Case Study: JP's Anxiety by Begoña Siegrist

JP was so anxious that he would often bite his school jackets, sweaters and pencils to reduce the            stress.

JP is an 8-year-old boy who first came to therapy with his mother after being diagnosed by a psychologist with extreme anxiety and intolerance to changes. At that time his little sister was about to be born, so the psychologist asked JP´s mother to wait 6 months and see if the anxiety disappeared. At the time he began flower essence therapy, any change in his life schedule caused him to become very nervous and to bite his school jackets, sweaters and pencils to reduce the stress. He felt very insecure in social situations and rarely dared to approach a group of boys to play. He was always asking what was to be next in his activities. His mother said that sometimes he broke the house rules in order to please a friend.

I gave him Golden Yarrow in order to cope with social stress, Rock Water to accept changing situations in his life. I gave him Mimulus for his feelings of fear, Impatiens to calm his stress and Larch to like and accept himself. I gave JP a yellow spray that he could use whenever he needed support and happiness. This spray contains Pine and Zinnia as flower essences, Bergamot, Lemon, Patchouli, Cypress, and Rosemary essential oils.

Close up of Golden Yarrow

The next time JP came into therapy, his mother reported he had more self-control, a positive attitude that included being happy and kind, and he was full of energy. His attitude was not
aggressive anymore. He was more confident—however, he was preparing to attend a school camp and bit his jacket sleeve and destroyed it. I gave him a spray to take with him to camp
to use whenever he felt fear, that way he was in control and could spray himself to regain his confidence.

At this session, the mother mentioned that JP's father is strict and yells often at his family
members and that all of her children where afraid of him.

	I gave him Golden Yarrow, Rock Water and Mimulus to keep going with his confidence and energy and added to the formula Baby Blue Eyes and Goldenrod for him to feel good. This time I also gave him the Blue Spray that contains Baby Blue Eyes and Sunflower as flower essences and Sandalwood, Cedarwood and Orange essential oils.
Baby Blue Eyes

At the following session, the mother reported that JP was expressing himself by talking very much about his feelings and worries. The episodes of anxiety reduced from one per day to two per week. However, the intensity of his anxiety episodes was increased and he started to wet himself and drink too much water.

While talking about his feelings, JP recognized the aim of his actions were to please his father.

I repeated the same formula and added Snapdragon to ease his biting necessity. JP likes to use the Blue Spray; his mother believes that after using it, he is more loving and kind.

JP began having a new social life at school. He became more kind and friendly. He started to be able to solve problems and to solve them without feeling stressed. The reflex to destroy and bite things also stopped. He started hugging his mother and became very loving with her. After four months of flower therapy, from November 2005 to February 2006, his teachers called the parents and asked them if JP was under some kind of therapy, because he was totally changed in a good way. When the parents told the teachers about the flower essence therapy,the school advised them to continue with it.

JP is still in therapy and we are now using flower essences to help him with his verbal communication ( Snapdragon, Calendula and Holly ). He is now able to express himself, his feelings and concerns clearly. His anxiety has reduced by 90% and he only feels anxious while watching TV. I advised the mother to be very careful about the programs he is watching and to encourage him to pursue other healthy entertainment such as playing in the garden, doing art crafts, etc.

Snapdragon

JP's progression of drawings throughout the course of our sessions—

#1   JP's drawing of an anxious boy (himself) trying desperately to stop a ball in a football game.	#2   This boy (JP) has an anxious and scared look. Note the tension of the mouth.
#3 This drawing has no color as in the previous two drawings, and JP described it as a plane that is about to be devoured by a monster. (JP might be considering himself a monster who devours objects?)	#4 This drawing has colors and the family seems very happy at home. JP is in the center of the picture and his loved ones surround him. The sky is blue and the sun is shining.