28 Dec 2023
The Ugly Duckling - The painful journey in transformation
Hans Christian Anderson’s famous tale, The Ugly Duckling depicts a duck’s experience of rejection, teasing and scorn only because he is “ugly”. His siblings and the others of the community fly at him, peck at him and torment him. He is outcast from being different and born in an unmatched family.
The ugly duckling is heartbroken and feels terrible in his individual journey. He tries to find refuge by finding others to accept him while he is rejected by his own. He endures the long winter to be grown up and becomes stronger. His images are reflected by the water and he becomes recognized by fellow swans. His identity is finally surrounded by acknowledgement and acceptance. He is no longer the Ugly Duckling but the white and beautiful Swan.
The tale as a metaphor dramatises how many of us are essentially different from our family and playmates. We often experience bullying and suffering in early life. We may discover that the world cannot understand us. Our alienation and desperation affect us while we are growing up. Once we discover our true nature and feelings, we become welcomed. In spite of the fear of being hurt, we build up our relationship with others. We may understand suffering as a process that enables us to fly. The Ugly Duckling shows us the archetypal theme from rejection to acceptance.
Topic: The Ugly Duckling - The painful journey in transformation
Date : 28 Dec, 2023 (Thursday)
Time: 7:30 to 9:00 pm HK time
Presenter: Teresa Kwok (Certified Play Therapist)
Venue: Webinar via Zoom
Language: Cantonese
Source of photo: www.flickr.com
9 Nov 2023
Make your own Figurines
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In November study group, we will organize a workshop ‘Make your own Figurines’ in a professional pottery studio. A pottery teacher will be there to help. No prior experience needed. Act fast as places are extremely limited. A fee of $400 will be collected in advance so as to secure the studio booking. We will notify you of the payment method and address of the studio upon enrollment.
Details:
Date: 9 November 2023, Thursday
Time: 7pm - 9:30pm
Venue: A pottery studio in Kwun Tong (10 mins walk from Kwun Tong MTR)
12 Oct 2023
The Concept of Persona
In the October 2023 study group, Chris Cheung will explore the concept of persona and see how its manifestation changes over time. In Jung’s map of the soul, persona is the outer layer of the psyche which mediates between ourselves and the society. It is a social adaptation and compromise between our real self and how society wants us to be. Jung wrote that persona is ‘a complicated system of relations between the individual consciousness and society, fittingly enough a kind of mask, designed on the one hand to make a definite impression upon others, and, on the other, to conceal the true nature of the individual.’ (CW7, par. 305). Either over-identification of it or the lack of it will pose problems. The presentation will include sandplay and dream materials.
Topic: The Concept of Persona
Date: 12 Oct, 2023 (Thursday)
Time: 7:30 to 9pm HK time
Presenter: Chris Cheung (ISST certified sandplay therapist, educational psychologist)
Venue: Webinar via Zoom
Language: Cantonese
27 Sep 2023
Owning Your Own Shadow: Understanding the Dark Side of the Psyche
In the September study group, Kitty Liu will try to explore this topic from the book contents of “Owning Your Own Shadow: Understanding the Dark Side of the Psyche” written by Robert Johnson. Understanding the shadow is itself not an easy task, not to mention aspiring to own it. But it is not until we have accepted and even honored the shadow, that we shall be able to balance our psyche and to become whole. What is daunting is the shadow will turn out in
other unexpected areas punching us with shock when we have not even a bit of awareness of this.
Kitty will also try to show a few sand play pictures of her clients as illustrations in the study.
Date: 27 Sep, 2023 (Wednesday)
Time: 7:30 to 9pm
Presenter: Kitty Liu, Registered Counsellor (Level 4) with Australian Counselling Association now based in Sydney
Venue: Webinar via Zoom
Language: Cantonese
23 Aug 2023
Cinderella
In the upcoming August study group, we will explore the fairy tale of Cinderella. Cinderella, among other fairy tales, is still one of the most popular one in modern time. We can still find this name to describe girls who raise from poverty and deprivation to be a princess, marrying an ideal princess. However, in the fairy tale, it is not only describing how heroic and bravery Cinderella to transform from “living in the ashes” alone to “living in the castle with the princess”, but more about the psychology of femininity, especially envy. With the absent father, how the stepmother, the two sisters, the fairy and Cinderella interacted and what they represented in female is worthwhile to study. In this study group, we will mainly use the original story of Cinderella, and the Jungian interpretation of envy from the book of Ulanov “Cinderella and her sisters, the envied and the envying”. Our presenter, George Kwok, will help to facilitate the group discussions with related clinical case materials to enrich our discussion, for instance family with sibling competition, and especially sibling rivalry disorder. The participants are welcome to bring with questions for discussions and sharing and are expected to read the story.
Topic: The Fairy tales of Cinderella, and the envy within
Presenter: George Kwok (ISST-CST-T)
Date: 23 Aug, 2023 (Wednesday)
Format: Zoom online meeting
Time: 7:30 - 9:00pm
Language: Cantonese
20 July 2023
Artemis
In the upcoming July study group, we will explore the symbolic meaning of the Greek Goddess Artemis. As you may know, Artemis is well-known in Greek mythology as the Eternal Virgin, with her fierce, uncompromising, and self-determined character. She is also the protector of all that is wild and vulnerable, as well as the guardian of childbirth and the wilderness.
