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In some ways this book is concerned with the uses of play and language in psychotherapy. Arguably, all psychotherapy, at least of an analytic variety, is concerned with play and language and various, sometimes antagonistic schools of therapy reflect different ways of describing language and play. The editors of this volume are particularly interested in the application of ideas and techniques in working with more than averagely disturbed individuals, often in institutionalised settings. Whilst many of us might agree that exploratory therapy rests within language, and that some of our technique is play in the Winnicottian sense we might also agree that greater disturbance in the patient calls for greater creativity in the therapist. This in turn gives rise to an interesting debate as to the limits and boundaries that may be necessary for therapy to take place. When is a ‘frame deviation’ inspired, creative therapy or wild analysis, something acted upon in the counter-transference? Certain names are then bandied around as examples either of giftedness or madness.
This text owes an explicit acknowledgement to both a Jungian and Freudian strain in analytic thinking. There will be much to please followers of Bettelheim and his classic text in this area (The Uses of Enchantment) because this book is also interested in the meaning and application of, say, Peter Pan in working with adults. However, the authors are also devotees of a perspective that is altogether more Jungian. So, again, people interested in myth, narrative and archetypes will find much to enjoy.
There are two main points of interest to the practitioner; the ways that fairy tales may be analysed and the use of such analysis through technique, especially with disturbed individuals. The reader will encounter many old favourites and possibly some less familiar characters: Wassilissa (about the good-bad mother and separationanxiety), Little Black Sambo (about transitional objects), Briar Rose, Cinderella (not aga