recurring pain, an inexplicable area of ​​tension, a sudden blockage can sometimes carry an unsuspected symbolic charge. The body then becomes the living medium of a personal myth—a sort of open, coded book, in which a story is written that is larger than that of muscles and bones.

Consider the example of a patient suffering from chest pain, with no apparent organic cause. Exploring their experience reveals that they are in the midst of a period of identity doubt, conflict with their image or personal authority. Symbolically, the rib cage can represent the protection of the heart , the center of emotions and individuality. The myth of the Hero—who leaves home, faces challenges, and returns transformed—can be replayed here, in the living matter of the body.

For Jung, the symbol is never a simple sign . It carries psychic energy, a meaning in motion. Thus, when an osteopath mobilizes a frozen joint or releases tense fascia, he can—consciously or not—facilitate a symbolic reorganization . The movement found in the body can reflect or even encourage progress in the patient’s inner journey.

This approach requires a particular quality of listening. The osteopath is not there to “interpret” like a psychoanalyst, but to perceive what the body expresses beyond the symptom. Some osteopaths trained in symbolic reading even integrate the archetypal dimension into their approach: lower back pain can then be linked to a lack of support or unconscious insecurity; neck tension to a conflict between thought and speech, between the desire to express and the fear of being heard.

The body becomes a living theater where our conflicts, our griefs, our impulses and our fears are replayed . In this sense, it is profoundly mythological. It tells universal stories in a singular language. Each tension becomes a character, each restriction an initiatory passage. The osteopath, by freeing these areas, does not only “repair” – he accompanies a metamorphosis , he restores an interrupted narrative.

From this perspective, osteopathy and Jungian psychology converge in the same fundamental intuition: the body is a bearer of meaning . It is not a mechanical object to be restored, but a subject to be listened to, a mirror of the soul, a living book of images and archetypes. The symptom, far from being a simple enemy to be fought, becomes a gateway to self-knowledge , a call to hear what consciousness has not yet been able to formulate.

Thus, by crossing the manual tools of osteopathy with the symbolic wisdom of Jung, a medicine of meaning emerges, an approach that unites matter and myth, physiology and imagination. A path where care becomes a quest , and where each gesture made on the body resonates like a sentence in a story to be rediscovered – that of the living myth that we all carry within us.

Body and Consciousness: Osteopathy as a Tool of Revelation

In an era where the mind is often dissociated from the body, osteopathy reintroduces a forgotten truth: the body is not a simple mechanical support, but a place of consciousness . By working on physical structures, the osteopath does not simply correct dysfunctions: he helps the individual reconnect with himself. And it is precisely in this reconnection that lies the potential for profound revelation.

The body, as Jung saw it, is an interface between the conscious and the unconscious . It expresses what we cannot say, it crystallizes our inner conflicts, our fears, our buried wounds. The osteopath, through his attentive touch, becomes a mediator between these two worlds. He perceives invisible tensions, feels resistance, and invites the tissues to release what they have held onto for too long. This process does not only free a joint or a diaphragm: it also releases a message .

Patients often describe a surprising experience after a session: a feeling of lightness, an unexpected emotion, a spontaneous awareness. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that osteopathy acts on the autonomic nervous system , in particular the parasympathetic system, promoting a state of relaxation conducive to the emergence of emotions and memories. In this state of calm, body awareness is sharpened , and sensations previously neglected take their place.

This return to the body is a form of self-awareness. It interrupts the incessant flow of thoughts and brings attention back to the present moment. Jung would have recognized this as a form of bodily individuation: a way of unifying the different dimensions of being around a lived center— the embodied feeling .

This revelation is not always immediate or spectacular. Sometimes it manifests itself as a simple change in posture, deeper breathing, a more fluid gait. But behind these subtle adjustments lies a deeper dynamic: the body regains its coherence , and with it, the person can rediscover a sense of inner unity.

