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Sand Tray Therapy with Teens: How to Use It Effectively in Play Therapy · Next Level Play Therapy: A Podcast for Play Therapy Excellence

• 0:02
  Cathi Spooner: Welcome to Next Level Play Therapy.
• 0:04
  Cathi Spooner: A weekly podcast dedicated to supporting the next generation of child and adolescent therapists to provide exceptional play therapy services.
• 0:14
  Cathi Spooner: We'll explore all things play therapy.
• 0:17
  Cathi Spooner: To elevate your work with children and adolescents using the therapeutic powers of play.
• 0:23
  Cathi Spooner: I'll discuss practical tips and ideas so you can provide a transformative experience for your young clients and make a real difference in their lives.
• 0:33
  Cathi Spooner: So get ready to take your play therapy skills to the next level and make a lasting impact in the lives of children, adolescents, and families.
• 0:45
  Cathi Spooner: Good morning.
• 0:46
  Cathi Spooner: Welcome to this week's episode of Next Level Play Therapy, where we talk about all thanks play therapy.
• 0:54
  Cathi Spooner: And this week we're exploring how to work with adolescents in play therapy, and we've been doing that for the last few episodes.
• 1:05
  Cathi Spooner: So if this is an episode or this is a topic that's of interest to you.
• 1:11
  Cathi Spooner: Then I would highly encourage you to go back and if you're listening to the podcast, then listen to the previous episodes, or if you're watching the livestream, video replays, or even the livestream this morning, then I would highly recommend that you go back and listen to those.
• 1:29
  Cathi Spooner: Listen to the previous episodes.
• 1:32
  Cathi Spooner: This week we're diving into can you use Sandtray therapy with adolescents?
• 1:40
  Cathi Spooner: And how do you do that in a way that respects their developmental needs and their emotional needs in therapy, especially if you're using play therapy to help your adolescent clients.
• 1:56
  Cathi Spooner: So that's why we're gonna be talking about sand tray therapy Therapy, San using the sand tray, making process and play therapy with adolescents, and I'll even say adults.
• 2:10
  Cathi Spooner: I'll tell you what, sand tray, the sand tray therapy process is my, one of my go-tos.
• 2:18
  Cathi Spooner: So if you've been in play therapy, if you've been in the play therapy field or you know, atmosphere for a little while, you have probably heard of.
• 2:32
  Cathi Spooner: Um, sand tray, and you might've heard it, referred to Sand Play.
• 2:38
  Cathi Spooner: There is a difference between sand play and sand tray.
• 2:42
  Cathi Spooner: Those get, those terms get mixed up all the time.
• 2:45
  Cathi Spooner: I have a previous episode on that.
• 2:47
  Cathi Spooner: If you're interested in learning more.
• 2:50
  Cathi Spooner: For the purposes of this episode, I'm gonna refer to it as San Trey.
• 2:56
  Cathi Spooner: Um, because it's, I'm not talking about the process that is rooted in y psychoanalytic theory.
• 3:08
  Cathi Spooner: So this episode we're gonna be talking about how do you use the sand tray making process in play therapy with your adolescent clients in a way that meets their needs.
• 3:23
  Cathi Spooner: I am gonna go over some tips and strategies for that as well.
• 3:28
  Cathi Spooner: So if you are watching live, I would love to know who's watching.
• 3:35
  Cathi Spooner: Feel free to post your name in the comments.
• 3:38
  Cathi Spooner: What population that you work with, are you using sand tray in that?
• 3:47
  Cathi Spooner: In the therapy process, have you, are you working with adolescents?
• 3:52
  Cathi Spooner: So post that in the comments.
• 3:55
  Cathi Spooner: If you are watching the replay, I would still love to know who's here and watching.
• 4:02
  Cathi Spooner: And if you are listening on the podcast, feel free to pop over to my Instagram channel at Renewing Hearts Training and send me a message.
• 4:16
  Cathi Spooner: And join the conversation or email me actually.
• 4:22
  Cathi Spooner: Um, I would love to know your thoughts about using sand tray in play therapy with adolescents For sure.
• 4:30
  Cathi Spooner: Alrighty, um, alrightyy.
• 4:33
  Cathi Spooner: So let's get started.
• 4:35
  Cathi Spooner: The first thing we're gonna be talking about is, so the topic that we're discussing today, if you're coming on a little bit later, is Tre in the sand tray therapy, in play therapy with teens, how to use it effectively.
• 4:52
  Cathi Spooner: So the first thing that I wanna talk about is using expressive arts.
• 4:58
  Cathi Spooner: And play therapy with adolescents because the re therapy process is accessing expressive art.
• 5:09
  Cathi Spooner: So other expressive arts modalities are art or music or poetry.
• 5:16
  Cathi Spooner: I talked about poetry last in the previous episode, dance music using clay and pottery.
• 5:25
  Cathi Spooner: The thing about using sand tray, the sand tray making process in play therapy, is thinking about how you help your adolescent clients access those therapeutic powers play using a theoretical model.
• 5:44
  Cathi Spooner: So that's, that's what sets play therapy apart from other expressive modalities.
• 5:51
  Cathi Spooner: Is accessing the therap using a therapeutic, oh, my mouth isn't working today.
