In search of home : Hillman's archetypal perspective on the therapeutic process of an adult patient

Abstract

The case study method was used to trace the therapeutic process of a 23 year old woman, over a period of 12 sessions. The focus of the study was her issue with abandonment which emerged as the central theme in therapy. Hillman's archetypal approach was used as a framework in understanding the process and resolution of her feelings of abandonment. According to Hillman, the therapy process activates the archetypal abandoned child. For a successful therapeutic outcome the process of de-literalisation must occur in order for the patient to move from literal acting out to symbolic containment. Core moments in the therapeutic process were used, together with an interpretation from Hillman's approach, to illustrate the various themes around the issue of abandonment. The present case study illustrates how the theory in area was relevant in practice with this particular case.