Osteopathy also encourages self-listening . By learning to feel areas of tension and to recognize the body’s signals before they become painful, the patient develops a form of somatic intelligence. This ability to sense and understand what is happening within oneself is a major key to lasting well-being. It helps prevent imbalances, but above all, it offers a path to expanded self-awareness .

In this context, the osteopath becomes a companion of consciousness , much more than a body technician. Through his precise, respectful and attentive touch, he awakens dormant perceptions. He allows the patient to reconnect with a sometimes old bodily memory, to revisit encysted emotions, to give meaning to physical feelings .

Jung spoke of the therapeutic process as an inner alchemy. Osteopathy can play this catalytic role: it initiates a movement of gentle transformation, where physical blockages become gateways to a broader understanding of oneself. It acts as a silent revealer, where each tension released, each breath freed, opens a space for meaning to emerge.

Inner Growth and Body Alignment: Osteopathy at the Service of the Self

Osteopathy can be seen as a powerful personal development tool, as it holistically addresses the physical and psychological aspects of the individual. Here’s how osteopathy aligns with personal development, promoting growth and personal fulfillment:

1. Body Awareness:
   • Osteopathy encourages body awareness by helping individuals perceive and understand physical sensations. This promotes a deeper connection with the body, leading to increased awareness of tension patterns, posture, and physical responses to emotions.
2. Release of Emotional Tensions:
   • Physical tensions often present in the body can be linked to emotional experiences. By releasing these tensions through osteopathic techniques, osteopathy can facilitate the release of repressed emotions, contributing to emotional relief and personal growth.
3. Stress and Anxiety Reduction:
   • Osteopathic techniques, which aim to restore balance and relax the nervous system, can help reduce stress and anxiety. This stress reduction fosters an environment conducive to personal development, allowing for clearer thinking and more informed decision-making.
4. Alignment with the Mind Body Philosophy:
   • Osteopathy aligns with the mind-body philosophy, recognizing the interconnectedness between the physical and psychological aspects of the individual. By working on the body, osteopathy helps balance and harmonize these two dimensions, creating a favorable environment for personal development.
5. Improved Mobility and Flexibility:
   • By working on joint and tissue mobility, osteopathy contributes to greater physical flexibility. This improved mobility can symbolically represent the ability to adapt to life’s changes, thus strengthening resilience and mental flexibility.
6. Promoting Global Balance:
   • Balance is a key element of personal development. By restoring balance in the body, osteopathy can inspire reflection on balance in other aspects of life, such as work, relationships, and spirituality.
7. Encouragement of Personal Responsibility:
   • Osteopathy often encourages patients to take an active role in their healing process. This empowerment can include lifestyle changes, recommended exercises, and a better understanding of the impact of everyday choices on physical and mental health.
8. Integration of Unconscious Aspects:
   • By working on recurring body patterns and unconscious tensions, osteopathy can help integrate aspects of the personal unconscious. This integration contributes to the process of individuation, a central element of personal development according to Carl Jung’s analytical psychology.

In conclusion, osteopathy can be seen as a catalyst for personal development by aligning the physical and psychological aspects of the individual. By promoting body awareness, the release of emotional tension, and overall balance, it offers a holistic way to support individuals on their journey toward personal growth and overall well-being.

Towards Jungian Osteopathy: Concrete Paths for Inspired Practitioners

Personal development is often perceived as an inner quest, a journey towards better self-knowledge, emotional and spiritual maturation. However, this process is not only mental: it is also rooted in the body . Osteopathy, through its ability to restore physical balance and release deep tensions, offers real support for this inner growth. It then becomes a tool for alignment, not only postural, but also existential.

The body is the primary site of our experience of the world. It records our joys, our traumas, our habits, our defenses. Jung spoke of the need to explore all dimensions of the self—including those we ignore or reject—in order to move toward individuation. In this perspective, the body is a guide , a revealer of the gray areas and breaking points between what we are and what we believe ourselves to be.