Jung once said that myth is more individual and expresses life more precisely than science. And Jean Shinoda Bolen remarked that all the goddesses are potential patterns in the psyches of all women. Still, in each individual woman, some of these patterns are activated and others are not, depending on the combined effect of various interacting elements, including the woman's predisposition, family and culture, hormones, significant others, chosen activities, and stages of life.
In this study group, we will explore how Artemis energy, in its mythology, is essential for the embodiment of feminine independence with healthy boundaries while remaining deeply empathetic. Our presenter, May will help to facilitate the group discussions with related clinical case materials to enrich our discussion.
Topic: The Greek goddess, Artemis
Presenter: May LIU (Registered Play therapist, and has been learning Sandplay therapy for over 14 years)
Date: 20 July, 2023 (Thursday)
Format: Zoom online meeting
Time: 7:30 - 9:00pm
Language: Cantonese
28 June 2023
The Closet in Sandplay Therapy
This study group will explore the symbolism of the closet and will describe the process of a middle-aged woman with unresolved pre-birth and post- birth trauma who used a closet object to explore and relive her early trauma also showing how the entire sandplay room became a big “closet” for her. She was contained by it as a place of incubation, in which rebirth and transformation could take place. Through her sandplay therapy process, this woman was able to penetrate the deep dark chambers of her psyche via the closet as a portal activating a new source of energy.
Topic: The Closet in Sandplay Therapy - Incubation, Rebirth and Transformation
Date: 28 June 2023 (Wednesday)
Time: 7:30 - 9:00pm
Presenter: Ms Sally Chan (Certified Sandplay Therapist, Marriage & Family Therapist)
Venue: Webinar via zoom
Language: Cantonese
29 May 2023
Angel
Angels are spiritual beings. I believe that nobody on earth has witnessed 'Angel' in physical form. However, as a symbol, they exist so widespread around us. Within the scope of mythology and religions, they are so real that they even have their own classifications and hierarchies. I trusted that they also appear very frequently in the sand trays we encounter. Then why are so many people fascinated by Angels? How should we interpret their presence in our sand trays? Though they are usually associated with holiness and purification, do they have a dark side like other symbols?
Let's spend some time discussing and sharing our experience about 'Angel' in May.
Topic: Angel
Date: 29 May, 2023
Time: 7:30 - 9:00pm
Presenter: Ms. Gabie Cheung (Certified Counsellor, Private Practice)
Venue: Webinar via zoom
Language: Cantonese
11 April 2023
DIY Miniature Figurines
Let’s take a break from zoom and meet face-to-face! The figurine collection is the extension of the therapist. What better way to add some personal touch to your collection than to make your own figurines? In April study group, you will make some figurines. Be ready to tap into your creativity and have some fun!
Details:
Date: 11 and 25 April 2023
Time: 7:00 - 9:00pm (reception start 6:00pm for early starters)
Venue: YL Workshop, 11/F, Fung Lok Commercial Building,
163 Wing Lok Street
Payment: HKD100 (for materials and light refreshments)
Deadline for enrolment: 10 April 2023
16 March 2023
Legend of the White Snake 白蛇傳
We continue our quest to explore some Eastern folktales through the lens of Jungian psychology and look at The Legend of the White Snake, which is considered one of China's Four Great Folktales. We continue to follow 鐘穎 傳說裡的心理學2 : 異婚與冥戀, her insights in The Legend of the White Snake. We shall look at the differences and similarities of the symbolism of snakes in different part of the world through legends and tales.
Date: 16/3/2023 (Thursday)
Time: 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Language: Cantonese
Presenter: Ms Jennifer Wong (Certified Counsellor)
Venue: Webinar on zoom
27 February 2023
Horse Skin Silkworm Girl
馬皮蠶女
While one might find a lot of reviews with Jungian theories in Western classics, few works have been found from Eastern stories. In this study group, we will explore some Eastern mythical stories through the lens of Jungian psychology. Our presenter, Sun would take one of the classic stories , Horse Skin Silkworm Girl
(馬皮蠶女 ) in Soushen Ji as the starting point to review Eastern stories with Jungian theories. Let’s see what sparks will be created when Jungian psychology meets Eastern mystical stories.
Topic: "Horse Skin Silkworm Girl" - Exploring Eastern mythical stories through the lens of Jungian Psychology
Date: 27/2/2023 (Monday)
Time: 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Language: Cantonese
Presenter: Mr Poon Yat Sun (Registered Counsellor and Play therapist; He has been learning sandplay therapy since 2018)
Venue: Webinar on zoom
30 January 2023
‘The clock is ticking!’
‘The clock is ticking!’ In the modern world, we run around the clock. We all have some schedules to fulfill in a day and the clock shows us when to end an event and when it is time to start another. How is the evolution of clock in relation to civilization and human ego development? In Jan 2023 study group, Chris will explore the history of time keeping in different cultures, its parallel to ego development and Jungian views on time and clock. Clinical materials will be included in the presentation.
Date: 30 January 2023 (Monday)
Time: 7:30 - 9:00 pm Hong Kong
Presenter: Chris Cheung, certified sandplay therapist, educational psychologist
Venue: Webinar on zoom