15th Edition

Is it a gazillion degrees where you are?!

Summer is in full swing here in Arkansas...and with that, every year, comes a frustration...

People are tired of being cooped up, kiddos are acting out, and we have limited ability to be out and about due to the heat, humidity, and worst of all, mosquitoes.

This is on a TYPICAL July day... Now, let's add the restrictions, fear, stay-at-home orders, disrupted schedules, interruptions in school/childcare, grief for friends and loved ones, AND the recommendations provided by CDC and governmental agencies following the COVID-19 outbreak...and you might have a recipe for extreme discomfort.

Plus, we just celebrated a major holiday in the US, and depending upon where you're located, this might have looked a bit different this year...

This is definitely a summer for the books.

With some states lifting restrictions, cases fluctuating, and moving toward a "new normal", we wanted to check in with practitioners across the US and internationally, and see how you all were doing?

In a previous Ally, we discussed guidelines for returning to face-to-face practice. There have been many discussions in The Sandtray Movement group, with people sharing their experiences...ranging from tele-health burnout to strategies for sanitization. We read EVERY comment, and we appreciate every clinician who participates and propels this profession forward!!

If you haven't checked out this amazing group yet, come and join the thousands of clinicians who share resources, educational opportunities, and helpful feedback daily. We would love to hear from you!

Featured Miniatures

Anyone having trouble finding racially or culturally diverse miniatures for your shelves? Well, this is the power of community, y'all!

Esteemed clinician, Jessica Crunkleton, LMFT, LMHC, LPC, CADAC II, MATS, created a whole post dedicated to helping therapists find miniatures to increase representation for your BIPOC clients. THANK YOU for this resource and for your continued commitment to sharing education and knowledge with this community!

All of these minis were selected by different members of the Southern Sandtray team, as representative of aspects of the pandemic and current state of our lives as we experience this thing together. Instead of us naming and explaining, I challenge you to explore the powerful symbolism of these miniatures, what feelings these bring up for you, and how they might be utilized in your clients' trays in the weeks, months, and even years to come.

If you have trouble clicking through the post, or don't have access to Facebook, here is a list of places that were listed, with the #BlackLivesMatter!

Lakeshore Learning
Amazon
Disney Store
playtherapysupply.com

Thank you again for this amazing resource, Jessica!

Last month in the Sandtray Suite, we focused on PROCESSING in the tray with clients of all ages and stages. This month, our training and resources will help you with what is often the trickiest part, actually documenting the sandtray therapy process!

There are also TONS of amazing things happening this month for members of the Suite, or Roomies, as we lovingly call them... MINI BOXES are being shipped AS I TYPE THIS EMAIL, and we cant wait for you to see all the goodies for this quarter's theme!!

Also, if you've been on the edge of signing up for this awesome educational resource, you'll get your chance later this month! PLUS a completely free training is coming up too, so keep watching for updates!

Upcoming Events

Sandtray Suite Opens for Enrollment in JULY! There will be a FREE webinar, giveaways, cheat-sheets, and more goodies...so just keep a lookout, there will be more info as the date approaches!
Second Annual Sandtray Therapy Summit is UNDER CONSTRUCTION....Due to circumstances outside of IAST's control, the Summit is being re-evaluated and the organization is working diligently to bring you a Summit experience like no other! Check out these links for information as it becomes available:
International Association for Sandtray Therapy Facebook
IAST website
Sandtray Therapy Summit website

I just wanted to conclude with a quote from Dr. Bruce Perry, that hopefully provides comfort during these difficult times. With so much unrest, fear, and change on so many fronts, doing what we do can get overwhelming. Just know, you're doing enough by being with your clients and holding space (whether that's in person, on the phone, or on a computer screen).

"Relationships are the agents of change and the most powerful therapy is human love."