The Caregiver Archetype

~Tanvee Dixit, Sanjana Ramani, Deepa Soman

The Caregiver archetype is another one of the types of archetypes developed by Carl Jung in his theory of the human psyche. Like the Ruler archetype, the Caregiver is also here to provide structure to the world but through service not control.

The goal is to help others and the strategy to doing things for others, service, focus attention on other people, not yourself. Here, the focus is on making people a priority and making a difference in their lives. Sometimes, all people need is unconditional love. Cue the Caregiver, originally known as The Mother. The person will offer their heart openly and willingly and extend whatever energies they can to help the Hero succeed on their quest.

A Caregiver is quick to forgive and encourage, and she offers characters weary from a long period of strain a welcome respite, in the form of companionship, healthcare, or emotional support. It is sometimes, the presence of the Caregiver, or even the memory of that Caregiver, that keeps those that would otherwise fall, from giving up.

The Caregiver is also known as the saint, helper, and parent. The Caregiver is the archetype that is energized and fulfilled by taking care of others. A Caregiver is moved by compassion and a genuine desire to help others through generosity or dedicated assistance.

A Caregiver is of the peaceful type and therefore they strive to keep himself and those he loves away from harm. He is motivated by goals that assist more than himself, and in fact is prone to martyrdom, due to his need to satisfy everyone else before seeing to his own needs.

There are different levels of the Caregiver archetype:

• Level 1 of the Caregiver brand archetype includes caring for one’s dependents
• Level 2 is finding a balance between caring for oneself along with caring for others
• Level 3 speaks to an altruistic concern for the world at large

A Caregiver’s greatest fear is selfishness. She can also become bitter towards those that take advantage of their generosity, often demanding acknowledgement of their sacrifices and guilt tripping those that aren’t quick to sing her praises.

One of the downside of a Caregiver archetype is that they are unable to say no to others. Resentment can set in when too many demands are made of an overly compromising Caregiver. Some Caregivers have a hard time with balancing self-care with care for others and can work themselves and others until they drop. Some Caregivers might only help others for personal gain or fame, or even infer that they are the only means of helping others achieve health, almost like a savior complex. There is an insatiable need to fix everyone and make everyone happy are impossible tasks. This can also make Caregivers wishy-washy, like she has no ideals for which to stand.

The Caregiver culture will often model maternal or paternal patterns. They want to see their employees and customers learn and grow and they’ll support them unconditionally. However, they also know that sometimes people need to learn their own lessons, so don’t be surprised if they carry you just far enough to let you jump out of the nest.

Caregiver cultures are responsive, consistent, and trustworthy. They are strongest when they are acting as a mentor for employees or clients. However, dependency, martyrdom, and sleepless nights from caring too much may signal a Caregiver shadow side.

Caregiver consumers are constantly trying to achieve a balance in caring for others versus themselves, so brands that can speak to this struggle will resonate with those individuals. Caregiver consumers also likes to be recognized occasionally for his service, as it is task that is often unappreciated or goes under the radar. Caregiver consumers look for brands that show authentic action, i.e., walk the talk.

The Caregiver archetype is usually found in teachers, nurses, and at the organizational level, churches, insurance agencies, and hotels. Caregiver personalities are Princess Diana, Mother Teresa, Baba Amte.

Caregiver archetype organizations are Johnson & Johnson, Pampers, Surf Excel, Volvo, etc.

References:

–        Caregiver!

https://www.sokanu.com/archetypes/caregiver/

–        Caregiver Brand Archetype – Kaye Putnam | Psychology Brand Strategy

http://kayeputnam.com/brandality-archetype-caregiver/

–        Character Archetypes 101: The Caregiver

LMFT Campbell – http://charactertherapist.blogspot.in/2013/04/character-archetypes-101-caregiver.html

–        Caregiver Archetype: Learn the Archetypes and Quiz Yourself

Jeremy Chapline – https://www.culturetalk.com/caregiver-archetype

–        Caregiver

https://www.archetypes.com/caregiver/

–        Archetypes: Caregiver

Ariel Hudnall – https://arielhudnall.com/2015/03/08/archetypes-caregiver/