Those issues can continue to shape our lives without our understanding what is going on.
On many levels, the past can control who you are in the present instead of your becoming the author of your own life. People often think that by ignoring past issues or sweeping them under the rug, they are no longer a factor. In fact, this can be when they have the most power.
When we do not address what is unconscious, it can influence us without our understanding how or why. You might find yourself entering the same kind of dysfunctional relationship repeatedly, sabotaging your efforts, seeing yourself as a failure, experiencing physical symptoms, or simply feeling stuck.
Issues do not necessarily get “solved.” By making them conscious, however, you gain more ability to make choices rather than having those choices made for you by forces you cannot see.