Healing the LGBTQ Soul From Shame: The Queer Complex and How Yoga and Depth Psychology Can Help

Abstract

This dissertation explores the use of yoga as a therapeutic practice for LGBTQ individuals recovering from shame, examined through the lens of depth psychology. Using an autoethnographic methodology, this study interweaves personal narrative, psychological theory, poetry, mythology, and yogic philosophy to investigate how embodied practices contribute to healing and self-actualization. Drawing from Jungian psychology, somatic therapy, and queer theory, the research examines the ways in which shame manifests in the psyche and the body, particularly in relation to societal conditioning and cultural wounding. A central contribution of this study is the introduction of the “queer complex,” an original theoretical framework extending Jung’s concept of the complex. The queer complex refers to an internalized psychic structure formed in response to collective and personal experiences of societal rejection, resulting in patterns of shame, fragmentation, and dissociation from the authentic self. This study also introduces the concept of post-postmodernism, or postmodernism with soul, which seeks to move beyond the fragmentation and relativism of postmodern thought by reintegrating depth, meaning, and mythic imagination. Mythology—central to both yoga and depth psychology—is explored as a vehicle for healing and transformation, providing a symbolic framework for reframing personal suffering and guiding the individuation process. The research finds that yoga, as a mind-body-spirit practice, provides a reparative space for working through the queer complex, fostering self-acceptance and resilience. Through the integration of somatic awareness, mythology, and psychological insight, yoga facilitates a return to the authentic self. Implications for depth psychology include expanding therapeutic approaches to incorporate somatic and mythological practices, deepening the understanding of LGBTQ identity formation and healing, and bridging the disciplines of psychology, spirituality, and embodied wisdom. This research contributes to the evolving discourse on depth-oriented somatic psychotherapy and highlights the necessity of holistic approaches in clinical and healing practices.