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Sandtray/Worldplay: A person centred approach of sand play.

Abstract

            Sandtray/worldplay is a form of sand play that is based on the belief that the client(builder) knows what is required to heal thy self. Though Sandtray/worldplay was born of Jungian principles, this method differs greatly in the understanding that symbols mean many things to individuals and may not be archetypal defined for each client.  The role of the therapist as witness instead of expert is also addressed. The witness role is defined as being more client centred given the witness needs to demonstrate congruence, empathy and unconditional positive regard towards the client’s created world that is held in the free and protected space of the sand tray. A witness is not to be a translator or expert as prescribed by Jungian sand play practices.

Gisela Schubach De Domenico

           Gisela Schubach De Domenico accredits her learning to the approaches of Lowenfeld, Hood- Williams and Kalff.  Dr. De Domenico’s approach has some similarities to all other forms of Sand play given the use of archetype objects, sand and a tray.  Her therapy however differs by encouraging the client to verbalize their own meaning about “what has shown up” in the tray. Her underlying value is that the story to be told is the “builders” story and not the therapists nor the witness’ story. This approach is therefore, client centred given that her process is based on the following Rogerian principles:

•  Humans have an innate tendency toward self-actualization
• The client is the best expert on his/her own experience;
• The individual has the capacity to modify his/her perceptions;
• If provided with the proper conditions in counselling, clients can arrive at their own solutions to their own problems (Munteanu, 2007).

             If the therapist attempts to assume what the story is – he / she will do the builder a disservice. The part of the client that knows also referred by De Domenico as the self,  “directs the play; the self implants wisdom and reality into the play; the self informs the way the client experiences his/her own play. The client initiates the facilitator, who in entering into the ‘animated and projected World, before them validates the client’s capacity to use consciousness and to establish an active relationship to the enduring wisdom of psyche self” (De Domenico 2002, p 1). The client’s journey is therefore, his/her story and the therapist can facilitate the process as follows.

The process

            The witness invites the builder to create a world in the sand. The witness also invites the builder to trust their heart and listen to the part of them inside that knows what needs to be built. The builder then enters the world either touching the sand in the world first or bringing images to the world. While the builder is collecting images the witness holds the space of the world quietly. The witness needs to focus on what happens inside the world and is watchful about how the world changes and transforms.

            The builder may ask the witness (therapist) to help them find the images that he/she feels that they need or the builder may silently experience what has shown up there. The witness may encourage the builder to go back into the world after building and look closely at what has been created. The builder is invited to change, remove or add any images that he/she feels that she may need to complete the story.

            If this process is completed then the witness/therapist and builder enter the world jointly but silently. The witness may then ask the builder to talk about what is going on in the world by asking the builder specifically to discuss how this image or that image feels in the world. The description is therefore done in the third person and the experience has been deepened. The witness may ask questions about what is going on in the world while never actually touching the world unless the builder has invited the witness to join in on the play.

           The witness may offer at this time to employ amplification where the builder is supported to gain greater clarity of meaning of an archetype or relationship of archetype by physically demonstrating a pose or action and then utilizing the therapist as an assistant. This strategy may look much like Satir’s family sculpting but provides the opportunity for the builder to gain ‘first hand” knowledge of the archetypal experience and the relationship between these. It is also similarly explained by Jean Bolen (Jungian analyst) in her book, the Tao of Psychology: Synchronicity and the self. However the client and therapist create this dynamic without the use of sand, sandtray or miniatures. “This collaboration with focused attention is thought to activate further symbols from the unconscious and thus bring greater clarity to the key elements of the synchronicity of the event itself (Keutzer, Oct 84, p.373).

              The builder may emerge from the world without ever drawing connections between what has gone on or shown up in the sandtray/worldplay world and what is going on in the client or builder’s current world. The facilitator/witness may ask what gift, message or teaching has been shown to the builder. The witness documents what the builder has uttered ( often unconsciously) and also draws a map noting when and who joined the world and gives these to the builder. The builder is also encouraged to take a photograph as part of the closing ritual. The client may or may not dismantle or “empty” the world. The witness and builder make that decision together. 

            “Sand play is a singular, emotional form of individualized expression of the inter- and intrapsychic world of the client. This expression allows the client to take his or her internal world and express it externally in the sand tray. The miniatures in the sand provide a bridge between the counselor's observations and the child's inter-being (De Domenico, 1987 p 12). If the builder has drawn connections between the world created and the world lived and requires support around these connections, it is up to the therapist to be available to process some safety strategies prior to the client leaving the session if these are required.

Sandtray/Worldplay as a Client centred approach

            The Sandtray process provides the opportunity for the builder to demonstrate and practice openness to experience, given the images interact on levels of psyche both conscious and unconscious. Though the builder may live in the here and now and desire to recognize their current reality, the world created can be of any realm past, present, imagined or future. “A Sandtray-Worldplay journey inevitably takes us directly to our Soul, our Spirit, our Ancestors, our Self, our Family and our Community. Coming into the presence of our own Selves, our Life, and our Universe, we learn to embrace the play of our consciousness to enhance our lives” (De Domenico, 2004. pa 1).

