From Disconnection to the Seesaw to the Stage

In this article, I narrate how I used creativity in order to deal with two challenging phases in my analytic work with Sarah. In the first phase of the treatment, I used the image of the seesaw as a way to capture the procedural, nonverbal aspects of our constant stalemates, thus shifting our pattern of interaction and providing the necessary stability to further the treatment. In the second phase, I enlisted Sarah's skills as actor and director in order to enhance and expand her capacity for self-exploration, creativity, and playfulness, thus helping her extricate herself from her need to defer to my insights and observations. In this way, Sarah and I transformed the analysis into a theatrical stage where, as Helen and Nancy, we could engage as collaborators, and where she could become an agent in her own treatment, feel more competent, and assert her individuality.