“Even adults need to play”: Sandplay therapy with an adult survivor of childhood abuse.

Abstract

Adult survivors of childhood abuse often experience a variety of negative mental health consequences. Sandplay therapy, which has shown promise for use with child survivors of abuse, is a powerful therapeutic tool in which participants place figurines in a tray of sand to create a dialogue between the conscious and the unconscious aspects of the person’s psyche. Using a case-study design, we examined the efficacy and perceived efficacy of sandplay therapy for a 52-year-old woman who presented to a university psychology clinic with a range of difficulties stemming from her childhood abuse. Mixed results were found, with some of the client’s symptoms reducing (i.e., depression and stress symptoms), other symptoms remaining stable (i.e., posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, dissociation), and one worsening (i.e., anxiety). Overall, the client’s measured psychological well-being increased after sandplay therapy. The client perceived a noticeable positive effect on her life and discussed her perception of the therapeutic approach, which was assessed by thematic analysis. The findings of this study support the theoretical aims of sandplay therapy, and contribute to the field of research on the efficacy of sandplay therapy with adult populations.

Application of Sandplay Therapy in the Mental Health Education of Vocational College Students

“…In 1954, combining Jung's analytical psychology and projection techniques, Dore M. Kalff developed Lowenfeld's “The World Technique,” it was introduced to Japan by a Japanese clinical psychologist, and Zhang Risheng introduced it to China in 1998 [ 4 ]. Sandplay therapy creates “free and protected spaces” through sand, water, and toys, providing visitors with the possibility of expressing unintentional processes [ 5 ]. The visitors solve their personality problem on this basis, and the symptoms are also eliminated [ 6 ], thereby improving or eliminating psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression [ 7 ].…”

A Study of Themes and Symbols in Group Sandplay Therapy of Rohingya Refugee Children in Malaysia

“…Such a finding supports the claims of related studies that children engage in repetitive play involving trauma-related themes (Lee, 2016;APA, 2013;Eth, 2001). Moreover, this study showed that sandplay therapy is an adequate means of intervention for children with trauma, allowing them to represent their experiences in a nonverbal manner and explore their inner world by externalizing the traumatic events (Doyle & Magor-Blatch, 2017). In addition, there were differences between male and female children in the way they expressed the traumatic event, which is perhaps attributable to the Islam culture and the patriarchal family system in their home: Boys reproduced their stories directly in the sandtray, whereas girls represented their stories indirectly, in the form of an attack from a tiger or a snake.…”

Therapeutic Practices for Sexually Abused Children and Adolescents: Resources for Marriage, Family, and Couples’ Counselors

“…Play therapy is currently applicable to all age groups. Play therapy can be practiced in the form of sand therapy (Doyle & Magor-Blatch, 2017; Taylor, 2009), expressive therapy, also known as art or music therapy (Carmichael & Atchison, 1997), and puppet play (Hartwig, 2014) by using simple toys, games, and art supplies (Breen & Daigneault, 1998). Group play therapy has also proven to enhance difficult emotional expression, especially in adolescents (Perryman et al, 2015).…”