A Case Study of Sandplay Therapy for a Middle-aged Woman Who Goes the Way of Individuation Through Conflicts with an Adolescent Son

This study explored a sandplay therapy case of a woman maturing through conflicts with an adolescent son. The goal of the therapy was to relieve her from conflicts with going through individuation process under a free and protected space in sandplay therapy. Forty-six therapy sessions were held. The client exhibited that she needed a conversation with her feminity and maternity in the initial phase of therapy (1-5, regression). In the intermediate phase of therapy (6-43, struggle), she displayed the scenes of meeting of opposites, shadow, death, nurturing and integration of opposites. In the final phase of therapy (44-46, transformation), she showed the acception of her life with leaving her situations to God. Through sandplay therapy in the free and protected space, this study showed the effectiveness of sandplay therapy since the client achieved individuation by showing the acceptance of her life and could control her enraged feelings.

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A Case Study of Sandplay Therapy for a Boy with Tic

Korean Journal of Child Studies ◽

10.5723/kjcs.2021.42.5.581 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 42 (5) ◽

pp. 581-599

Author(s):

Hee-og Sim

Keyword(s):

Initial Phase ◽

Intermediate Phase ◽

Daily Life ◽

Small Animals ◽

Final Phase ◽

Sandplay Therapy ◽

Race Car ◽

Football Match ◽

Therapy Sessions

Objectives: This study examined sandplay therapy in an elementary school boy with tic problems. The goal of the therapy was to reduce his tic problems by offering a free and protected space of sandplay therapy.Methods: The sandboxes were analyzed focusing on analytical psychology and theories of sandplay therapy using Turner (2005)’s content themes, which were the most comprehensive themes.Results: Seventy-seven therapy sessions were performed. The client showed a race car that was stuck in the sand and then rescued by forklifts in the initial phase of therapy (1-2, a race car stuck in the sand). In the intermediate phase of the therapy (3-70, struggle), he showed regression, meeting the opposites, victory of small animals, construction, and death. In the final phase of therapy (71-77, race, death II, adaptation to reality), he showed race, death, and adaptation to reality.Conclusion: The client who was entering adolescence saw life as a race. However, the race car that was moving toward masculinity was stuck in the sand. Therefore, the car was sent for repairs. In the middle of the therapy, the boy showed various fights, accidents, and construction. Lastly, there were deaths of an alligator and a bear. By showing a football match, the long journey of developing ego ended. During the therapy, archetypal patterns, such as regression to the primitive psyche, the journey of masculinity as a boy, and confrontation between good and bad, appeared. Sandplay therapy, in a free and protected space, relieved the client’s tic problems with improvement of his daily life. Thus, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of sandplay therapy.

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