Yoshikawa, Lury M
THE RETURN OF SPRING FOR AN ADOLESCENT GIRL
Journal of Sandplay Therapy, Volume 8, Number 2, 1999
KEY WORDS: adolescent, female, development, sandplay therapy, chemotherapy, clinical example, physical illness, rabdomyocarcinoma, grief.
ABSTRACT: A 12 year old girl form Brazil, diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, began therapy one month after removal of an abdominal tumor and one week after beginning chemotherapy. Her family encouraged psychotherapy so that she could better understand her feelings and emotions. She was seen for 5 months, competed 3 sand trays, and moved from working with very wet sand and no images, to dry sand with dinosaurs, stones, eggs and bushes. In addition to mirroring her attitude toward illness, her trays show how she organizes herself and how she attempts to solve problems.