Shire Psychology and Counselling
Connecting with children, adolescents & adults
www.shirepsych.com.au
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Shire Psychology and Counselling
Connecting with children, adolescents & adults
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Contents of this page 1 Sandplay Therapy1.1 Examples of sand play in action 2. Art Therapy3. Play Therapy Sandplay TherapyFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandplay_Therapy Sandplay therapy is a form of psychotherapy used with children as well as adults, for the purpose of healing through connection with the deep psyche. Its founder was the Swiss therapist Dora M. Kalff (1904-1990), who based her theories on the principles of Jungian psychology and on the work of famed child psychiatrist Margaret Lowenfeld. Swiss psychiatrist C. G. Jung believed the human psyche is constantly moving toward health and wholeness in a process he called “individuation.” The psyche does this through the symbolic content of dreams, imaginations, somatic experiences, and many kinds of expressive art. In Jungian psychology, bringing this symbolic content to conscious awareness is an important part of the healing process for individuals. Margaret Lowenfeld discovered that children quite naturally use symbols to recreate their inner “worlds” as they manipulate and play with objects in “floor games.” verification needed] She later developed a method using this process, which she called “World Technique.” Dora Kalff collaborated with Lowenfeld, designed “the tray,” and added sand for a means by which children and adults alike can bring psychic contents to awareness. This therapeutic practice Kalff called “sandplay.” The term defines a specifically Jungian approach, not to be confused with “sandtray” therapy, which is used as a generic description for various methods within play therapy. Sandplay therapy is a process intended to facilitate the emotional healing and full personal development of adult, adolescent, and child clients. The therapist utilizes a safe and encouraging environment that may sometimes involve dreamwork, talk therapy, or other methods of opening to the imagination. Importantly, however, the client is given the opportunity to choose from hundreds of tiny objects and figures in order to create in a sand tray a picture of her inner “world.” The scenes that take shape in the tray are comparable to the symbolic images that occur in dreams. Immersed in childlike play, the client loses (much as a child does) the inhibitions of conscious awareness and enters the world of the unconscious. The activity is multidimensional––using eyes, hands, body, mind, and spirit––and thus has a profound resonance with the client. The therapist “witnesses” the scene without direction or interpretation, responding only to the client’s comments. A “sacred space” is held allowing the individual to connect with deep psychic contents in her own space and time. Psychological analysis or interpretation may occur at a later date, if so desired Art
therapy
From
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_therapy
Art
therapy is a form of expressive
therapy that uses art-making to increase emotional well-being. Art
therapy uses the affective properties of making art within the context of psychotherapy.
As a mental health profession, art therapy is employed in many clinical settings
with diverse populations. Art therapy can be found in non-clinical settings as
well, such as in art studios and workshops that focus on creativity development.
Art therapists work with children, adolescents, and adults and provide services
to individuals, couples, families, groups, and communities. According
to the American
Art Therapy Association, art therapy is based on the belief that the
creative process involved in making art is on a basic level healing and
life-enhancing.
Art therapists attempt to use artistic creations and the issues that come up
during creation to increase the awareness of self, cope with symptoms, stress,
and traumatic experiences, increase cognitive abilities, and enjoy the
life-affirming pleasures of artistic creativity. Play therapyPlay Therapy, according to the Association for Play Therapy, is the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development. A lay definition might be a form of counseling or psychotherapy that therapeutically uses the power of play to communicate with and help clients, especially children, to achieve optimal mental health." Play therapy is often used as tool of diagnosis. A play therapist observes a client playing with toys (play-houses, pets, dolls, etc) to determine the cause of the disturbed behaviour. The objects and patterns of play, as well as the willingness to interact with the therapist can be used to understand the underlying reasons for behavior both inside and outside the session. According to the Psychodynamic approach, children will engage in play behaviour in order to work through their anxieties. In this way play therapy can be used as a self-help mechanism, as long as children are allowed time for 'free play'. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_therapy Play
has been recognized as important since the time of Plato (429-347 BC) who
observed, "you can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in
a year of conversation." The first documented case describing the
therapeutic use of play occurred in 1909 when Sigmund Freud published his work
with "Little Hans," a five-year-old child suffering from a simple
phobia. Freud saw him once briefly and recommended that his father take note of
Hans' play to provide insights that might assist the child. The case of
"Little Hans" was the first case in which a child's difficulty was
related to emotional factors Frequently
Asked Questions. (2009). Retrieved Jan 8 2009 from http://www.a4pt.org/ps.index.cfm?ID=2304 Child Centered Play TherapyThere are two ways of working with children when using Art and Play Therapy- Non- Directive & Directive Art and Play Therapy. Non–
Directive Art & Play therapy–
where the child (in a safe environment) directs the play. Here the therapist
reflects the play back to the child so that the child develops insight into
their play (suitable for a child to 12 years) Directive
Art & Play therapy–
where the therapist directs the play In Non- Directive, the child is permitted to lead the way. The child will have the opportunity to explore and express a wide range of feelings in a safe environment within the play room. In this environment they will come to understand themselves and their feelings better; master new skills; assimilate new experiences into their view of the world, while at the same time learn new coping and problem solving skills. Van Fleet, R. (2005) Filial Therapy Strengthening Parent-Child Relationships Through Play. Boiling Springs: Professional Resource Press. The use of a variety of toys It is beneficial to provide a variety of toys for the child to play with so that they can ‘play out’ multiple situations, for eg to facilitate family and school issues. A variety of toys can provoke a wide range of emotional responses so that the child can learn of their emotions; can come to understand them, and learn how to deal with them appropriately A variety of toys allows for imaginative
play for the different genders and interests of each child. In providing
a diverse range the child has the opportunity to project features or
characteristics onto the toys to suit the style and type of play. Aggressive toys show
acceptability by the therapist to displays of aggression/anger Construction toys
facilitate mastery; competition and co-operation Other forms of media such as sand, paper, clay and pens are also useful to express emotions. Van Fleet, R (Executive Producer). (1997, 2006). Child-centered play therapy: A DVD Workshop (Part 1 & 2) [DVDs]. Boiling Springs: Play Therapy Press. What you might see being used by the child in Directive and Non-Directive Art and Play Therapy
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