Archetypal Anger in Sandplay Therapy

In this paper, the author discusses how to cope with anger in sandplay therapy. Sometimes anger becomes an important emotion in sandplay. The author examines two clinical cases that concern clients who have difficulty expressing negative emotions, especially anger. In both cases, the anger archetype is constellated. This archetype has both negative and positive sides. It becomes destructive or creative according to their attitude. In order to cope with the anger archetype, the model of analytical psychology, Bushido, and Buddhism are effective. The effective therapeutic attitude towards the anger archetype is the natural, neutral attitude with unresisting acceptance and hope for the individuation process. By the law of enantiodromia (reversal of psychic flow), the transformation of the anger archetype could be constellated from destructive anger to creative anger. Both negative and positive sides of the archetype could be integrated by the recovery of the natural state of the psyche.