WHAT IS SANDPLAY THERAPY?
Sandplay Therapy is hands-on, expressive counseling and psychotherapy modality that has been in use for over 70 years. Sandplay is a creative modality that gives expression to the non-verbalized issues hidden in our shadow selves. Benefiting all ages children, adolescents, and adults.
Combining elements of sand and symbol representations of archetypes form the bridge between verbal therapy allowing the deeper aspect of the psyche to be worked with naturally and safely. It is highly effective in reducing the emotional causes behind difficult behaviors healing deep unresolved wounds.
Representing an issue symbolically provides a new perspective and potential solutions - objects from nature, figurines, ornaments, etc. are arranged in the prescribed sand tray to communicate and process feelings, explore issues and assist with decisions.
The evolving process in the Sandplay provides insights and information for healing
SANDPLAY THERAPY EVOLVED
Sandplay therapy is grounded in Jungian psychology that is distinguished by a focus on the role of symbolic and spiritual experiences in human life.
Dora Kalff developed Jungian-based sand play therapy based on her work with Margaret Lowenfeld a British Pioneer in Child Psychology, Paediatric Medicine researcher, and play therapy from the 1920s which has been expanded on and is now recognized as a stand-alone modality and a welcome adjunct to a wide range of therapeutic approaches.
The Sandplay process is a self-directed hands-on therapeutic modality process within a safe and protected space for adults, adolescents, and children. It is particularly useful for identifying and reconciling internal conflict that manifests in anxiety, depression as well as penetrating the depths of personality. Sandplay is psychotherapeutic work where the complexities of the inner world are explored and integrated into the psyche for emotional healing.
Using a prescribed size tray with sand, water, miniature figurines, symbols, and archetype representations allowing the client a natural mirror for the individuation process. The symbolic language facilitates access to the creative unconsciousness, inner feelings, perceptions, and memories, bringing the client to the outer reality to live in a fulfilling calm sense of self.
What is Process Orientated Psychology?
What is Process Orientated Psychology?
Process Work or Process Oriented Psychology, is a holistic psychotherapeutic approach that suggests unconscious material can be experienced physically, interpersonally, or environmentally.
It is a depth psychology theory developed by Arnold Mindell and is associated with Transpersonal, Somatic and post-Jungian psychology,
In process work, the barriers or the edges are viewed as obstacles that prevent an individual from doing what needs to be done to gain awareness and grow.
The ‘Edges” are blocks between the primary and secondary processes. An “edge” is referred to an individual’s identity a person’s limit of awareness.
A person may feel nervous, excited, anxious, confused, or fearful of negotiating an edge, as their primary identity might feel challenged.
It may be difficult for an individual to identify their blocks or edges. The therapist supports the process by being aware of the client following movements, body language, dialogue, energy, visual, auditory, and sensory sensations these are the key drivers when applying this approach to solving deep unrecognised issues.
There can be many edges’ requiring processing this is client directed supported by a skilled therapist's work where new knowledge and insights become a part of their conscious life are revealed and integrated.
Following the flow of process involves caring for the absurd and impossible and going against conventional beliefs and ways of seeing things
ABOUT EXPRESSIVE THERAPIES
Expressive Therapy is an approach to counseling that uses the body and emotions for healing. A range of methods, such as music, movement imagination, and creative art is used to explore the hidden causes behind issues. It provides strategies for dealing with challenges and supports clients in finding solutions to problems.
Intense emotions and traumatic situations are imprinted in the body and implicit memory can affect behavior, attitude, and happiness until resolved. This can include birth trauma, early childhood traumas, and recent trauma.
This experiential and holistic way of working is empowering especially for children as they learn to understand their emotions and develop skills and inner knowledge that helps resolve problems.
It involves more than ‘just talking about the problem’, and allows for non-verbal exploration of issues providing the opportunity for real and lasting change.
METHODS USED
In working with you or your child I will be using some of the following strategies.
Somatic Sand and Expressive Therapies include - Symbol Work, imagination, and integration process using art, journaling, and or a felt sense of tuning into the body.
Small objects that include ornaments, representations from nature, and symbolic archetypes are chosen and arranged in the sand tray. By creating a story or scene in the sand tray, a client is able to gain understanding and a different perspective on an issue that has arisen in one’s life. This brings the unconscious ‘Self ‘ to make sense of situations that are difficult or for which they lack the language to describe.
Sandplay Therapy and Symbol Work can help to:
resolve personal problems and conflicts in social relationships, such as bullying or friendship, and family relationships.
make sense of challenging situations
gain new perspectives
enhance self-esteem and self-awareness
accessing new knowledge
improves the ability to communicate.
Visualisation
Visualisation assists clients with learning difficulties. The use of Visualisation assists with identifying and processing emotional and physical blocks. It assists with the development of self-awareness in children, to help them to overcome problems in relating to others, with behaviour, and with self–esteem. Visualisation is also used as a method for relaxation.
Emotional Release Processing
A safe way of working with and releasing strong emotions, so often at the core of negative behaviour patterns. Movement and exercises help to release tension in the body caused by a variety of emotions including anger, sadness, frustration and excitement. Sometimes ‘games’ using cushions to kick and hit, crawl through or jump on helping to release ‘stuck’ emotions.
Role Play
Role-play is a method of knowing many sides of ourselves, using dialogue between significant symbols from both sand play and dreams.
Body Focus
Body symptoms or ‘psychosomatic signals’ such as headaches, stomach cramps, backache, and body pain, offer clues and vital information for identifying and working with emotional issues. These can be a starting point or focus for a session such as exploring color, sensations, and movement. For example, a ‘sore tummy’ can be an indication of anxiety. Your child can use Sandplay to create ‘Body Maps’ that identify and locate sensations and emotions within the body, with the ultimate aim of developing self-awareness and self-regulation.
Expressive Drawing and Writing
Drawing is used for expressing and processing emotions through colour, shape, and line. Journal writing provides an added outlet for expression.