Explore Feelings And Emotions Using Sand Tray Therapy
For a lot of people - particularly children and teens - verbalizing internal struggles can be difficult. Today's world comes with more pressures and concern for young people than ever before, so it is important to find a way for them to express the things that are bothering them so that they can get the help they need. Some innovative therapists are using sand tray therapy as a means of providing clients such an outlet.
This therapeutic approach's name pretty much describes what it is. It involves using a sandbox, a variety of miniature figurines, and sometimes water. Utilizing these tools, the client will be free to set up various scenes from their mind to create a scenario that expresses their feelings, concerns, thoughts, or struggles, without actually having to verbalize them.
The concept is based on the very simplified idea that play is something which comes naturally to children, and that by allowing them to do this freely without direction or interruption, a lot can be learned. It gives them a free space in which they can safely display symbols of the world that is inside their mind. This is a low pressure setting which helps them feel safe and comfortable.
The belief is that given this freedom of expression, children are able to work through their problems and begin their own healing process. Once the child feels comfortable enough, the therapist will initiate a discussion about what is happening in their symbolic world. The things that they are unable to express verbally, they can demonstrate through these figurines.
The approach has been found to work well with very young children who have not yet developed appropriate verbal skills or the mental maturation to effectively describe their feelings. As play is a concept they understand without explanation, observing a child in action helps the therapist understand more about their feelings. Kids will often choose playtime to act out some scenarios that they have experienced in real life.
Regardless of age, many autistic individuals find this approach to be quite helpful. It is a way of using sensory input that is both comfortable for these individuals and a means of showing their thoughts to others. Therapist find the sandbox an effective way of communicating with those who can not verbalize, and to better determine the best ways to address their issues further.
Because the idea is to allow the child to process their own situation and seek for a solution on their own, the therapist will not lead them into a scenario. Treatment could simply be a single session, it may last several weeks, or even years, depending on the client and their particular situation. The main thing is observation and patience.
While playing with toys in a sandbox is far from the typical approach for helping a child find a coping mechanism, it has become a very effective one - particularly for individuals who have verbal challenges. This simple, passive concept allows them to process safely and comfortably. Therapist might choose to make certain adjustments based on individual situations.
This therapeutic approach's name pretty much describes what it is. It involves using a sandbox, a variety of miniature figurines, and sometimes water. Utilizing these tools, the client will be free to set up various scenes from their mind to create a scenario that expresses their feelings, concerns, thoughts, or struggles, without actually having to verbalize them.
The concept is based on the very simplified idea that play is something which comes naturally to children, and that by allowing them to do this freely without direction or interruption, a lot can be learned. It gives them a free space in which they can safely display symbols of the world that is inside their mind. This is a low pressure setting which helps them feel safe and comfortable.
The belief is that given this freedom of expression, children are able to work through their problems and begin their own healing process. Once the child feels comfortable enough, the therapist will initiate a discussion about what is happening in their symbolic world. The things that they are unable to express verbally, they can demonstrate through these figurines.
The approach has been found to work well with very young children who have not yet developed appropriate verbal skills or the mental maturation to effectively describe their feelings. As play is a concept they understand without explanation, observing a child in action helps the therapist understand more about their feelings. Kids will often choose playtime to act out some scenarios that they have experienced in real life.
Regardless of age, many autistic individuals find this approach to be quite helpful. It is a way of using sensory input that is both comfortable for these individuals and a means of showing their thoughts to others. Therapist find the sandbox an effective way of communicating with those who can not verbalize, and to better determine the best ways to address their issues further.
Because the idea is to allow the child to process their own situation and seek for a solution on their own, the therapist will not lead them into a scenario. Treatment could simply be a single session, it may last several weeks, or even years, depending on the client and their particular situation. The main thing is observation and patience.
While playing with toys in a sandbox is far from the typical approach for helping a child find a coping mechanism, it has become a very effective one - particularly for individuals who have verbal challenges. This simple, passive concept allows them to process safely and comfortably. Therapist might choose to make certain adjustments based on individual situations.
About the Author:
You can find a summary of the benefits you get when you use sand tray therapy services at http://www.juliecast.net/Aboutme.html right now.
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