Being a therapist through the pandemic was (and is) front-line work.
Ya'll want to hear me preach??
Being a therapist through the pandemic was (and is) front-line work.
Yes, nurses and doctors were the ones who were endlessly caring for the sick in the hospital and trying to knock back and knock off the scary and confusing illness that is Corona.
But, I want to argue, that we, as mental health therapists, were also front line workers, often invisible ones.
We were the ones working to keep our already mentally ill clients from harming themselves even more or just ending it all.
We were the ones trying to hold virtual space (SO MUCH HARDER) for our clients who were losing loved ones to the virus.
We were the ones working overtime to support those who were trying to figure out what to do with their family, when to see friends, and how to make it through the confusing and ever-changing environment of the pandemic.
Never in my life (and likely yours) has there ever been the experience where we, as therapists, ALSO have NO IDEA of the best choice and are ALSO trying to make the same ones for ourselves and our families.
As we round the corner on the anniversary of our lockdown here in the US, I want all of us, as therapists, to acknowledge how exhausting it has been on our mind, soul, and body as we hold the hard spaces for our clients and those in our families.
In an effort to continue to acknowledge and extend hope for all of us, the next Sandtray Ally will focus on all things hope, including 5 life lessons learned through the pandemic, penned by yours truly.
Sticking with the theme of what's change in the past year, these links provide you with vital information to help yourself and your clients make sense of the past year, as well as helpful tools on how to open the next chapter, post-pandemic (fingers crossed!)
What is the landscape of mental health in March 2021? APA recently released this infographic-filled article detailing how folks in the US have experienced stress since the start of the pandemic. Fascinating read.
How do we find hope, even when facing despair? Although the world looks like it's on the verge of hope and opening back up, we (and our clients) may still feel some fear and panic. This warm, animated poem read by the author is a beautiful ode to nature and its healing properties. Read and watch here.
Speaking of returning (or continued) anxiety, some of our clients may be experiencing an anxiety rebound or worsening even as things start to open back up. In my current practice, many of my adolescents who have been doing school virtually, are experiencing great dread and anxiety about returning to school. This article from the UK highlights the fact that not all change is rosy for our clients.
When anxiety rears it's ugly head, so do divisions within our culture. The mental health field is no different, which is why I thought this article is so important. The author highlights the 5 aspects of healing on which all theories agree. It's a quick read and I bet you'll nod your head in agreement.
And lastly, you'll love this quick tutorial on how to do vision boards virtually. As our clients begin the next phase of their life, it's often helpful for them to envision what exactly they want out of life. I like to do a vision board in the sandtray with my clients but doing one virtually is also helpful. Check it out.
We just keep the cool mini's coming over at Miniature Madness. I'm going to drop some of our best-sellers within our newest miniatures just for ya'll.
Click on each pic to buy straight from the store - easy-peasy!
Make sure you grab the ones you love now - we're giving away a $100 worth of miniatures Wednesday for St Patrick's Day and then also giving away one $200 shopping spree for minis at the end of the month.
How do you get to enter each?
Simply purchase from Miniature Madness and your name is in the hat!
QUIZ TIME - Who wants to be a Millionaire Edition!
Question: Your sand tray has to be what size?
A. 19.5 X 28.5 X 3 inches
B. Any size
C. 18 X 24 X 4 inches
D. The size of an under-the-bed box
SCROLL DOWN FOR YOUR FINAL ANSWER! (yes you can phone a friend if you'd like)
To help you with your quiz answer, I'm giving you a special Sandtray Specs PDF about all things to do with your sand tray.
Simply click on the picture above to grab your handout!
This past Wednesday, I did a free mini training about this topic that you can catch in the FREE Facebook book linked below.
We're calling this month Membership March. During this month, we're going to be highlighting our organization, it's members, and also giving away miniatures and sandtray stuff!
The IAST is the credentialing organization that puts the 'you're trained' stamp on sandtray therapists worldwide.
If you're wanting to get in on shaping the future of sandtray therapy, you need to join us.
For a snapshot of what we've been doing thus far -
Working on our 3rd Sandtray Summit (and yes we even did a virtual summit during the pandemic and it was amazing) - the next one is November 6th-7th, 2021 in Disney Springs! To get notified when we open up enrollment, sign up here - www.sandtraysummit.com
Working on details for grants and scholarships for members
