Helping clients build the skills to manage their emotions is one of the most frequent goals of therapy.
When incorporating Sandtray therapy into the therapy space for kids, teens, or adults, it can provide a unique way to express and process emotions in a tactile and imaginative manner. To learn more about Sandtray therapy and how it works, see here. Below are some great prompts for therapists to use to help clients build emotional regulation and coping skills using the Sandtray.
- Create a calm and safe place using miniatures.
- Who is there? What does it feel like?
- Build a picture of what it would be like if you felt supported and calm.
- Think about a problem or conflict you have, and create a picture that shows both sides of the conflict.
- Make a scene that shows the emotions that you feel when you are. ______ (angry, sad, anxious, etc).
- Imagine your life one year from now, and create a scene that represents your hopes and goals.
- What things do you need to achieve these goals?
- Pick some miniatures that describe different emotions.
- Draw a line in the sand making two equal sections. Make one side showing your inner critic and the other showing your inner advocate.
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- How do they interact with each other?
- How do you know which one to listen to?
As always, a client may take a directive in a different way or down a different path which we should always honor. Sometimes a client’s inner wisdom will take over the Sandtray so the therapist can follow their lead.
If this sounds like something you’d like for your child, get in touch with a therapist at Treehouse Counseling that engages with these techniques.
