The Transforming and Healing Nature of Creative Play

In my therapeutic practice, I have worked with many children, adults and families in the "free and protected space" of Sandplay. While playing in the sand is fun and creative, Sandplay is also serious business for both children and adults.

Play is the language of childhood. It is the way the child adapts to the world and integrates his or her feelings. Children naturally recreate their life experiences in their play. This is especially true when the child is working through painful or traumatic events. In the presence of a caring and sensitive therapist, this process can be a bridge to a healthier level of development. That is why therapy with children incorporates play.

Used in conjunction with traditional therapy, adults discover Sandplay powerfully transformative. This modality seems to touch on that aspect of the individual that has no words.

Sandplay is a form of Active Imagination that uses sand, water and miniature figures to create a scene in a tray, which expresses the inner condition of the client. The Sandplay picture is also a dynamic, healing process, which helps the client to connect to their feelings, creativity and deeper self. Over time, a client will do a series of sand trays using the thousands of miniature figures from my collection. Like dreams, Sandplay is a way through which the psyche naturally moves towards health and wholeness.

For further information on Sandplay:

   Article: The Benefits of Sandplay

Resources: http://sandplay.org or http://sandplay.org/about_sandplay.htm