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Thelypteris patens
Year 2026, Issue 7, Article 3CaseAuthor: Stephanie von Frankenberg
Born in 1969, male.Three years ago, the patient came to therapy. His wife had sent him because she felt he was not contributing properly or sufficiently to their home life. He himself said that he was addicted to harmony. He avoided conflict. In return, he was a good diplomat and wire-puller. However, he could only do this at work. Above all, he was afraid to express his opinion, especially to his wife. Especially when he thought that she might have a different opinion.
A few years ago, he was very happy with himself, but when he can't handle something properly, he is like a 6-year-old child and becomes defiant. He can understand all this, but he can't put it into practice. He doesn't do the things he should do around the house. He has shut off many emotions because he is afraid that they might hurt him.
He says that he had a great childhood. He was always the boss, an only child. A sibling died shortly after birth. When he changed schools to grammar school, when he was about 15 years old, he encountered snobbish people for the first time who teased him because of his big nose. As a result, he withdrew. If he had had weapons, he would have used them. He suffered greatly from this hurt. He then became a member of a sea rescue organisation, which saved him from these negative feelings. After studying education, he worked for this organisation and continues to do so today. He does a lot of administrative work and trains sports teachers.
His mother was married twice. He has still not come to terms with the early death of his father. He accepted his mother's second husband, but did not develop a close relationship with him.
He lets himself be triggered by his wife, then shuts himself off and can no longer think, as he says. He can no longer perceive his wife's signals. It was his wife who took him out of his mother's household. They got married when he was 31 years old. He then had to learn how to clean, wash and cook. He also had to move to another town (a neighbouring town). That was hard. His wife has ideas for change; he doesn't. He then follows his wife's suggestions. Three years after the wedding, he had an affair. It was a dramatic situation. His wife fought for the relationship, which is why he came back. After that, he developed bulimia, but after a while he decided to eat normally again.
At the age of 42, he suffered a stroke (cerebellar infarction). He has a tendency for his blood to clot. After the stroke, he was no longer able to walk straight, his ability to concentrate was impaired, and his social interaction with his environment was limited. He also takes regular tablets for high blood pressure.
Five years later, his wife had a baby. Since then, all activities have revolved around the child.
The couple always spend their holidays in the same places, namely where they used to go on holiday as children. There is one place by the sea and one in the mountains. In winter, they go to the mountains, in summer to the sea. The accommodation is also almost always the same.
During psychotherapy, he realised that he would much rather live a wild life. He would like to separate from his wife, but does not dare to do so. So much would have to change. There are regular arguments at home because he does not participate actively enough in family life, even though he regularly helps to look after his daughter.
In his job, where he has to give a lot of training courses, he is a good speaker and enjoys doing so. At home with his wife, he can hardly speak. He is not really interested in her either. In the evenings, there is a daily routine: he cooks dinner, puts the child to bed, then watches television, then goes to bed. During the holidays, the family has to go away.
His wife is also dissatisfied. But neither of them changes anything. His wife works in a school for disabled children, but she doesn't really like it. She feels constantly overworked with a part-time job. The word ‘love’ is completely foreign in this marriage, he says. When his mother died of old age, she left behind a small house. It took three years before he was ready to sell it, even though he never wanted to keep it. Then it took another two years to clear out the house.
The couple's house is constantly untidy. Post-it notes are stuck on the doors so that they know which room needs to be tidied up and when.
During therapy, the patient learned a lot about himself, but did not really connection to his inner self. The recurring headaches,
concentration problems and dizzy spells that followed the stroke could be treated, but emotionally he was unable to connect with himself or his wife, who repeatedly expressed her dissatisfaction with his therapy. The medicines used up to that point had not brought about any
real change in this regard.AnalysisJan Scholten's fern seminars helped to shed new light on the patient's situation: Thelypteris patens.
Fern: afraid to express his opinion; like a 6-year-old child; aversion change; bulimia; keeping routines, same things.
Silicon series, 3-443.00.00: problems in the marriage.
Phase 5, 3-443.15.00: bossy; hypertension; stroke.
Stage 13, 3-443.15.13: anger, but withdrawing; defiant.Follow upAfter taking it 4 weeks later he says: "Actually, I feel better than I should. The remedy has triggered something. I am more in touch with my feelings, I can perceive more. I am more relaxed. The effect has worn off somewhat after a while. I was able to think more clearly about my mother's death, come to terms with it, feel more sadness, and empathise more with other situations and other people."
12 weeks later: the constant conflicts with his wife, who was dissatisfied with him because he did not participate in household chores, have subsided. She no longer mentions this. She also seems to be less dissatisfied with her job. He decides for himself when to go shopping.