A frozen posture, persistent pain, chronic asymmetry are sometimes more than biomechanical signs . They can symbolize an inner conflict, an unexpressed emotional tension, an undigested event. Osteopathy, by restoring mobility to the tissues, by restoring circulatory and nervous fluidity, opens a space where these memories can emerge and transform .

This bodily liberation is often accompanied by a feeling of mental clarity, emotional relaxation, and a sense of centering. The patient feels “more like themselves,” as if something were realigning within. This structural and energetic alignment facilitates a feeling of grounding and solidity, conducive to reflection and decision-making. This is not simply a feeling of well-being, but a subtle transformation of the relationship with oneself .

In this dynamic, osteopathy acts as a body mirror. It helps us become aware of our unconscious patterns: repetitive tensions, avoidance behaviors, shallow breathing. By making them visible, it allows us to break with automatism and make freer and more aligned choices . It thus supports a process of empowerment and reappropriation of the body.

This empowerment is at the heart of personal development. The patient, by learning to listen to his body, to recognize its signals, becomes an actor of his own balance . The osteopath can then play a guiding role, by offering advice on posture, breathing, and movements, which extend and consolidate the work carried out during the session.

Body alignment then becomes a reflection of a broader inner alignment : a coherence between what we feel, what we think, what we say, and what we do. It is in this coherence that true growth lies. And it is in this coherence that osteopathy, through its comprehensive and respectful approach, can become a powerful lever for personal transformation.

One could say, echoing Jung’s writings, that every step toward a freer body is also a step toward a more authentic self. Osteopathy, by untying the body’s invisible knots, accompanies this path of individuation where we stop running away from ourselves and finally meet ourselves.

Case Study 1: Healing with the Body, Crossing with the Soul

Marie, 42, consulted for persistent lower back pain that appeared a few months after her divorce. No medical examination revealed any significant abnormalities. The pain was diffuse, sometimes acute, and was accompanied by a feeling of fatigue, heaviness in the pelvis, and disturbed sleep. She said she no longer “felt solid” and experienced a sense of emptiness that was difficult to verbalize. It was in this context that she began osteopathic treatment.

From the first session, the practitioner noticed noticeable tension in the diaphragm, a loss of sacroiliac mobility, and a subtle locking in the dorsal region. But beyond the biomechanical assessment, he chose to adopt a holistic listening stance. He gently questioned recent events in her life. The divorce, discussed with modesty, seemed to be the tipping point. Marie confided a profound sense of rupture, disorientation, and an inner conflict between her need for freedom and a sense of failure.

Osteopathic work then begins not only as an attempt to free blocked structures, but also as an invitation to dialogue between the body and the psyche. Through myofascial and visceral techniques, the practitioner addresses the diaphragm—the passageway between the upper and lower body, a symbolic site of emotional expression. Little by little, tears appear, painlessly. Marie doesn’t immediately understand why, but she describes a feeling of unraveling, of inner release.

As the sessions progressed, other areas were “revealed”: a tense psoas, as if still holding back the fear of falling; a frozen pelvis, a symbolic witness to her emotional breakdown. Through touch, these areas spoke. Marie began to put words to her bodily feelings: a sensation of emptiness in her stomach, a weight in her chest, a tight throat. Osteopathy then became a space for indirect expression of what could not yet be said.

This physical work, progressive and respectful, supports a psychological journey. Marie begins psychotherapy in parallel, encouraged by her osteopath. The bridges between sessions multiply: what is released in the body becomes food for thought in psychotherapy; what is consciously brought to consciousness in the mind finds an echo in the tissue, posture, and breath.

The Jungian approach sheds light on this process: Mary is going through an archetypal period of death and rebirth , a descent into the shadows followed by a readjustment of identity. The body, in its wisdom, acts as the silent theater of this transformation . Each released tension becomes the symbol of a grief experienced, of an attachment reevaluated, of a fragment of soul recovered.

After a few months, Marie says she feels “reconnected.” The pain has significantly diminished, her sleep is more stable, and above all, she feels inhabited again. The body is no longer a battlefield, but a place of presence . She even begins to practice yoga, not to “relax,” but to continue to inhabit this rediscovered interiority.

