Sandplay Therapy & Child Centred Play Therapy

Both Therapy styles believe that children have the strength to work through their own issues when a therapist facilitates children to feel safe and to be honest with their thoughts and emotions.

The Sandplay Therapy process of touching the sand, adding water, and making the scenes, means that children finding a starting point to face the issues. Most of the case children share the story of the scenes even if they don’t initially want talk. Children often change the scenes after they talk about them to the therapist, it looks like children finding the solutions, shedding their emotions or sign of change to come.

Children often have difficulties in talking about the issues. It is because a child does not fully develop their abstract reasoning until 12 years old. (Do you hear “I don’t know” as typical response?)

For young children it is difficult to articulate their feelings in words, so playing helps.

If they have good vocabulary it does not mean they have mature cognitive skills.

A child’s world is concrete. Words about feelings are abstract.

Children express themselves fully and more directly through self-initiated, spontaneous play than they do verbally. For children “Playing out” their experiences and feelings is the most natural dynamic and self-healing process in which they can engage. It can be a relief from the challenge of dredging up memories. In playing, children find their own answers from within.

Therapy Sessions for Adoptees & Foster Children

If you are thinking to send your child or foster child I will need an interview with you before commencing the therapy and to get your agreement. There is also a consent form to be signed.

This article may also be useful for you to read.

Before built-up emotions burst

Children can have a mix of emotions locked inside. Emotions affect behaviour. Parents offen see taking their child to counselling as a big hurdle. Is this because parents feel that problem may be their fault? Or is it because we do not understand counselling? Sandplay Therapy is different.

Because children understand things in their very unique way, often parents don’t know that child is looking away their emotions . All children who are grieving though separation, divorce, death and moving house (away from relatives and friends) have different reasons for their emotions. It may even be a misunderstanding. But children get hurts and keep it locked internally.

Sandplay lets children safely work through their emotions. Parents don’t need to tell the child that he/she is going to see a counsellor. I suggest parents say to the child, “I found a kind person who has lots of toys and lets children play with her toys. I will take you to see her”.

Give your child a chance to release their emotions.

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