He would like to take Thelypteris patens again to be on the safe side. His concern that something might ‘happen’ as a result of the medicine has subsided. He trusts the medication. Progress is slow, but definitely appropriate.
A few years ago, he was very happy with himself, but when he can't handle something properly, he is like a 6-year-old child and becomes defiant. He can understand all this, but he can't put it into practice. He doesn't do the things he should do around the house. He has shut off many emotions because he is afraid that they might hurt him.
He says that he had a great childhood. He was always the boss, an only child. A sibling died shortly after birth. When he changed schools to grammar school, when he was about 15 years old, he encountered snobbish people for the first time who teased him because of his big nose. As a result, he withdrew. If he had had weapons, he would have used them. He suffered greatly from this hurt. He then became a member of a sea rescue organisation, which saved him from these negative feelings. After studying education, he worked for this organisation and continues to do so today. He does a lot of administrative work and trains sports teachers.
His mother was married twice. He has still not come to terms with the early death of his father. He accepted his mother's second husband, but did not develop a close relationship with him.
He lets himself be triggered by his wife, then shuts himself off and can no longer think, as he says. He can no longer perceive his wife's signals. It was his wife who took him out of his mother's household. They got married when he was 31 years old. He then had to learn how to clean, wash and cook. He also had to move to another town (a neighbouring town). That was hard. His wife has ideas for change; he doesn't. He then follows his wife's suggestions. Three years after the wedding, he had an affair. It was a dramatic situation. His wife fought for the relationship, which is why he came back. After that, he developed bulimia, but after a while he decided to eat normally again.
At the age of 42, he suffered a stroke (cerebellar infarction). He has a tendency for his blood to clot. After the stroke, he was no longer able to walk straight, his ability to concentrate was impaired, and his social interaction with his environment was limited. He also takes regular tablets for high blood pressure.
Five years later, his wife had a baby. Since then, all activities have revolved around the child.
The couple always spend their holidays in the same places, namely where they used to go on holiday as children. There is one place by the sea and one in the mountains. In winter, they go to the mountains, in summer to the sea. The accommodation is also almost always the same.
During psychotherapy, he realised that he would much rather live a wild life. He would like to separate from his wife, but does not dare to do so. So much would have to change. There are regular arguments at home because he does not participate actively enough in family life, even though he regularly helps to look after his daughter.
In his job, where he has to give a lot of training courses, he is a good speaker and enjoys doing so. At home with his wife, he can hardly speak. He is not really interested in her either. In the evenings, there is a daily routine: he cooks dinner, puts the child to bed, then watches television, then goes to bed. During the holidays, the family has to go away.
His wife is also dissatisfied. But neither of them changes anything. His wife works in a school for disabled children, but she doesn't really like it. She feels constantly overworked with a part-time job. The word ‘love’ is completely foreign in this marriage, he says. When his mother died of old age, she left behind a small house. It took three years before he was ready to sell it, even though he never wanted to keep it. Then it took another two years to clear out the house.
The couple's house is constantly untidy. Post-it notes are stuck on the doors so that they know which room needs to be tidied up and when.
During therapy, the patient learned a lot about himself, but did not really connection to his inner self. The recurring headaches,
concentration problems and dizzy spells that followed the stroke could be treated, but emotionally he was unable to connect with himself or his wife, who repeatedly expressed her dissatisfaction with his therapy. The medicines used up to that point had not brought about any
real change in this regard.AnalysisJan Scholten's fern seminars helped to shed new light on the patient's situation: Thelypteris patens.
Fern: afraid to express his opinion; like a 6-year-old child; aversion change; bulimia; keeping routines, same things.
Silicon series, 3-443.00.00: problems in the marriage.
Phase 5, 3-443.15.00: bossy; hypertension; stroke.
Stage 13, 3-443.15.13: anger, but withdrawing; defiant.Follow upAfter taking it 4 weeks later he says: "Actually, I feel better than I should. The remedy has triggered something. I am more in touch with my feelings, I can perceive more. I am more relaxed. The effect has worn off somewhat after a while. I was able to think more clearly about my mother's death, come to terms with it, feel more sadness, and empathise more with other situations and other people."
12 weeks later: the constant conflicts with his wife, who was dissatisfied with him because he did not participate in household chores, have subsided. She no longer mentions this. She also seems to be less dissatisfied with her job. He decides for himself when to go shopping.
He would like to take Thelypteris patens again to be on the safe side. His concern that something might ‘happen’ as a result of the medicine has subsided. He trusts the medication. Progress is slow, but definitely appropriate.