This case illustrates how osteopathic care, when applied from a holistic perspective , can support profound processes of transformation. It shows that the body, far from being a simple passive receptor of stress, is an active participant in the journey. It speaks, it guides, it contains. And sometimes, it heals—not in place of the soul, but with it.

Case Study 2: When the Neck Speaks – Claire’s Invisible Burden

Claire, a 35-year-old freelance graphic designer, consulted for chronic neck pain that had been worsening for several weeks. She described a stabbing pain at the base of her skull, sometimes radiating to her temples and shoulders, accompanied by headaches and great difficulty releasing tension, even at rest. She says she “always has a lot on her mind” and is unable to “mentally switch off.”

Medical examinations revealed nothing abnormal, except for a slight correction of the cervical curvature. Her doctor prescribed anti-inflammatories, without any noticeable effect. She then decided to consult an osteopath, encouraged by a friend.

From the first session, the osteopath noticed a state of heightened alertness , high thoracic breathing, a rigid neck, hypertensive trapezius muscles, and a very limited cranium. In talking with her, he discovered a context of mental overload: Claire manages her professional activity alone, while taking care of a sick parent and a young child. She admits to having difficulty setting limits, delegating, and expressing her own needs.

The practitioner first works on the structures in pain: the craniocervical junction, the cervical fascia, the costal joints. But quickly, he also directs his attention towards the symbolic areas of the body. The neck, in osteopathy as in Jungian symbolism, can represent the weight of responsibilities, the tension between will and renunciation .

During the third session, while working on the suboccipital muscles, Claire begins to evoke, without being prompted, a buried anger. She speaks of a feeling of injustice in her siblings, of a childhood where she had to take on the role of “little adult” to fill the parental silences. These words, she says, “come out on their own.” The tissue relaxation here coincides with an emotional unblocking , subtle but powerful.

Over the course of the sessions, recurring images emerge: a collar that’s too tight, a constricted head, a vice-like sensation. The osteopath uses these metaphors to help him make sense of what his body is expressing. Neck pain gradually becomes a symbol of excessive control , an overloaded mind, and a lack of flexibility in the face of events.

Through gentle cranial techniques, visceral mobilizations (particularly on the solar plexus), and simple postural reeducation, the osteopath accompanies Claire towards a structural and energetic rebalancing . But it is also through listening and putting feelings into words that the transformation takes place.

Inspired by Jungian thought, the practitioner invites the patient to keep a dream journal, to note down their bodily sensations after each session, and to explore the symbolic resonances of their pain. This integrative approach promotes the emergence of an expanded consciousness , where the symptom ceases to be an inevitability and becomes a guide.

After two months of follow-up, Claire observed a marked improvement: the pain was less frequent, her posture was more relaxed, and above all, she said she was “more in tune with her own limits.” She began to delegate certain tasks and say no more easily. Her neck no longer carried the same burden.

This case illustrates how osteopathy, combined with symbolic reading , can not only soothe the body, but also support an inner transformation. Pain becomes an invitation to revisit old patterns, to release what has been held back, and to reconcile with a forgotten part of oneself.

Case Study 3: Case Study: Breathing Again – The Body as Liberator from a Buried History

Thomas, a 47-year-old computer engineer, presented with intermittent chest pain. He described discomfort located in the center of his sternum, associated with a feeling of oppression, as if he could never take a deep breath. Medical tests, including an echocardiogram and a stress test, revealed no abnormalities. The diagnosis was quickly classified as “somatized anxiety.” Dissatisfied with this response, Thomas decided to explore an alternative approach and consulted an osteopath.

At the first session, he appeared tense, with rolled shoulders, a locked chest, and restricted breathing at the upper level. He spoke little, saying he was “tired of always having to control everything.” The osteopath quickly noticed deep diaphragmatic rigidity , limited costal mobility, and an overall state of bodily hypervigilance.

