At work I was asked to participate in a training for Sand Tray Therapy. Sand Tray is used mostly with children and individuals with lower cognitive functioning. It allowes the therapist to communicate with the client through play. I have always been skeptical of therapies that use symbols to mean different things (sometimes a cigar is just a cigar), but I decided to try it, because I do see value in sand tray as a way to help facilitate communication.
The training was basically a role play with me as a client. I was asked to create my world in the sand using different toys. I went to the stockpiles and slowly began going through each item. I saw a toy of a guy on a motorcycle, and thought I always have wanted one, so I put the motorcycle in the sand. I saw a figure of Harry Potter, and since I love to read and just finished book 7, I put that in the sand. I came to a teddy bear and felt compelled to put it in the sand, but quickly passed over it. I found a gorilla, palm tree, baseball bobble head and a peace symbol that I put in the sand (I thought to myself I have always wanted a gorilla as a pet, I love palm trees and who doesn't want peace?) I then thought I needed to grab that teddy bear, even though I don't have any particular reason. So I placed the teddy bear back in the corner. I was ready to begin.
The therapist started asking questions about the objects I placed in the sand. I had stories that related to each of them, except the teddy bear. The therapist started asking about the teddy bear and why I felt it didn't belong. I didn't really have an answer for her. Finally she asked "is the bear aware of any other object in the tray?" I told her that the bear was watching the bobble head. The bear was content to sit back and watch. Kind of like a grandpa.
When I said this, my unconsious mind blurred with my conscious (if you believe that kind of thing) I realized EVERY thing I put in my sand tray reminded me of my Grandpa Lundgren. Grandpa used to take us to the Sand Dunes with his moped, he used to read the newspaper with us on his lap, he took me to the zoo when I was a kid, and I remember holding his hand in front of the gorilla enclosure, we sat underneath a tree when he took me fishing at Henry's Lake. I realized that the teddy bear represented my Grandpa, and the bobble head represented me.
Grandpa is aware of me. He has been with me even though I can't see him. He continues to serve me and others through the veil.
Just wanted to share that experience.
The training was basically a role play with me as a client. I was asked to create my world in the sand using different toys. I went to the stockpiles and slowly began going through each item. I saw a toy of a guy on a motorcycle, and thought I always have wanted one, so I put the motorcycle in the sand. I saw a figure of Harry Potter, and since I love to read and just finished book 7, I put that in the sand. I came to a teddy bear and felt compelled to put it in the sand, but quickly passed over it. I found a gorilla, palm tree, baseball bobble head and a peace symbol that I put in the sand (I thought to myself I have always wanted a gorilla as a pet, I love palm trees and who doesn't want peace?) I then thought I needed to grab that teddy bear, even though I don't have any particular reason. So I placed the teddy bear back in the corner. I was ready to begin.
The therapist started asking questions about the objects I placed in the sand. I had stories that related to each of them, except the teddy bear. The therapist started asking about the teddy bear and why I felt it didn't belong. I didn't really have an answer for her. Finally she asked "is the bear aware of any other object in the tray?" I told her that the bear was watching the bobble head. The bear was content to sit back and watch. Kind of like a grandpa.
When I said this, my unconsious mind blurred with my conscious (if you believe that kind of thing) I realized EVERY thing I put in my sand tray reminded me of my Grandpa Lundgren. Grandpa used to take us to the Sand Dunes with his moped, he used to read the newspaper with us on his lap, he took me to the zoo when I was a kid, and I remember holding his hand in front of the gorilla enclosure, we sat underneath a tree when he took me fishing at Henry's Lake. I realized that the teddy bear represented my Grandpa, and the bobble head represented me.
Grandpa is aware of me. He has been with me even though I can't see him. He continues to serve me and others through the veil.
Just wanted to share that experience.
2 comments:
wow tyler! what a COOL experience!! that makes me want to do a sand tray thing and see what i can learn from it. i'm REALLY glad you posted it! really cool!
LOVE THEM!!
love you guys!
tyler.. be awaiting your foot spa!
Post a Comment