Tout comme la dépression, le suicide revêt plusieurs figures. Et au-delà de tout cadre nosographique ou structurel, ce qui les détermine tous-deux réside dans la confrontation à l’épreuve de la perte, du deuil. La mort elle-même prend-t-elle figure dans le vécu de perte de l’objet aimé ? La clinique des sujets survivants au suicide révèle en effet cet étrange paradoxe : Se tuer physiquement pour survivre psychiquement à la souffrance engendrée dans l’actuel par le vécu de perte de l’objet aimé. Inquiétante étrangeté de la mort qui, non seulement se mêle ici intimement à la vie, mais semble aussi détenir en elle une figure autoconservatrice pour la psyché menacée par l’anéantissement : c’est bien lorsqu’il est confronté à la menace d’effondrement que le sujet décide de se tuer, le suicide apparaissant telle une défense contre l’angoisse. Pour appréhender ce paradoxe, il s’agit donc en premier lieu d’interroger le suicide dans son rapport aux problématiques dépressives, et de lier l’expérience primitive de la perte aux fondements de la réalité psychique du sujet. Emergent alors certaines équivalences entre l’expérience de séparation et l’anéantissement psychique, qui permettent elles-mêmes d’envisager l’existence d’une correspondance entre l’éprouvé archaïque de mort psychique et la mort de soi. Cette correspondance entre mort psychique et mort physique, opérant sous l’œuvre du clivage de la personnalité, pourrait bien être active dans la formation du suicide interrompu. / As for depression, suicide reveals different features. And beyond nosographical or structural framework, what determines them both lies in the confrontation of the ordeal of loss, mourning. Is death itself taking in the lived experience of the loss of the loved objet? The clinical study of suicide survivors shows indeed a strange paradox: physically killing oneself in order to survive psychically the suffering generated in the present by the experience of the loss of the loved object. Disturbing oddness of death, which not only mingles here intimately with life, but also seems to hold in itself a self-preserving feature for the psyche threatened by annihilation: it is indeed when confronted with the threat of collapse that the subject decides to kill himself, suicide appearing as a defense against anxiety. In order to understand this paradox, we need first and foremost to question suicide in its relation to depressive problems and to link the initial experience of loss with the foundations of the psychic reality of the subject. Then certain equivalences are emerging between the experience of separation and psychic annihilation, which allow us to envisage the existence of a connection between the archaic proved of psychic death and the death of oneself. This connection between psychic death and physical death, acting under the personality cleavage, may well be active in the development of interrupted suicide.

Text in Afrikaans / Divorce is a prominent phenomenon that affects thousands of children in South Africa. The point of departure for this research is that children in divorce situations require therapeutic guidance in order to manage their experience of loss. The research problem formulated was concerned with the lack of guidelines for Gestalt play therapists to address those losses experienced by children during the latency period. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to provide a guideline in order to ensure a meaningful therapeutic experience for children in the latency period. In order to reach this goal, the research process was guided by qualitative research. Triangulation was used as a data collection technique, in order to achieve this goal of investigating children who experience loss and behavioural responses. The value and suitability of Gestalt therapy during the therapeutic management process was examined. Stemming from the process and integration of results obtained in the empirical investigation, guidelines consisting of six diverse phases were developed and explicated. The goal of the research was therefor achieved with the application of: A guideline for Gestalt play therapists in addressing loss through divorce in children in the latency period. / Social work / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)

Text in Afrikaans / Divorce is a prominent phenomenon that affects thousands of children in South Africa. The point of departure for this research is that children in divorce situations require therapeutic guidance in order to manage their experience of loss. The research problem formulated was concerned with the lack of guidelines for Gestalt play therapists to address those losses experienced by children during the latency period. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to provide a guideline in order to ensure a meaningful therapeutic experience for children in the latency period. In order to reach this goal, the research process was guided by qualitative research. Triangulation was used as a data collection technique, in order to achieve this goal of investigating children who experience loss and behavioural responses. The value and suitability of Gestalt therapy during the therapeutic management process was examined. Stemming from the process and integration of results obtained in the empirical investigation, guidelines consisting of six diverse phases were developed and explicated. The goal of the research was therefor achieved with the application of: A guideline for Gestalt play therapists in addressing loss through divorce in children in the latency period. / Social work / M. Diac. (Spelterapie)