By Dr. DeeAnna Merz Nagel

Joy is often marketed as a destination—a feeling-state to be achieved once all other variables fall perfectly into place. But from a depth psychological lens, joy is not a final product. It is an emergent quality of being, a soulful state that rises from within when we are willing to engage the full spectrum of our inner life. In coaching, unlocking joy is less about seeking surface-level happiness and more about honoring the unconscious, tending the spirit, and making space for meaning to unfold.

In this article, I explore how contemplative writing (specifically active imagination), gratitude journaling, and spiritual attunement can open pathways to joy. Drawing on Neo-Jungian thought and coaching practice, I offer a lens for guiding clients through both the shadow and the light—toward a more vibrant, integrated life.

The Archetypal Landscape of Joy

From a Neo-Jungian standpoint, joy is not simply a pleasant emotion but a psychic function that signals wholeness. It often appears when the ego aligns, even briefly, with the Self—that deeper, organizing center of the psyche. Joy may emerge during moments of creativity, soulful insight, or synchronistic experience. It is archetypal, connected to the Child, the Fool, or the Divine.

But joy rarely arrives without cost. It often requires descent first—a willingness to meet suffering. In this way, joy and sorrow are archetypal twins. Coaching clients may come seeking lightness, but the coaching process often necessitates a journey through the shadow. And paradoxically, it is that very journey that makes joy possible.

Contemplative Writing and Active Imagination

One powerful tool to access joy is active imagination, a form of contemplative writing rooted in Jungian psychology. In practice, this means inviting the client to write from a place of intuitive receptivity. The coach might prompt:

“If Joy were a figure or image appearing in a dream, what would it look like? What message might it have for you?”

The client then writes in dialogue with that figure, suspending critical judgment and allowing the imagination to speak.

This process creates a bridge between conscious and unconscious, allowing symbols, metaphors, and archetypes to surface. Joy may appear as a child with muddy feet, a golden orb, or a wise grandmother humming softly. The image itself is less important than the felt sense it carries—the invitation it extends.

Through this technique, joy becomes not an abstraction but a relational presence. The client may discover that joy has been waiting, quietly, beneath the noise of daily striving. Active imagination is not about "fixing" but about remembering what the soul already knows.

Gratitude as Initiation

Gratitude journaling may seem like a simple exercise, but in a coaching context, it becomes an initiation. I often invite clients to begin a gratitude journal before our sessions begin. This helps shift attention from problem-fixing to possibility-seeing.

Gratitude works on the psyche like light on soil—it invites things to grow. It doesn’t bypass suffering but creates a counterbalance. Clients begin to notice what is working, what is beautiful, what is resilient. Over time, this practice can re-pattern neural pathways, but more importantly, it cultivates an inner stance of receptivity. And it is in this openness that joy often arises.

One client described how daily gratitude notes helped her reframe her career transition. Instead of seeing it as loss, she began to see it as initiation. The practice opened her to synchronicities, dreams, and new archetypal figures that had previously been buried. Joy crept in, quietly but unmistakably.

The Spiritual Dimension: Implicit and Explicit

Spirituality in coaching does not always arrive with incense and mantras. Sometimes, it arrives as a pause. A synchronicity. A tear that the client cannot explain. These are moments when something greater is stirring.

As coaches, we can create containers for these moments without prescribing meaning. We might simply say:

“Let’s stay with that image a bit longer. What might it be offering you?”

This is implicit spirituality—attunement to mystery without the need to name it.

At times, the spiritual becomes explicit. A client may invoke their faith, reference a dream visitation, or describe a meditative experience. From a Neo-Jungian standpoint, these are signs that the archetypal Self is making contact.

Joy, in these moments, is not just emotional—it is numinous. It arises as a sense of rightness, of being held by something larger. Coaching then becomes more than goal-setting; it becomes soul-tending.

Inviting Joy: A Coaching Practice

If you'd like to try this approach with clients, here is a sample practice:

1. Begin with gratitude. Invite your client to name three things they are grateful for. Encourage depth and specificity.

1. Move into active imagination. Ask:

“If Joy were a guest at your table, what would they look like? What would they say to you?”

Allow the client to write or speak this dialogue freely.

1. Reflect and anchor. Ask the client to reflect on what emerged:

“What surprised you? What feels alive in you now?”

1. Close with intention. Invite the client to set a small, symbolic action that honors the joy that surfaced—lighting a candle, taking a walk, or writing a letter.

Conclusion: Joy as Soul Remembering

Joy is not a destination on the coaching map. It is a soul-companion that often appears when we stop chasing and start listening. Through contemplative practices, gratitude, and reverence for the spiritual dimension, coaches can create spaces where joy is not manufactured but remembered.

In the end, joy may not look like fireworks or a social media smile. It may look like stillness. Wholeness. The quiet knowing that even in the midst of suffering, something beautiful is unfolding.

Coaching to unlock joy is not about finding the light and ignoring the dark. It is about honoring the entire spectrum of human experience—and trusting that joy, like the Self, will find its way through.

Dr. DeeAnna Merz Nagel is a psychospiritual coach, aromatherapist, and educator. Her work integrates Neo-Jungian theory with spiritual practice, contemplative writing, and soul care. She is the creator of Essential Soul Care® and a pioneer in online and metaphysical approaches to healing and transformation. She teaches several self-directed courses at ILCT.