Five Myths about Sand Tray Work Busted in Five Weeks!
Five Myths about Sand Tray Work Busted in Five Weeks
Anyone who knows me and talks to me for more than five minutes about my work will hear the topic of sand tray. In fact, I have a good therapist friend who refers to it as the \”Sand Tray Monologue.\” I love this method of work with both adults and children and have seen its power repeatedly across various types of clients and issues. In this series of blog posts, I will debunk five different myths about sand tray work. Here goes the first one!
- Its not real therapy, its just playing with toys in sand.
![\"0_0_0_0_176_65_library_122394\"](\"http://50.87.150.148/~truehope/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/0_0_0_0_176_65_library_122394.png\")
![\"0_0_0_0_78_100_library_10732\"](\"http://50.87.150.148/~truehope/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/0_0_0_0_78_100_library_10732.jpg\")
This is absolutely FALSE! Sand tray work is brain-informed and research-based. Much of sand tray work is non-directive play therapy work, which has been repeatedly been proven to be evidenced based. Child-Centered Play Therapy Research: The Evidence Based for Effective Practice outlines some of his research very well. To be more specific, Bonnie Badenoch\’s Being a Brain-Wise Therapist: A Practical Guide to Interpersonal Neurobiologyalso has a separate chapter devoted just to the power of sand tray work. Some of the examples of how the brain is improved with sand tray work are
- Sand tray work uses all of the senses which promotes the brain to be more integrated and form more neurons. More neurons= better brain function= higher level skills such as the development empathy and insight.
- Sand tray work also allows for the left and right sides of the brain to be better connected, which again aids in the development a better, integrated brain.
- Sand tray work is a RICH experience and often goes through the \”back door\” of the mind, escaping the blocks many people put up with their words.
These are just a few of the many benefits of sand tray work.
![\"0_0_0_0_122_122_library_28867\"](\"http://50.87.150.148/~truehope/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/0_0_0_0_122_122_library_28867.jpg\")
What do you think? Does this myth keep you from learning about or practicing sand tray work orexplaining why its so effective toothers who are not familiar?
