“Can I Show You Something Online?” or “How the eLife Comes Alive in Therapy”

Abstract

This article takes on the phenomenon of the ubiquity of electronic and Internet usage for many pre-teen and teenage boys, especially as it affects psychotherapy. The author presents the case of one such young man and terms the world of his immersion in electronic tools and toys, eLife. The case is presented along three dimensions, the symbolic and representational meanings of the play itself, the intersubjective aspects of eLife phenomenon between patient and therapist, and the implications of the treatment developments for the patient's unfolding family challenges.