Coincidence, happenstance, serendipity, fate, or the hand of god: Case studies in synchronicity - Article

Dan's case is an example of the first form of synchronistic event: a coincidence of subjective psychic content (i.e., Dan's decision to fulfill his life's dream of becoming the owner of a small-town printing press) with a corresponding objective process (i.e., the acquisition of a printing press by his attorney friend). Both events took place simultaneously, not only in the same week but within a day or two of each other. Dan attributed this "unbelievable coincidence" to his "fate," a consequence of his decision, and to his sense of spirituality.

Form 2: Sarah's Case

Sarah, a 34-year-old African American woman, came to a career counselor in private practice as a result of her participation in a women's self-esteem group. She reported having feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem that had plagued her much her adult life. She was the director of a youth enrichment program in a medium-sized, inner city in the Northeast. She was committed to the mission of the organization but was uncomfortable with the considerable public speaking and fund-raising required of her. She had been hired as an art teacher 7 years previously and had been appointed director the year before seeking counseling. Although she had successfully performed her job, she stated that some of her projects had not been completed in a timely manner. She believed she might be in jeopardy of losing her job, although there was no realistic evidence to support this fear. Her evaluations had been outstanding.

Sarah was one of three daughters reared in an affluent suburb of a major northeastern city. The family had a strong belief in God, was active in the local parish, and was well-known in their community. Sarah reported that she and her sisters had led protected lives and were not exposed to the kinds of problems she now saw in her work. She felt a strong commitment to helping African American inner-city youth who did not have the opportunities afforded to her. Sarah had attended a private all-women's college nearby where she had majored in art history. At graduation, she married a middle-class man whom she admired for his motivation and commitment to "getting ahead in life." Within a year she had their first of two children and was a full-time homemaker for 6 years while her husband pursued a career as a tax accountant in a large corporation.

At the time she came for career counseling, her husband had lost his job because of a corporate takeover and downsizing. He had not pursued a new job. He told her it was her turn to support the family and that he would stay home to attempt to build his own business on the Internet. This partially motivated her to accept her present position, but the job only marginally covered their expenses. Sarah reported that her husband continued to spend money through the use of credit cards "as if we still had all the money in the world." She stated she was ashamed to let her sisters or parents know their situation and would not turn to them for assistance. As sole support of her family, Sarah knew she could not leave her job, feared she might lose it, and felt completely stuck. This put a considerable strain on her.