Therapeutic Approach

Dr. Buser sees us as complex creatures that cannot easily be placed into diagnostic boxes. Although deeply informed by traditional psychiatric diagnostic principles and treatment strategies, he finds it more helpful to look at “how can we optimize our functioning in all the spheres of our lives?”This model seeks optimization of balanceas our true goal.Thus, instead of being labeled as having or not having “Bipolar Disorder,” he sees it as much more helpful to ask “how strong is this person’s Bipolarity.” All of us have some level of Bipolarity. We might have virtually none, but that is a problem as well as the person is often dull, lifeless and without creativity. Or we may have extreme Bipolarity, which is equally problematic with impulsiveness, mood swings and even psychosis. The same Bipolarity blessing of creativity and enjoyment of life can become a curse of mood swings and impaired choices.Our treatment goal, thus, is not to wipe out “Bipolar Illness,” but rather tone down the Bipolarity and reestablish the harmony of its balance.This same concept of “Bipolarity” as a normal spectrum of human behavior is also true for other symptom clusters including:

  • “Depressive-ness”
  • “Anxious-ness”
  • “OCD-ness”
  • “ADHD-ness”
  • “Psychotic-ness”
  • “Addicted-ness”
  • etc….

Each of these ranges of human expression must be brought into proper balance again.

Balance is achieved through optimization of:

  • Our basic habits (diet, sleep, exercise, alcohol and caffeine use, stress management, relaxation techniques, social issues, etc)
  • Examining our woundedness from childhood and life’s transitions
  • Establishing the ability for deep and intimate relationships
  • Being able to connect to transcendent truth through our spiritual practices
  • and the cautious use of medications for symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, mood swings, ADHD and psychosis.

Dr. Buser is most drawn to the vision of Carl Gustav Jung in how best to engage in individual psychotherapy. Jungian therapy adeptly balances internal psychological growth and the transcendent need for spiritual truth and wholeness.

Dr. Buser completed a 2 year clinical training program at the CG Jung Institute of Chicago and is the founder of the Asheville Jung Center.

Jungian Psychotherapy utilizes the concepts of:

  • Ego, persona, personal unconscious, collective unconscious
  • Shadow work
  • Therapeutic relationship (transference / counter transference)
  • Typology (Myer’s-Briggs)
  • Inner Work (dream analysis, journaling, working with imagery)
  • Individuation (life long growth into our fullest potential & wholeness)
  • Archetypes & complexes
  • Body work
  • Presence, living in the moment
  • Spirituality and following transcendent truth

Watch this brief video looking at the Jungian principle of “Individuation.”