The Double Birth: The Clinical Story of Emanuele

Andreina Navone

Abstract

Dr. Andreina Navone, Founding Member of the International Society for Sandplay Therapy and of the Italian Association for Sandplay Therapy, presents and discusses the sandplay therapy and analysis of “a child who lived in his experience of adoption – the meeting of the polarity of rejection and welcome – a polarity that extended throughout his therapy” (1998, p.28). The author describes the therapy and eventually quotes Jung’s words—recounting his own experience in his  Memories Dreams Reflections (1961).  In her conclusion of The Double Birth: The Clinical Story of Emanuele, Dr. Navone continues : “With her patient work, the figure of the nourisher etches in the psyche [of the child] the borders of a nourishing and containing place where the child can grow and develop following the mysterious lines of his projections. This…. becomes even more important with adopted children… To these children, who need to integrate the good and the bad aspects of the maternal archetype, a new nurturing space is offered that is no longer determined by desires, dreams and the goals of adults. In this space, the adopted child, piecing together his story, can finally gain access to the design of which the self is the keeper and creator” (1998, p.59-60). In this article the author discusses transference and counter-transference, reverie, false self as well as images of the monkey, mouse, fox, handprint, etc.

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