Full Description
This classic edition of Imagining Animals explores how the making of animal images in art therapy and child psychotherapy can act as a powerful catalyst for children who may be struggling with communication. Readers will benefit from learning about the different ways that animal symbolism can support autistic children and children navigating trauma, abuse and depression in engaging with the therapeutic process.
This essential book explores two contrasting primitive states of mind throughout: the investing of the world around us with life through animism and participation mystique, and the lifeless world in the states of mind encountered in children who are hard to reach. Featuring a new introduction by the author, subjects covered in subsequent chapters include, but are not limited to:
Animal/human relationships
Animal symbolism
Animals on stage in therapy and anthropomorphic animal objects
Three-dimensional clay-work
The location of the self in animals
Imagining Animals offers a unique insight into the role and representation of animal imagery in art therapy and child psychotherapy. This is an essential read for all arts and play therapists working with children as well as adult psychotherapists interested in the use of imagery.
Contents
PART I
Introduction: working with children who are hard
to reach
1. An animal alphabet of our actual and symbolic relationship to
animals
2. Animals on stage in therapy: anthropomorphic animal objects
3. Animation through the window: the beautiful and the sublime
PART II
Introduction: closeness and separation
4. Separation and sleeping difficulties: helpful images with
sleepless children
5. The location of self in animals
6. Entangled and confusional children: analytical approaches to
psychotic thinking and autistic features in childhood
PART III
Introduction: case study: the heart and the bone
7. From calm to chaos and rage
8. Things that go bump in the night, the 'fish pictures' and the
development of clay-work
9. The heart and the bone
10. Working towards the end of therapy and conclusions
