Sandplay Counseling Session for Training Student #4 Summer 2013

by Graduate Student
(Sandy Springs)

In the video Sand Play Counseling Session for Training, we witness a sand tray session with client Jill Weadick being counseled by Jennifer Kerner using the tray. We watch as Jill creates her world, one miniature at a time. After finishing her world, Jennifer talks about how the therapist should enter the clients world. Once the client is finished, she is asked to explore the different parts of the world, such as if she wants to change anything in the world such as adding or subtracting miniatures. At this point, the client is given the opportunity to look at themselves, and find things that they like or do not like about themselves. This world is the clients to modify, and this is a safe space to do so in. Jennifer proceeds to have the client talk about her world. The therapist allows the client to guide the session, and discuss her stress, her desires that she experiences in life. She tells the therapist how she feels stress makes her stronger, and she wants to create a playful place in her life. She continues to explore deeper places in her life, scary places. She examines the ugliness of the world, such as parents who harm their children. As she goes deeper and deeper, it appears she has an aha moment, and really lets her emotion speak truthfully.

I found this sand tray training video fascinating. It gave a very firsthand look at how a session should go, and I felt like I learned proper methods on how to engage a client in the tray. This client appeared to really come out and speak truthfully on how she feels, and I feel like thanks to the effective methods of the therapist to really pick up on nonverbal language, she allows the client to really get in touch with herself. She discovers that it is ok to enjoy herself, and let go of stress. The lightening of the stress is evident, and it is a really wonderful thing to witness this effective session.