The first treatments focused on mechanical release: working the diaphragm, relaxing the intercostal muscles, mobilizing the sternum and dorsal vertebrae. After two sessions, Thomas noticed smoother breathing, but he also felt an unexpected wave of emotion , which he struggled to verbalize.

It was during the third session, while the osteopath gently worked on the diaphragm and solar plexus, that things became unblocked. Thomas spontaneously recalled a traumatic episode buried since childhood : the sudden death of his little brother at the age of 8. At the time, his parents did not allow him to attend the funeral, or even to talk about it. He says he “kept everything to himself, without noise, without tears.”

This revelation acts as a key. The thorax, in its Jungian symbolism, is the center of the heart, of breath, of contained grief. Thomas’s respiratory restriction suddenly takes on a powerful symbolic meaning : it reflects a grief that has remained suspended, a breath blocked by the prohibition against crying.

From there, the osteopathic work takes a different turn. It is no longer just a question of restoring costal mobility, but of accompanying a process of emotional release , of integration. The body becomes the place where this old grief can finally be expressed. The manipulations become more subtle: craniosacral, energetic work on the mediastinum, attentive tissue listening. Each session allows Thomas to go a little further in welcoming what he has long buried.

At the same time, he begins to have powerful dreams. He sees doors opening, closed rooms, a child crying in the distance. The osteopath, inspired by the Jungian approach, invites him to write down his dreams, to let the symbols speak. It is not a question of interpretation, but of letting the language of the unconscious resonate with the transformations of the body .

After a few weeks, Thomas was breathing better, but more importantly, he spoke differently. His voice was calmer, his gaze clearer. He said, “I feel like I’m regaining control of my body… and my pain.” This process didn’t “cure” him overnight, but it did offer him a space where his story could be heard—first by his body, then by his consciousness.

This case shows that osteopathy, when combined with symbolic and psychocorporeal listening, can revive buried bodily memory and support a process of individuation . By releasing tissue tensions, it allows the soul to express what it has never been able to say, and the patient to once again become the author of his or her inner story.

Case Study 4: Case Study: The Unbending Knee – Resistance and Transformation

Eliane, a 56-year-old retired dance teacher, presents with chronic pain in her right knee. She describes discomfort when bending, especially when climbing stairs or during extended walks. Imaging reveals moderate osteoarthritis, but nothing that would justify the subjective intensity of the pain. Eliane specifies that she “doesn’t understand”: she is active, in good overall health, and this pain has been bothering her for over a year for no apparent reason.

During the first session, the osteopath observed a rigid posture, a slightly retroverted pelvis, and a generally tense posterior chain. The knee, mechanically, does not present any major restriction, but the resistance perceived to touch is unusual , almost defensive. The examination also highlights significant tension in the psoas and pelvic floor.

Exploring the patient’s story, she describes her retirement as a fracture. “I’ve always moved, always passed on knowledge. And now, I’m stopped dead in my tracks.” Digging deeper, the osteopath uncovers unexpressed frustration, difficulty accepting the change in role, and a profound sense of uselessness. Éliane then confides: “I feel like my body is telling me not to move forward… as if I should stay here, motionless.”

This sentence becomes the symbolic key to the case. The knee, in its physiological function, allows for advancement, flexion, and adaptation. From a Jungian symbolic point of view, it represents the ability to bend, to readjust, to show humility . Eliane’s painful knee, straight and tense, could thus reflect an inner rigidity in the face of a change in life cycle that she has not yet integrated.

The osteopathic treatment therefore focuses on several axes: releasing the pelvis and right hip, tissue work on the anterior compartment of the thigh, and relaxing the diaphragm to improve anchoring. But at the same time, the practitioner explores symbolic tensions: he invites Éliane to question what she “refuses to bend,” the aspects of her life that she wants to control.

As the sessions progress, memories and emotions resurface. She speaks of her authoritarian mother, who taught her to “never lower her head,” to stay straight, no matter what. The knee then becomes the scene of an ancient struggle , between submission and affirmation, between pride and fatigue.

