[Guest Post] The Big WHY Behind the Power of Sandtray Therapy

So you’ve heard about sandtray therapy but aren’t sure if it REALLY works. I mean, it’s just playing in the sand right? Also, it’s not REALLY therapy- you don’t even know what’s going on during the session? And isn’t it just for kids?

I know, I’ve heard all of those (and even said them myself at one point). 

Rest easy though. I’m here to tell you WHY all of these beliefs are just a big ol’ pile of crap.

Know why? Because SCIENCE.

Science helps us understand ourselves and our brains better. I always like it when science helps explain something we already knew to be true. 

Like sandtray therapy. For years, we knew it worked but were not REALLY sure why it did. Kind of like gravity. Or weather systems. Or [insert natural phenomenon here]. 

We now can peek inside the brain with fMRI’s and understand how our brain processes information.  Information is processed first with pictures and THEN words and linguistics are attached to it. This makes sense if you think about it- we can process images WAY before we can words developmentally. 

I bet if you think about, this still happens. Ever seen a picture that affected you a certain way in your body and mind but struggled to put it into words?

That’s because information is processed first with pictures and images in the right part of our brain and this information may never get moved to the left part of the brain (where words happen).  The right side of the brain is where all of our early trauma lies as well as our feelings and emotions. 

Seems like the right side of the brain is where the big meat of the therapy stuff lies doesn’t it?

But yet, think about how we normally work in session. We talk left brain to left brain.  We try to get at those inner feelings and trauma that are hampering our client’s growth only through words. More often than not, we feel like we just can’t get what is really going on with just words and feel that there’s more we just can’t access.

It’s not you, it’s not your fault. You are just trying to get at information that isn’t stored with words. It’s like trying to dig a hole with half of a shovel. You may make progress and get there but it’s going to be tough going. 

I’m here to give you the entire shovel. Sandtray therapy is your shovel. It will make your life easier and it will allow you feel more confident in your ability to dig in and get at all of that feeling stuff buried in the right brain.

With sandtray therapy, you can access all of that therapy meat in the right part of the brain and heal it with using images AND words.  When we work in the sandtray, we are using both sides of our brain.  When we get both sides of the brain to come online together, the more our client’s brain integrates. More integration means faster, more powerful progress.

This integration is why adults working in the sandtray get better so much faster and get at insights they normally wouldn’t be able to access during just talk therapy.  It’s because the images in the sandtray naturally tap into the feelings part of the brain, allowing to go straight to the source, right brain to right brain. 

Healing happens right brain to right brain.

Kids naturally use their right hemisphere more during play so you may not get the stark difference you see with adults in the sandtray.  Sandtray therapy goes in the backdoor in the brain to get it ALL to come online so we as therapists can help heal ALL of the wounds, even the deep ones that are too scary to put into words.

Now, you can see that sandtray therapy isn’t just playing in the sand, for adults, or some kind of hocus-pocus.

It’s science. Sandtray therapy is a brain-informed method that works where our client’s hurt lies - in the right brain. 

To learn more about what sandtray therapy is and is not click here for a FREE webinar. It will answer all of those nagging questions, if you’re still not convinced. If you are, then you still need to watch it, it will only reinforce the truth of sandtray therapy’s awesomeness.

Comment below with any questions or observations you have about sandtray therapy. 

How have you experienced progress in therapy through experiential methods, such as sandtray?

Amy Flaherty, LPE-I, RPT has been working with in the outpatient setting for over 10 years and has been in private practice since 2007.  Since learning about sandtray therapy, it has become her passion.  She now has a training institute, Southern Sandtray Institute, where she trains other therapists in this powerful method.  To find out more about the program and if sandtray therapy is right for you click HERE to grab your free webinar about the 5 most common sandtray therapy myths.

To Tell The Story Or Not To Tell The Story?

When I first started working with clients who had been through sexual abuse and assault, I could see the pain in their eyes when they recounted what they had been through. 

Click here to watch the video in YouTube.

In therapy for sexual assault, the beginning counselor can wonder whether or not to encourage the client to tell their story, causing the client distress. But is it important enough that the therapist should encourage the client to talk about it even when they don't want to? What should the therapist be careful about when they ask the client about the situations they've overcome in their past? This short video helps the therapist know what precautions to take when recalling an assault with a client and ultimately how important it is to the client's recovery. 

*Note: The advice in this video is intended only for licensed therapists trained in working with clients who have experienced sexual abuse or assault. Nothing in this video should be considered a substitute for professional counseling, training, or supervision.*

Your Sexual Trauma Client: The Reality Of Their Experience.

Click to watch in YouTube

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Did you know that every 2 minutes, someone is sexually assaulted? That one in 6 women have experienced an attempted or completed rape? That means a great majority of the clients we see in our offices will be survivors of sexual assault or abuse. It is our duty to educate ourselves as to the reality of their experiences. This month, we will be focusing on increasing our therapist competency in the area of sexual trauma recovery. 

This video starts out the month by explaining the reality of what the sexual assault and abuse survivor experiences when they are considering reporting sexual misconduct to law enforcement, seeking medical help, or pursuing legal action against a perpetrator.

