Chronos, Kairos, and the Eternal Now: The Archetype of Time in Sandplay Therapy

Instructor:  Lorraine R. Freedle, PhD

Description
Our relationship with time profoundly affects our mental health and well-being. Depression may keep us stuck in the past–lamenting or regretting what was.  Anxiety may be debilitating– overwhelming us with fear about what could happen next.  Sandplay invites us into a liminal space where time and timelessness meet at the crossroads. This workshop explores historical and cross-cultural perspectives on time, Jung’s theories on time and the psyche, and symbolic expressions of time as they evolve during sandplay therapy.  Improved understanding of time in sandplay therapy deepens the therapist’s ability to track the individuation journey and changes in the well-being of their clients. Through lecture, case studies, and experiential learning, participants will examine how the archetypal energies of time transform both the client and therapist.

Key Concepts:

• Our relationship with time and the ways we try to control time profoundly affect mental health and well-being.
• Historical and cultural perspectives on time broaden understanding of the problem and potential solutions to enhance psychological development.
• Frameworks on time such as Chronos, Kairos, the Eternal Now and Jung’s theories on synchronicity, time as libidinal energy, and timelessness in the unconscious help improve our understanding of time in sandplay.
• There are many ways that time affects the sandplay therapist and clients alike.
• Symbolic expression of time in sandplay is multidimensional and changes during the course of sandplay.
• The archetypal energies of time are transformative in nature.
• Improved understanding of time in sandplay therapy deepens the therapist’s ability to track the individuation journey and changes in the well-being of their clients.

Learning Objectives:

1.  Describe terms associated with time including Chronos, Kairos, Synchronicity, and the Eternal Now.
2. Assess symbols of time and one’s relationship with time as these evolve during sandplay therapy and Jung’s individuation process.

 

Photo credit:  AI Generated