Sandplay Therapy
Sandplay therapy is a deceptively simple but effective
form of play therapy that can be used across the age spectrum
. It is a form of
active imagination that allows the unconscious to reveal itself. The individual is presented with a vast
array of toys that can be placed in a sandbox generally about
3' x 2' x 3". The
bottom is painted blue to create the impression of water if sand
above a spot is removed. The toys cover a full range of human characters,
plants and animals, mythical and frightening figures, vehicles,
house-hold items, buildings, etc.
The individual may chose to extend a dream or, better yet,
simply see what emerges during the sandplay process.
The effect on the sandplayer and the observing therapist
is like watching a dream unfold.
The sandbox provides what Dora Kalff called "a free
and protected space" that allows the individual to freely
express themselves because the space is bounded, can be objectively
observed and the therapist is present. One can say as much or as little as one
wants about the final product which is usually very intimate and
revealing. The sandtray
is photographed to allow the scene to keep working on the creator. Sandplay can be used as the primary mode
of therapy or as an occasional playful, non-verbal adjunct to
the analytic process.
Photographs
(click on them to see a larger photo)
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Shelves
with toys |
Sandtray
of an adult male (A)
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Sandtray
of an adult male (A) |
e-mail: DLMerritt@cal.berkeley.edu
Telephone:
(608) 255-9330 ext. 5
Fax: (608) 255-7810
Website: www.DennisMerrittJungianAnalyst.com
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