Young children and teenagers often have a very difficult time verbalizing the things they are struggling with inside. There are a lot of pressures that kids today have to deal with so finding an effective outlet for them to express their needs and concerns is especially important. Many therapists have found sand tray therapy to be an innovative and useful way for their clients to find their voice.
This therapeutic approach is basically exactly what its name implies. It consist of combining items such as a sandbox, little houses, people and animal figurines, and even water, as tools for the client's use. With these things, the individual is encouraged to create various scenes that depict what is in their mind and represent their concerns, struggles, feelings, or thoughts, without the pressure.
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.
Therapist believe that when given the freedom to express themselves, most children are capable of working through many of their issues on their own and begin a self-healing process. At the right moment, the therapist might choose to try and initiate a conversation with the child for further explanation as to what is happening in their scenes. Things that they cannot express with words, may be easier to demonstrate with the figurines.
Younger children who are not yet verbally efficient or mature enough to fully express their feelings are prime candidates for this approach. Playing is something every child understands without instruction, and therapist who observe them in this activity have often been able to learn quite a bit about the child. Play time is quite frequently used as a child's method of acting out real life scenarios.
It is frequently used when treating certain autistic children of all ages as well. These individuals process sensory input in a different way and many of them are not able to verbalize very well, if at all. Their demonstrations through play can be an effective means of communication with their therapist, who can utilize other methods to get more in-depth information at a different time.
In most cases, the therapist does not suggest any scenarios, because the point of this practice is to permit the child to process their thoughts on their own in order to seek a solution. The client may require only a single session, or they may need multiple weeks, months, or years, based upon their own unique situation. Patience and observation are the key are essential to success.
As a therapeutic coping mechanism, sandbox play may seem completely nontraditional, though it is quite effective, particularly with children who have problems verbalizing. This is a passive and simple concept that centers around the client feeling safe and comfortable. Adjustments to the approach may be made by the therapist as individual situations dictate.
This therapeutic approach is basically exactly what its name implies. It consist of combining items such as a sandbox, little houses, people and animal figurines, and even water, as tools for the client's use. With these things, the individual is encouraged to create various scenes that depict what is in their mind and represent their concerns, struggles, feelings, or thoughts, without the pressure.
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.
Therapist believe that when given the freedom to express themselves, most children are capable of working through many of their issues on their own and begin a self-healing process. At the right moment, the therapist might choose to try and initiate a conversation with the child for further explanation as to what is happening in their scenes. Things that they cannot express with words, may be easier to demonstrate with the figurines.
Younger children who are not yet verbally efficient or mature enough to fully express their feelings are prime candidates for this approach. Playing is something every child understands without instruction, and therapist who observe them in this activity have often been able to learn quite a bit about the child. Play time is quite frequently used as a child's method of acting out real life scenarios.
It is frequently used when treating certain autistic children of all ages as well. These individuals process sensory input in a different way and many of them are not able to verbalize very well, if at all. Their demonstrations through play can be an effective means of communication with their therapist, who can utilize other methods to get more in-depth information at a different time.
In most cases, the therapist does not suggest any scenarios, because the point of this practice is to permit the child to process their thoughts on their own in order to seek a solution. The client may require only a single session, or they may need multiple weeks, months, or years, based upon their own unique situation. Patience and observation are the key are essential to success.
As a therapeutic coping mechanism, sandbox play may seem completely nontraditional, though it is quite effective, particularly with children who have problems verbalizing. This is a passive and simple concept that centers around the client feeling safe and comfortable. Adjustments to the approach may be made by the therapist as individual situations dictate.
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