            The sandtray journey therefore mirrors Roger’s value of organismic trusting. We should trust ourselves and do what innately feels right. When the builder feels stuck or unsure of what to do next, this is the instruction that the therapist or witness shares.  Sandtray is based on the belief that as individuals we know what the work is that we need to do. We know what learning needs to come next. That said, we can identify what freedoms and opportunities we have while creating the world while also take responsibility for the choices that we make. This dynamic often is revealed in the sandtray when the builder activates the images for himself and the witness. Creativity is utilized throughout the building process (Boeree, G. N.D.). The sandtray/worldplay process augments respect, creativity, curiosity, independent thinking, and capacity to analyze and to think through experiences. (De Domenico, 2002. p.9).   

            “Congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathetic understanding of the client’s internal frame of reference are the three therapist provided conditions in client centred therapy “(Corsini, Wedding, 2008. p144). “Each practitioner needs the experience of using the medium by him/herself in their own playroom for at least twenty sessions – otherwise he/she has little indication that he/she is able to trust the psyche at play”(De Domenico, 2002, p3). The demonstration of congruence with the client is an outcome of trusting the psyche at play.

            Unconditional positive regard is evident in all stages of interaction between builder and witness. During building, the witness is viewing the world being created without asking questions, nor making comments. The builder is supported and “held” by the witness’ purposeful intention to “stay out of the way and not initiate interactions, either physically or verbally”( De Domenico, 2002. p.12). During the builder/witness experiencing phase, “interpretation according to classical psychotherapeutic paradigms is notcultivated. The client holds the creative license” (De Domenico, 2002. p.14) this ensures the demonstration of empathetic understanding. As already state the witness does not create connections between the world created and the present world that is experienced by the builder. “De Domenico’s client centred relationship represents a major shift in the evolution of sandtray therapy from an emphasis on psychodynamic interpretation and direction by the therapist….emphasizing the empowering role of the builder to create meaning making throughout the sandtray process”(Webber, J. 2006. p.5).

Sandtray/Worldplay provides a

          “more collaborative view of the therapist-client relationship. The therapeutic transference to the therapist is not based on the belief that the therapist is the         expert, the authority, the ‘fixer’ or the transformer. A natural and wholesome relationship between client and therapist can support the constellation of a  therapeutic transference between the egoic self of the client and the Self that   resides within the client. We often refer to that alliance as the ‘little self’ trusting the ‘big Self” or the ’Part that knows”(De Domenico,1987, p16). This is possible     because there is no human who does not have a fully functioning self."

            When using Sandtray worldplay as an intervention, the therapist then becomes the “appropriate externally sourced resource and support for the client” (De Domenico, 2002, p.18). "Thus the relationship which I have found helpful is characterized by a sort of transparency on my part, in which my real feelings are evident; by an acceptance of this other person as a separate person with value in his own right; and by a deep empathic understanding which enables me to see his private world through his eyes.  When these conditions are achieved, I become a companion to my client, accompanying him in the frightening search for himself, which he now feels free to undertake” (Rogers 1961, 1989. p.34).

About the Author

            Theresa has utilized sandtray/worldplay with individuals of all ages, families and groups. She has used the sand, tray and images as a directive warm up activity in a group or team training or as part of a psychoanalytical process. Theresa has been a student of Dr. De Domenico for the last five years and has presented workshops on the power of Sandtray with The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Detroit, CACPT Manitoba, Wilfred Laurier University, Mohawk College  and in workshops provided by her agency Branching Out Enhanced Therapeutic Services in various Ontario Communities. She maintains two sandtray offices in Brampton and Cambridge and a portable sandtray kit for teaching.

References

Boeree G.(n.d.) Personality theories, retrieved December 14, 2008 from                 http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/rogers.html

Corsini, R. Wedding, D.( 2008) Current psychotherapies. Belmont, California

Thomsom Higher Education

De Domenico, G. (1987) A comprehensive guide to the use of sandtray in   psychotherapeutic and transformational settings. Oakland, CA :Vision Quest Images

De Domenico, G. (1999) An experiential sandtray-worldplay home study course for individuals and groups volume I. Oakland, CA Vision Quest Images.

De Domenico, G (2002), The sandtray/worldplay method.  Sandtray Network Journal,  Vol. 6 No1.Oakland, CA. Sandtray Network

Rogers.C. (1961, 1989). On becoming a person. New York New York Houghton   Mifflin Company.

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Kalff, D (1991) Journal of sand play therapy, Volume 1, Number 1, 1991 retrieved   December 13, 2008 from:http://www.sandplay.org/intro_to_sandplay_therapy.htm

Keutzer, C (Oct 84). Synchronicity in psychotherapy. Vol. 29 Issue 4, p373, 9pJournal of Analytical Psychology.Oxford United Kingdom. Blackwell Publishing Limited.

Munteanu, M. (2007) Counselling methodologies: Psychodynamic and humanisticModalities (PSYC 6153) - Course manual.Fredericton NB: Yorkville          University

Purdy, Carol (2004) Beginner’s guide to sandtray in play therapy.Kid Power, Red Bluff, CA

Turcke, C. (1992). 'Denker der Zukunft. C. G. Jungs Archetypenlehre'. In Gewalt und Tabu. Philosophische Grenzgange. Luneburg Zu Klampen.