Use of a Projective Test in Psychodynamic Play Therapy with a Latency Age Child to Explore Themes of Attachment and Loss

Abstract

This article uses the treatment of William, a 7-year-old boy with a history of maternal loss and early neglect, to illustrate the clinical integration of a projective test into a psychodynamically informed play therapy. The ability of this patient to create an imaginary friend through The Fantasy Animal Drawing (Handler & Hilsenroth, 1994) made it possible for him to explore, play with, own, and disown experiences of connection, aggression, loss, and oral hunger. Also, the imaginary friend created through the game made it possible for the patient and therapist to co-create a transitional space (Winnicott, 1971a) from which a narrative of this year-long treatment was derived. The writer will discuss the impact that this case had on her training as a PhD student of clinical psychology in her sixth and final year of predoctoral training. Discussion of the use of supervision and the impact of a predetermined termination of the case at the end of the training year will also be addressed.