Numinosity as a therapeutic factor: from symptom to symbol

Abstract

The article explores the symbol as a key mediator between the symptom and unconscious processes in analytic psychotherapy. The symptom is considered not only as a manifestation of psychopathology but also as a symbolic expression of intrapersonal conflict and traumatic experience. The multilayered nature of the symbol, its connection with archetypal and cultural images, and its role in the redistribution of psychic energy accumulated in symptoms and complexes are analyzed. The processes of symbolization and the method of amplification are considered as tools for revealing
unconscious meanings and integrating the personality. Using an illustrative clinical vignette with mythological amplification, it is demonstrated how the experience of a symbol activates processes of transformation and individuation, contributing to psychic development and the restoration of personality integrity.