The Process of Understanding the Psyche of an Elementary School-Aged Boy Who is Mentally Handicapped through Sandplay Therapy*

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This study explored the sandplay therapy case of an elementary school-aged boy who was mentally handicapped for the purposes of understanding his psyche. The goal of the therapy was to help him to adjust more appropriately to situations he commonly encountered within the free and protected space made possible during sandplay therapy. Fifty-five therapy sessions were held. The client showed a lack of fundamental care, which was accompanied with regression in the initial phase of therapy (1∼14, my situations & regression). In the intermediate phase of therapy (15∼52, rebirth), he experienced rebirth and grew psychologically with the death of both a spider and a king snake. In the final phase of therapy (53∼55, the acquisition of treasure), he finished his journey with the acquisition of treasure in a free and protected space. By exhibiting a similar psyche with non-handicapped boys, this study confirmed an archetypal pattern existing even in a boy who was mentally handicapped. 색인어: ì§€ì ìž¥ì• , 분석심리학, 모래놀이치료, ì—°ê¸ˆìˆ , 보물 Keywords: intellectual disability, analytical psychology, sandplay therapy, alchemy, treasure