You think you know what the reality is? You have no idea. Watch the video to find out. 

Next week, we will discuss Words That Oppress, Words That Heal: The Power of Language in Sexual Trauma Therapy.


Support Sexual Assault Survivors!

Survivor Advocacy by SurvivorIsAVerb

Profit from each purchase goes to support counseling, research and advocacy. Show your clients you believe in their stories while while contributing to survivor healing!  

5 Mandalas in 5 Days: A Guest Post By Amy Flaherty

Today's guest post is about a new and creative therapy technique I (before now) knew nothing about! Hence, the guest post by play therapist and creative thinker Amy Flaherty. I know you'll learn a great deal from her, as I did. Thanks, Amy, for sharing! ~Stephanie

The mandala symbol has been around for thousands of years. It is probably best known from Eastern religions as tool for focus, meditation and creating sacred space. But nowadays, they are gaining additional traction in many therapy circles as well.   Art therapy, play therapy and mindfulness communities are finding therapeutic use in this this powerful technique. 

The word “mandala” originates from the Sanskrit language meaning circle.  Sounds simple, but mandalas are so much more than simple circles.  Just in the process of creating 5 mandalas, I experienced an array of emotions, including but not limited to anxiety, despair, enlightenment, fear, delight, and gratefulness.  Quite a large and varied set of feelings to originate from a simple circle! 

I found that for me the power of the mandala lies in its ability to allow one to just be.  Not do or think but just sit with yourself.  For me, this was a scary risk to take.

To fully experience the power of the mandala, I chose to complete 5 mandalas in 5 days.  I believe that in order to endorse a technique to my clients, I need to understand the process of the technique myself.  I came into the project fairly open-minded, given the rave reviews from fellow therapists about the power of mandalas.  However, I must admit I was somewhat nervous about sitting with my thoughts for ANY length of time.  My thoughts, left to run wild, usually end up in a continuous spiral of anxiety. Nevertheless, I decided to give this ancient meditative practice a chance to help with my issues.

Photo Credit arttherapyblog.com

I purchased a mandala workbook pretty cheaply from Amazon.  In addition, I found that many Pinterest boards or websites have them for free to download.   

The defining aspect of mandala is a circle with a smaller circle inside near the middle.  The circle draws the eyes inward and aids in meditation, inspires mindfulness, and harnesses energy.  Some expressive therapists encourage clients to make their own mandalas. I’ve seen some really detailed and inspiring ones created for therapy purposes.

Because I did not feel like I had the time or energy to undertake an art project from scratch, I choose to color the already formed mandalas from my workbook.  I used colored pencils because they are efficient at working with the tiny details in the mandala (make sure you keep a pencil sharpener close)!

Photo Credit Hannah McLain-Jesperson

The instructions to complete a mandala are simple: Just color. No rules, no time tables.  I usually instruct my clients to try to breathe deeply into relaxation and be aware of what comes into the mind.  When thoughts creep in (and they will), notice them and then let them go. 

While I was completing my mandalas, I noticed the several things about myself.  For me, completing a mandala was a lot like meditating.  I got twitchy, wanted to get up, and thought about everything I need to be doing.  The trick, I found, was to keep going...even when I felt like I was going to crawl out of my skin. 

Noticing my thoughts while doing my mandalas often served to provide a magnifying glass for all of my automatic thoughts that try to run me, wreaking havoc in form of anxiety. Here’s some of the thoughts I noticed (and tried not to dwell on) while I was working:

• This is NEVER going to be over
• I’m so stupid for doing this. I could be doing so many more productive things
• Those colors are nice together and I didn’t even try!
• Did I pay the water bill?
• How am I ever going to get everything done?
• Did my friend get the results from her medical test? I need to check on that.

 

And so on and so on…..

Sounds exhausting right?

It was! But oh so worth it!  I was able to notice my automatic thoughts, breathe them out, and return to what I was doing.  It was hard, but I did it.

 Your clients will likely react in a similar vein.  Tell them it just stick with it and just notice what comes up. Clients can use these as a way to practice breathing, being still, or attending to thoughts.

Encourage clients to write and report the thoughts that appear.  These will be excellent fodder for future therapy sessions (I’m sure my therapist will be rubbing her hands together when she sees my list!) 

Here’s a picture of my favorite mandala I created. 

Your mission now? Use mandalas with your clients!  Think of it as another technique in your toolbox. Mandalas have been shown to be effective with the treatment issues ranging from ADHD to anxiety.  I recommend, though, before you assign this as homework to your clients, try a few for yourself.  Notice your thoughts and feelings while creating.  It may be hard, but the insight gained is always worth the effort. 

I’m interested to hear from you about how you've made mandalas work for you in your therapy practice. With what types of populations do you see these having success?

Have you already used mandalas in your practice? If so, what were the results? Please share! 

Amy Flaherty is a Licensed Psychological Examiner-Independent and a Registered Play Therapist in Arkansas. She has been in private practice since 2007 and currently specializes in work with children and the LGBT population. Amy specializes in sandtray therapy and teaches many introductory and advanced sandtray classes. 

Links:

Amazing Coloring Pages

Mandala Madness

Mandala Pages