The osteopath, inspired by Jungian archetypes, leads her to explore the figure of the “Old Sage”: the one who no longer needs to prove, but who transmits through inner posture. This image resonates with her new identity as a mature woman, holder of knowledge, free to follow her own rhythm.

After a few weeks, Éliane no longer talks only about her knee. She talks about her fear of aging, her relationship with time, and her desire to pass on her knowledge in a different way. The pain gradually subsides, but more importantly, it changes meaning : it becomes an alarm signal transformed into a guide.

Today, Éliane offers gentle movement workshops for women of her generation. She says her body has forced her to listen, to accept, to redefine. The knee, once stiff, has become more flexible. Not only in the body, but in the soul as well.

Case Study 4: Case Study: The Unbending Knee – Resistance and Transformation

Nadia, a 39-year-old palliative care nurse, presents with widespread abdominal pain associated with bloating, slow digestion, and persistent fatigue. Medical tests (gastroscopy, colonoscopy, blood tests) are normal. She’s been told she has “irritable bowel syndrome” or “functional stress.” But she feels “something is stuck,” a feeling of diffuse discomfort in her lower abdomen, like a dull tension.

During the initial interview, the osteopath discovered a woman who was very invested in her work, empathetic, attentive to others, but not very connected to her own needs. She said: “I am strong for others… but I have put my body aside.” The examination revealed a fixed abdomen , a tense diaphragm, restricted mobility of the mesentery, and tension in the uterus and pelvis.

Osteopathic touch confirms an area of ​​emotional coldness in the abdomen: little movement, little responsiveness, as if a part of the body had been put on standby. Using gentle visceral techniques, focused on the digestive and gynecological systems, the osteopath begins a process of revitalization, listening, and liberation. From the second session, Nadia feels an unexpected emotion: a deep sadness, for no apparent reason.

Gradually, as the encounters unfolded, a bodily memory resurfaced. Nadia recalled an abortion she had experienced ten years earlier , during a period of great instability. She had never spoken about it. She said she had “closed the file” so she could continue living normally. But her body, however, had never forgotten. The lower abdomen, the physiological and symbolic cradle of life, had become a zone of silence , an unrecognized, untreated space.

Inspired by Jungian thought, the osteopath explores the symbolism of the womb with her : a place of intuition, creation, but also of repressed shadows. He suggests she visualize her uterus no longer as a wounded area, but as a sacred space to be reinhabited. This shift in perspective, fueled by therapeutic touch, initiates a transformation. Nadia begins to dream of water, tides, conch shells—archetypal images of the feminine element and the return to oneself.

She decided to undertake complementary body therapy and started a body journal. She noted her sensations, her emotions, her dreams. During the session, her stomach warmed up, became more flexible, and her organs regained their mobility. But above all, she reconnected with her inner self , with that part of herself that she had frozen.

Six weeks later, the digestive issues are almost nonexistent, but Nadia emphasizes a more subtle change: “I feel connected again. To myself. To my cycles. To my ability to feel.” She hasn’t “resolved” her past history, but she has reintegrated it. Her stomach no longer bears a silent wound, but a transformed experience.

This case powerfully illustrates that osteopathy, by touching the body-memory , can awaken buried stories, allow the emergence of meaning, and initiate an inner alchemy . The symptom then becomes a gateway to the reappropriation of oneself, in an approach that is at once bodily, emotional and symbolic.

Conclusion – A Promising Alliance between Science and Symbolism

Through exploring the links between Carl Gustav Jung’s thought and osteopathic practice, one thing emerges: the body and the mind are not separate entities, but two sides of the same living reality . One speaks when the other is silent, one compensates when the other resists. In this logic, osteopathy is not limited to a mechanical treatment; it becomes an art of touch, a fine reading of the silent language of the body. And it is precisely here that Jungian thought enriches this practice.

