Images of Abandonment and Repair

In work with abandoned children in play therapy, one can encounter the vast and deeply expressive archetypal domain of the orphan. In play the natural and emergent soulful images that children express and reveal capture in-depth their pain as well their enduring hope for connection and care.

While preparing for this program I have been reflecting on the distinction between the archetype(s) of the child and the orphan as they may express themselves through dreams, fantasies and relational patterns of adults, to that of an actual child’s experience of being embedded in the archetypal “field” of the orphan. That is to say, how, for a particular child in treatment with a history of abandonment, will the psyche spontaneously emerge in play, story and creative or destructive action, to reveal or illuminate that child’s psychic (inner and unconscious) experience in the present caregiving process of psychotherapy?

The psyche is a self-regulating system, purposeful and healing in its intent and expression (images, metaphors, symbols, behavior), no different in humans of any age, only different perhaps in its individual, personal expression and with more or less conscious facilitation or ego interference. It is possible to imagine that from a developmental vantage point, that a less sophisticated ego structure is naturally conducive to more pure or “raw” psychic expression. It follows of course that part of the work with children has a consciousness-supporting aspect by helping a child link his or her play, images, story and affect bit by bit to an emerging conscious awareness of the world and reality, incrementally helping to expand his or her conscious control and facility with their emotional and interpersonal experiences along with learning to grapple more and more successfully with the tasks of life.

The images, stories and creative constructions in a play therapy context that is reliably safe, private and contained, often clearly reveal both the child’s current and past pain but also point toward present movements toward repair, health and hopefulness. Children’s images and play are very much like the dreams of older people, packed with affect and unconscious information. They are novel, emergent, living expressions of psyche and must be handled with respect and great care. Not only that, often like with dreams, there seems to be a guiding, purposeful orientation, a message or mandate, a way to proceed.

In the context of a safe therapeutic relationship, these living expressions of the child’s psyche shape and inform the work as it progresses. In this workshop two examples will be employed to demonstrate the therapeutic amplification and use of images as they occur in the context of the therapeutic process.

Learning Objectives

1. To catch, be attuned to and consider the therapeutic implications of the images and play that children naturally express as a form of psychic communication meant for the caregiver.
2. By amplifying the images offered and appreciating the unconscious aspects of the communication embedded in the images, stories and action in the play, participants can explore ways to use and translate what is revealed into thoughtful and attuned responses and interpretations.
3. To consider more generally and with reverence, some of the ways distressed children deeply and at times, stunningly and unconsciously communicate their experiences and needs.

Suggested Reading/Reference Material

• The Way of the Image by Yoram Kaufmann
• Animal Presences by James Hillman