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Understanding Sandplay Therapy from a Contemporary Philosophical Perspective: Between East and West

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Understanding Sandplay Therapy from a Contemporary Philosophical Perspective: Between East and West Understanding Sandplay Therapy from a Contemporary Philosophical Perspective: Between East and West by Beatrice Donald M.A., Adler School of Professional Psychology (Toronto), 1995 M.B.A., York University, 1974 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Curriculum Theory & Implementation Program Faculty of Education Beatrice Donald 2014 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Fall 2014 Approval Name: Beatrice Donald Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Title: Understanding Sandplay Therapy from a Contemporary Philosophical Perspective: Between East and West Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. Lucy Le Mare Professor Dr. Roger Frie Senior Supervisor Professor Dr. Heesoon Bai Supervisor Professor Dr. Stuart Richmond Internal/External Examiner Professor Dr. Rie Rogers Mitchell External Examiner Professor Emeritus California State University Date Defended: December 12, 2014 ii Partial Copyright Licence iii Ethics Statement iv Abstract This dissertation examines the therapeutic practice of Sandplay in order to elaborate its theoretical underpinnings and provide a contemporary perspective. The research is based on my observation that an intrapsychic model of understanding Sandplay therapy is limited in its accounting for the emergent contextual and relational dynamics at work in the patient’s and therapist’s experience of the Sandplay process and each other. Sandplay is dynamic and experiential. An intrapsychic understanding alone cannot adequately encompass the psychological reach of play which, by its nature, is human and relationally and contextually complex. Because Sandplay is a nonverbal therapy with play as its medium of expression, a philosophical understanding of play is a key element in this critique. Sandplay therapy as envisioned by Dora Kalff is based in classical and developmental Jungian theory in which the process of individuation is viewed as a dynamic intrapsychic process. The intrapsychic model is built on a Cartesian philosophical tradition emphasizing separateness between inner and outer, subject and object, self and world, spirit and body, and between psychological phenomena as contained structures that communicate with each other from separate vantage points. Continental phenomenological-hermeneutics, in contrast to the Cartesian “isolated mind” understanding of experience, is a philosophy that accounts for the always here-and-now historical socio-cultural contexts in which a person’s experience is embedded. Hermeneutics is concerned with how we make meaning of experience in the contexts of our lives and relationships. In recognizing that meaning is socially constructed and subject to change, hermeneutics allows that new meaning is always possible. The conceptual anchor is a clinical Sandplay case described phenomenologically and interpreted: first from the Kalffian-Jungian perspective, second from the perspective of Asian philosophical ideas (which Kalff integrated and I build upon) and third from the perspective of Hans-Georg Gadamer’s hermeneutical philosophy of play. Each illustrative analysis of the case is a critique of its limits and the breadth of understanding it offers. In conclusion, I suggest the possibility for an integration of aspects of the three perspectives and make an initial attempt at doing so as I try to do justice to understanding Sandplay as experience. Keywords: Sandplay therapy; Dora Kalff; C.G. Jung; hermeneutics; Daoism; expressive therapy v Dedication To my husband, Timothy Porteous, whose enduring support I have greatly appreciated. To my patient, who generously gave me permission to present her sandpictures to illustrate my ideas. vi Acknowledgements I wish to acknowledge the invaluable adept support and guidance I received from my senior supervisor Roger Frie. His teaching and formidable expertise in philosophy, psychotherapy, and critical thinking were the foundation for my learning and success. Heesoon Bai’s great generosity of spirit was indispensable in helping me in the first years of the Ph.D. program to move confidently toward my topic. Heesoon provided astute understanding of the Eastern philosophical perspective that was essential to the thesis. I am most grateful to both for helping me realize my long-cherished goal. I owe much gratitude to my sister Shelley Donald, who listened critically as I worked out my ideas. She was very generous with her time in the weeks approaching the submission deadline. I want to thank Joanie Wolfe for her invaluable expertise in APA and facility with the formatting process. Her help was critical to getting the document completed on time. My colleagues and friends in the Sandplay community have been supportive and encouraging every step of the way. I am hopeful that they will join me in the much- needed debate about the philosophical premise of Sandplay and how we teach and practice. The constancy of support from my son Nicholas Porteous, my sister Helen Tuck, and dear friends Leora Kuttner, Margit Nance, Judy Beale, Joanne Morrow, Sandy Simpson, Dena Sollins, Frances Hamm and Bonnelle Strickling was vital to my success. Their wishes fortified me as I reached the finish line. Finally, my colleagues at Family Services of the North Shore were witness to the hard work and commitment necessary to see this project to its completion. They were most generous with their support, especially Perviz Madon, Jan Fleming, Margaret Anne Speak, Barbara McGregor, Tania Zulkoskey, Roxanne Gresham, Donna Topham, Fari Nejad, Erin Bruchet and Navaz Daruwalla. Karen White and Julia Staub-French saw the value in giving me time off in the final weeks, for which I am very grateful. vii Table of Contents Approval .............................................................................................................................ii Partial Copyright Licence .................................................................................................. iii Ethics Statement ...............................................................................................................iv Abstract ............................................................................................................................. v Dedication .........................................................................................................................vi Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... vii Table of Contents ............................................................................................................ viii List of Figures....................................................................................................................xi List of Acronyms ................................................................................................................xi Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1. Theoretical and Philosophical Origins of Kalffian Sandplay: Western Roots and Asian Influences ...................................................... 6 1.1. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 6 1.2. Dora Kalff: Background ............................................................................................ 7 1.2.1. Analytical Psychology ................................................................................. 8 1.2.2. Margaret Lowenfeld (1890-1973) ................................................................ 9 The Socio-Cultural Context of Lowenfeld’s Work ..................................... 10 Lowenfeld’s Formative Background at Home and at War ......................... 10 Development of the “World Technique” .................................................... 11 The British Psychoanalytic Context for Child Therapy .............................. 12 1.2.3. Erich Neumann ......................................................................................... 15 1.2.4. Asian Connections .................................................................................... 16 Dora Kalff’s Experiences of Buddhism ...................................................... 18 1.3. Sandplay’s International Presence ......................................................................... 19 1.4. Contemporary Sandplay: Training and Trends in Practice ..................................... 21 1.5. Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 23 Chapter 2. A Phenomenological Description of a Sandplay Process .................. 25 2.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 25 2.1.1. The Sandplay Environment ....................................................................... 26 2.2. The Case of Eva .................................................................................................... 27 2.2.1. Family Background and History ................................................................ 28 2.2.2. The Sessions ............................................................................................ 29 Session 1 (August 11, 1.5 hours) .............................................................. 29 Session 2 (September 22, 1.5 hours) ....................................................... 30 Session 3 (October 6, 1.5 hours) .............................................................
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