How does Sandplay for Children work?

Sandplay works wonderful with children as play comes naturally for a child – his play is his work! Through play, children tend to unravel certain issues, stressors, and problems they may have encountered through their day or life.

However, sandplay also and mainly works on a much deeper level, there where a child is not even aware of deep-seated pain, difficulties, fear, and trauma buried away in the unconscious.

As there are no expectations and no rules during a sandplay session, children truly become free, strong in themselves and confident, as they learn to just BE.

Children as young as 3 years old can start with sandplay.

The advantages of sandplay can be seen in improvement in self-esteem, body image, social skills, learning difficulties, creativity development, academic performance, posture enhancement, communication skills, difficulties with anxiety, fears, phobias, sleeping problems, bed wetting, eating difficulties, over-sensitivity etc.

At a first session Dr Celia meets with one or both the parents (without the child), to get a thorough history, background, and overview of the reason why a new little (or not so little) client would possibly come to her. The next session would be an introduction of the sand to the child and most of the time, a first tray develops spontaneously out of this session.

As the sandplay forms a sacred space and creation for the child, as her own work and effort, and where healing and growth can come forth, these are not shared with the parents.

Dr Celia again meets with the parent/s after 2 months to have an overview of the work being done, and to decide on where to go from there. Thereafter these contacts with the parents happen every 6-8 weeks.

As children tend to work quickly through certain issues, troubles or problems, the period spend with Dr Celia is sometimes over in a wink, but she stresses that each person develops according to his own potential and psyche’s ability.

A child does not necessarily work in the sand every session – there are other techniques that she may incorporate in non-sandplay sessions.

Do Teenagers really like to do Sandplay?

There must be a good reason why teenagers love to do sandplay!

The initial feeling mostly is that “sandplay is for children”, until a teenager puts his hands in the tray and gets the sensory feeling when letting the sand runs and falls through his fingers.

As Dr Celia works in a trusted, non-judgmental spirit and atmosphere with her teenager clients, they quickly learn to relax, and the de-stressing happens naturally. Sandplay has a calming effect, and as there are no performance expectations or rules attached to sandplay, teenagers easily learn to let go of bottled-up emotions, fears, traumas, deep-seated pain and hurt, feelings of rejection, insecurities etc.

During sandplay sessions the teenager is encouraged to be and to act herself, even if that (sometimes) goes together with anger, screaming, crying, laughing or even a little bit of hysterical outbursts. All of us need to “let go” sometimes to allow for new fresh wonderful energy and growth to fill us. Even if every session happens in absolute stillness or no talking at all – it is perfectly fine with both Dr Celia and her client.

Teenagers are treated with the utmost respect and mutual trust established is a vital component to allow for progress, healing, and growth through the client’s process. A client is encouraged to do sandplay as and when he feels like it during his process, as it is a modality which cannot be forced to be followed rigorously.

Dr Celia also makes use of other balancing and emotional growth techniques in her health centre should a client wishes to incorporate it during his process.

Dr Celia believes in an active holistic approach on her client’s road towards emotional balance.

Adults in the sand

Adults tend to forget what and how it is to play, until they grab a hand-full of sand and feel the touch of it to their skin! Then usually all resistance crumbles!

Yes, sandplay is for adults too, and as they work in a sacred, non-judgmental, empathic and quiet space with no interruptions, they may feel freer than in ages.

When an adult enters the unconscious world of his psyche through sand, he is not even aware of it, as sandplay is such a non-threatening, subtle medium of balancing, restructuring, transformation and shifting within himself. It is also a trusting place where the world’s stresses can be forgotten about for a short while.

Sandplay can calm, release, relax, de-stress, let go of, gain confidence, become stronger, more assertive and more self-empowered. Sandplay can reach one’s deepest core and to expose one’s true-est beautiful inner-Self.

Through an adult’s personal process of sandplay work, traumas, deep-seated past and painful experiences, rejection and hurt are all types of issues being addressed in a safe, caring and accepting way, which allows for inner growth and healing to take place.

A client is encouraged to do sandplay in a session as and when he feels like it during his process, as it is a modality which cannot be forced to be followed rigorously. There are also other balancing and emotional growth techniques in Dr Celia’s health practice should a client wishes to incorporate it during his process.

Dr Celia believes in an active holistic approach on her client’s road towards emotional balance.

Fees:

  • Appointment
  • Appointment Online
  • Appointment
  • Appointment Online
  • Practitioner Personal Process
  • Practitioner Consulting Online
  • Practitioner Consulting Online
  • Practitioner Catchup Session
  • 50min
  • 50min
  • 80min
  • 80min
  • 50min
  • 60min
  • 90min
  • 180min
  • R 600.00
  • R 600.00
  • R 900.00
  • R 900.00
  • R 950.00
  • R 980.00
  • R 1 490.00
  • R 600.00