Carl Jung left us a vision of the human psyche as a symbolic territory, populated by archetypes, dreams, and processes of individuation. He showed that behind symptoms, whether psychological or physical, often lies a call for transformation. Osteopathy, when it integrates this symbolic dimension, can then become a path to a deeper balance , where care goes beyond the mere resolution of symptoms to embrace the being in its entirety.

The clinical cases presented demonstrate that the body is much more than a collection of bones, muscles, and organs. It is memory, metaphor, and narrative . It stores traces of past events, buried emotions, and unresolved conflicts. Osteopathic touch, when practiced with presence, respect, and awareness, can awaken these memories and facilitate their integration. This is what makes it a tool for inner transformation.

The osteopath’s aim is not to replace the psychologist or the therapist, but rather to recognize that the physical symptom can have a symbolic depth , and that the body can be a valuable ally in any process of self-knowledge. Through slow listening to the tissues, the release of areas of tension, or the restoration of a forgotten movement, osteopathy can support paths of individuation dear to Jungian thought.

This approach requires a change of posture from the practitioner: moving from a model focused on correcting a dysfunction to a model focused on supporting a living process. This implies careful listening, an ability to welcome the unexpected, and an openness to human complexity. It also means recognizing that the patient carries his or her own keys to transformation , and that care can be the trigger for a dialogue between the visible and the invisible, between pain and meaning.

The alliance between science and symbolism, between osteopathy and Jungian psychology, is promising. It offers an integrative, humanist path, respectful of the uniqueness of each individual. A medicine of connection, of meaning, of life. A medicine where care does not consist only of silencing the body, but of listening to it, understanding it and reconciling it with the soul .

In a world searching for guidance, this approach invites us to re-enchant the therapeutic relationship. It reminds us that healing isn’t just about repairing, but also growing, transforming, and becoming more aware of who we are deep down. And sometimes, this transformation begins with a simple gesture, a hand placed on a taut fabric, a breath released, a story finding its voice again.

References

Works by Carl Gustav Jung

1. Jung, CG (1964). Dialectics of the Ego and the Unconscious . Gallimard.
   In this work, Jung explores the dynamics between the conscious self and the unconscious, highlighting the process of individuation and the importance of integrating the unconscious aspects of the psyche.
2. Jung, CG (1980). Psychology of Transference . Albin Michel.
   Jung analyzes the phenomenon of transference in the therapeutic relationship, offering perspectives on how symbols and archetypes influence interactions between therapist and patient.

Articles and studies on Jung-Osteopathy integration

3. Laganà, L. (2019). Jungian Aesthetics, Symbols and the Unconscious . ResearchGate.
   This article examines how symbols, as expressions of the unconscious, manifest in geometric shapes, human figures and mandalas, and their role in the process of individuation according to Jung.
4. Osteomag.ca . Carl Jung and A. T. Still: Commonalities between Psychology and Osteopathy .
   This article explores the parallels between Jung’s analytical psychology and Andrew Taylor Still’s osteopathic principles, including the recognition of the body’s capacity for self-regulation and the importance of mind-body balance.

Psychocorporeal perspectives in osteopathy

5. Anonymous . Could osteopathy also be a “psychoanalysis” of the body?
   This text offers a reflection on how osteopathy can be perceived as a form of bodily psychoanalysis, exploring the links between physical tensions and psychological conflicts.
6. Baud, J. (2019). Linking Osteopathy and Aikido . UCLy.
   This thesis examines the commonalities between osteopathy and aikido, highlighting the importance of body awareness, vital energy and harmony between body and mind.

Additional references

Wikipedia . Analytical psychology .
This page offers a detailed overview of Jung’s analytical psychology, including key concepts such as the collective unconscious, archetypes, and the process of individuation.

Still, AT (2017). Autobiography of the Founder of Osteopathy . Sully Publishing.
In this autobiography, Andrew Taylor Still shares his vision of osteopathy, highlighting the body’s ability to heal itself and the importance of treating the individual as a whole.