Hong Kong Sandplay Therapy Association (HKSTA)

What will you associate with the word Buddha? What is Buddha? What are the different levels of meaning of Buddha? How our clients express the symbol of Buddha  in sandplay therapy? The Lotus Sutra teaches that we can become Buddha. This means that we can realize the Self in our individuation process. (Tadashi, 2012)
 

HKSTA July 2020 Study Group
Symbol Study: Buddha
Presenters: Dr. Natalie Chantagul (Psychotherapist at Bangkok Psychological Services (BPS); Has been learning sandplay therapy since 2016)
Date: 30 July, 2020 (Thursday)
Time: 8:00pm – 10:00pm (online)
Language: English

In this study group, Natalie will share the journal article “Buddha in Sandplay Therapy: Symbolical Interpretation of Buddha and the Lotus Sutra. ” by Tadashi Maeda (Journal of Sandplay Therapy, Volume 22, #1, 2012). She will have a case sharing to illustrate the symbolic meaning of Buddha and explore this symbol from Thai people‘s perspective, which is less mentioned in the article. In addition, she will also share different Buddha images her clients expressed in the sandtrays.
 

This study group is only opened to members of the Hong Kong Sandplay Therapy Association.

What will you associate with the human skeleton at the first mind? The scary, dangerous or fearful image or something that related to evil. However, from the religious and cultural perspectives, it has a different interpretation on the human skeleton which is “the harbinger of transformation, a new form of life inherent in the death of the old” (Marina, 2018)*.

In this study group, Sun will use the journal article “The human skeleton and the development of identity in a child’s sandplay process” by Marina Ionescu (Journal of Sandplay Therapy, Volume 27, #2, 2018) and Sun will have a case sharing to illustrate the symbolic meaning of the human skeleton and explore the view from Eastern perspective, which is less mention in the article, on this symbol.

HKSTA June 2020 Study Group
Symbol Study: Human Skeleton
Presenters: Poon Yat Sun (Registered Counsellor & Clinical Supervisor (APCPA); Has been learning sandplay therapy since 2018 )
Date: 24 June, 2020 (Wed)
Time: 7:00 – 9:00pm (online)

This study group is only opened to members of the Hong Kong Sandplay Therapy Association.

The crocodile, alligator, caiman all belong to the family of crocodilian species. They are descendants from the ancient dinosaur era and has evolved with not much changes. However, in mythology, they are transformed into dragons and Jung saw them interchangeably. In this study, Berenice will go through the ecological aspects of the crocodiles and how they are being perceived metaphorically as symbols for males and females differently, their universal significance and how they are being imagined as dragons in myths and fairy tales.

When crocodiles and alligators appear in dreams, they depict emotions that we try to repress or avoid, or they may signify that there are hidden dangers that we have to be aware of. Examples of dreams that contain these symbols are listed on the document: “Dream Dictionary – Alligator” and you will find it in our dropbox resource library. Another article Berenice will use is “The crocodile and the cosmos: Itzamkanac, the palace of the the Alligator’s House” by Ernesto Vargas Pacheco & Teri Arias Ortiz. You can access the article through our dropbox.

In the study group, Berenice will share her three female clients’ cases who have used crocodile and/or alligator in their sandplay journey. She will also use a journal article: “A boy’s encounter with dying and death: the loss of a twin” by Antoninette M. Eimers (Journal of Sandplay Therapy, Volume 28, #2, 2019) where a boy uses the figurines of crocodile to process his grief and fear. Berenice also invites participants who have trays that depict crocodiles or alligators to share in the discussion. Please reply to this email if you plan to share your cases.

HKSTA May 2020 Study Group
Symbol Study: Crocodile and Alligator
Presenters: Berenice Lee (Berenice is a Certified Counsellor. She is in private practice and has been learning sandplay therapy since 2012)
Date: 18 May, 2020 (Monday)
Time: 7:00 – 9:00pm (we will meet online)

This study group is only opened to members of Hong Kong Sandplay Therapy Association.

This symbol study of dog was originally planned to hold in February. Because of the global health crisis, we need to make changes and we will now have the meeting online in April.

The dog is the first domesticated animal and is commonly associated with loyalty and vigilance. Often acting as guardian and protector, dogs are portrayed as guides and companions. In sandplay therapy, dog unusally represents an instinct which is easy to integrate and even can be assimilated. Other than her own research on the symbol, Chris will use the Journal article: “The Dog: Guide, Guardian and Soul Mate” by Jellemieke Hees-Stauthamer” (you can find the article in our online resource library). She will also use Barbara Hannah’s book “The Cat, Dog and House Lectures and The Beyond” for her presentation. If you do not have a copy of this book, it is worth ordering one:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Barbara-Hannah-Cat-Dog-Horse-Lectures-Barbara-Hannah/9780933029590?ref=grid-view&qid=1579837510547&sr=1-1
Carmen will use her clinical cases to illustrate the symbol. She will present a six year old boy who have fear in moving to his new stage of development and we will see the significance of the dog symbol in his process.

HKSTA April 2020 Study Group
Symbol Study: Dog
Presenters: Chris Cheung Yee Ping (Chris is an educational psychologist working in local schools and she is also a practitioner using therapeutic play skills in her clinical work) and Carmen Cheuk (Carmen is an Associate Member since the inaugruation of HKSTA in 2011 and she is a Play Therapist specializing in working with children).
Date: 17 April, 2020 (Friday)
Time: 8:00 – 10:00pm (we will meet online)

This study group is only opened to members of Hong Kong Sandplay Therapy Association.

We will look into the individuation process in the recent famous movie, Frozen 2 in our March Study Group. Unlike traditional hero journey, Frozen 2 is a modern shift from the romantic classical film of the 1940s and 50s, such as Snow White and Cinderella of Disney, to the platonic “sisterly” love that takes the hero through their journey. The heroine’s journey of Elsa started with answering the mystical voice, as a symbol of the collective unconscious and risked the plunge, then completed the individuation process.

Individuation, according to the C.G. Jung describes the psychological process of inner growth, centralization where the individual find its own self. Jung indicates that it is the process of forming and specializing the individual nature. In particular, it is the development of the psychological individual as a differentiated being from the general collective psychology. Individuation, therefore, is a process of differentiation, having for its goal the development of the individual personality. (C.G. Jung, C.W., Vol. 6, para 757)

Topic: The Individuation Process in Frozen 2
Presenter: May LIU
Date: 25 March , 2020 (Wednesday)
Time : 8:00-9:00pm (After 9th AGM)
Language: Cantonese

Note: Please watch the Movie Frozen 2 before attending the study group if possible

In this study group, we will discuss the symbolic expressions, the process of the separation and integration through acknowledging and accepting the shadow of heroine journey towards the individuation process in the movie. We will use the following four articles in the discussion and you can find them in our Dropbox Resource Library.

Articles:

1. Book Chapter: “The Twofold Movement of Individuation” in The Principle of Individuation by Murray Stein, 2006.

2. Disney’s Frozen 2 Reveals a Shift in the Collective Unconscious by Hila Hershkoviz

3. Elsa’s Heroine’s Journey Completed – Archetypal Symbolism in “Frozen 2” by Valerie Estelle

4. Let It Go: Revising ‘The Princess Story’ in Disney’s Frozen by Dikaia Gavala

This study group is only opened to members of Hong Kong Sandplay Therapy Association.