Jung's analysis of Sabina Spielrein and his use of Freud's free association method

This paper examines Jung's use of Freud's free association method and his o wn association experiments in his analysis of Sabina Spielrein in 1904-1905 . Jung's gradual rejection of the Freudian free association method is noted . By the time of their split in 1913, Jung came to view Freud's method of u sing associations to analyse personal complexes as reductive, limiting and backward-looking. He also felt that the Freudian method threatened the anal ysand by creating confusion and a regressive dependency on the analyst. Jun g's early approach inclined away from personal pain in favour of analysing autonomous, impersonal and collective phenomena. The historical question is raised whether Jung's rejection of the use of the free associations of the individual analysand might he as fundamental as their well-known disagreem ent about Freud's belief in the central role of sexuality in neurosis.