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Sand Play TherapyTaylor Wyatt

+Tools for Sand Play

A 57 x 72 x 7 cm. Blue Tray Why Blue?

Sand Dry or Wet Why Sand?

Structure and Psychological Development

Objects or Props Human or Imaginary Figures, Animals, Trees, Vehicles,

Houses, Stones Offers Representational System to Draw On

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- Mode of Play Therapy

- Uses Objects & Props

- Allows emotional expression without as much verbal interaction

- Creative freedom and expression

What Is Sand Play Therapy?

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Interpreting the Sand

Play The process of creating a

scene in the sand can derive from any of these points:

Gesture Expression of Emotion Visual Portrayal Verbal Communication

(Chiesa, 2012)

Gesture Body Movement (touch, movement, and

rhythm of the body)

Formal Resolution (order and structure)

Symbolic Narration

Visual Portrayal Scenes created

Ridges in the sand

Use of water

+Why Sand Play Therapy?

“In constructing their world in the sand, children gained the ability to observe and transform certain aspects of their emotional world, thoughts, and memories.” (Chiesa, 2009)

Can be used with children or adolescents

Allows for the client to be actively engaged and involved

Client creates the terms of the session

Offers an opportunity for self-expression if the child has difficulty talking about their issues

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Benefits forthe Facilitator

• Observes the way that the client constructs their own world

• Allows for them to see emotional quality of the objects used

• Helps demonstrate expression for younger clients

• Efficient mode of therapy based on developmental factors

• Examine the beginning, working, and end products of the process

+Developmental Effectiveness for Sand Play Therapy IN CHILDREN

• Permission and Protection• Tray offers a protected space to create reality

with the permission of the therapist or counselor

• Erikson’s Stage Three• Initiative vs. Guilt• Encouraging imagination and time for play

•Piaget’s Cognitive Stages• Exercises and demonstrates cognitive location

within stages

•Experiment with new behaviors

•Express his or own emotional world

+Developmental Effectiveness inSand Therapy

Drastic developmental changes

Reconstruction Zone

Don’t understand the adolescent experience It activates the limbic region of the brain

Sends sensory input and processes it into “emotionally meaningful context” (Roaten, 2011)

Gives them a way to express themselves without that “forced conversation”

Activates the prefrontal cortex

Engages their brains in a way that talk therapy cannot (Roaten, 2011)

Creates an alliance between you and the client

Identity formation is captured through creative processes

WITH ADOLESCENTS

+How It Can

Be Used with Adolescent Clients &

Why It Works

Theories can be integrated into the process

Helps ease resistance

Metaphorical and symbolic meaning Concrete representations of symbolic meaning (Piaget)

They have a sense of control

May gain insight to the meaning of their world through the symbols

Engages them in meaningful therapy

+ Sand Play Therapy &Secure Attachments In Adolescents

Allows for secure, safe environment with empathetic relationship

Assists in expression when adolescents are incapable of describing their relationship dynamics

Less ashamed and afraid of their feelings through self-expression

Positive client-counselor relationship enforces client’s sense of secure self

Provides creative outlet for emotions

Through the use of self-expression in sand play, client developed alliance with their therapist that created a secure environment

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SAND PLAY THERAPY VIDEO

START 1:05 END 3:50

+REFERENCES

Chiesa, C. (2012). Scripts in the Sand: Sandplay in Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy with Children. Transactional Analysis Journal, 42(4), 285-293.

Green, E. J., Myrick, A. C., & Crenshaw, D. A. (2013). Toward secure attachment in adolescent relational development: Advancements from sandplay and expressive play-based interventions. International Journal Of Play Therapy, 22(2), 90-102. doi:10.1037/a0032323

Roaten, G. K. (2011). Innovative and Brain-Friendly Strategies for Building a Therapeutic Alliance With Adolescents. Journal Of Creativity In Mental Health, 6(4), 298-314. doi:10.1080/15401383.2011.630306

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnBjv-v4G74