• 5:57
  Cathi Spooner: Using a theoretical model to access the therapeutic powers of play within the context of the strong therapeutic relationship.
• 6:07
  Cathi Spooner: That's how the Association for Play Therapy defines.
• 6:11
  Cathi Spooner: What play therapy is.
• 6:13
  Cathi Spooner: And so when we're thinking about using the sand tray making process, we are thinking about how are you helping your adolescent clients access those therapeutic powers of play, for example, how are they, um, accessing.
• 6:33
  Cathi Spooner: They're unconscious.
• 6:34
  Cathi Spooner: So one of the therapeutic powers of play is access to the unconscious.
• 6:40
  Cathi Spooner: Another one is self-expression.
• 6:44
  Cathi Spooner: Another one is creative problem solving.
• 6:47
  Cathi Spooner: You might do some direct or indirect teaching, helping to promote, promote positive feelings and create a positive experience.
• 6:56
  Cathi Spooner: Attachment relationships.
• 6:59
  Cathi Spooner: All of these are the ways in which.
• 7:03
  Cathi Spooner: Play therapists use that play process to facilitate healing for their clients.
• 7:10
  Cathi Spooner: And so when we're thinking about using expressive arts with our adolescent clients, then we are thinking about how are we using expressive arts to access those therapeutic powers at play?
• 7:24
  Cathi Spooner: And what theoretical model are you using because your theory.
• 7:30
  Cathi Spooner: Your theoretical model is going to influence what you do when you do it, how you do it, and how do you make sense of what is going on in the sand tray making process.
• 7:44
  Cathi Spooner: So your, your theory model is gonna ground you even when you're using an integrative.
• 7:50
  Cathi Spooner: Theoretical model, it's still grounded in specific theory model.
• 7:55
  Cathi Spooner: So if you're, most of us, I would say use an integrative model, and there are still specific theory models.
• 8:04
  Cathi Spooner: For example, I love using.
• 8:08
  Cathi Spooner: An attachment and neuroscience lens.
• 8:10
  Cathi Spooner: One of the things that I love about child-centered play therapy that I use with the my really young clients is that it is so heavily attachment focused and so.
• 8:24
  Cathi Spooner: If I'm using an integrative model that I'm kind of blending together specific theory models like attachment theory or interpersonal neurobiology or polyvagal theory or, um, maybe you have been trained using IFS.
• 8:44
  Cathi Spooner: I've taken a few trainings.
• 8:45
  Cathi Spooner: I know enough to get me in trouble.
• 8:48
  Cathi Spooner: Um, and.
• 8:52
  Cathi Spooner: Blending that in ways that kind of makes sense.
• 8:56
  Cathi Spooner: Clinically makes sense.
• 8:57
  Cathi Spooner: So grounding it with some aspects of parts work.
• 9:01
  Cathi Spooner: A so when, even when you are using a theoretical mo uh, an integrative theoretical model, you are still thinking about what your theory model or what your the, what the theory says.
• 9:17
  Cathi Spooner: 'cause polyvagal is not a treatment model.
• 9:20
  Cathi Spooner: It's a theory.
• 9:23
  Cathi Spooner: And you're, so, you're thinking about what does that look like when you're using it with play therapy?
• 9:30
  Cathi Spooner: How are you making sense of what's going on?
• 9:32
  Cathi Spooner: How are you figuring out what you're gonna say, when you're gonna say it, how you're gonna say it, and how you're gonna make sense of what's going on.
• 9:42
  Cathi Spooner: And so Sandtray therapy is one type of expressive arts.
• 9:48
  Cathi Spooner: Approach that you can integrate into the play therapy process.
• 9:54
  Cathi Spooner: So then that brings us to the next point, which is, well now how do you use sand tray with adolescents?
• 10:02
  Cathi Spooner: Versus children.
• 10:04
  Cathi Spooner: And when you're thinking about this in your clinical case, conceptualization, which is a fancy term for how are you making sense of what's at the root of the problem and then what are the patterns sustaining it, and how are you gonna help your clients feel when you're integrating in that whole, um, conceptualization of what to do?
• 10:30
  Cathi Spooner: Then you're also taking into consideration development.
• 10:34
  Cathi Spooner: So there are developmental differences between children and adolescents, and there are developmental differences between adolescents and adults.
• 10:46
  Cathi Spooner: And as I spoke in a couple of previous episodes, one of the things that I have observed as a play therapist and as somebody who's been in the child and adolescent mental health field for.
• 11:00
  Cathi Spooner: Over 30 years is we tend to treat at adolescents kind of like little adults and focus mostly on using talk therapy, thinking that that's the, the most effective way to help them get insight.
• 11:16
  Cathi Spooner: And if you're working with really kind of, um, high functioning adolescents who are pretty stable and have access to good insight.
• 11:28
  Cathi Spooner: Then that'll work fine.
• 11:30
  Cathi Spooner: But there's a lot of adolescents coming to therapy that don't have that ability when they're first starting therapy with you, and they need another way to go about healing.
• 11:44
  Cathi Spooner: And so when we're thinking developmentally about using San the sand tray making process with adolescents, then there are a couple of things that I've observed.
• 11:57
  Cathi Spooner: With this, so I'm gonna share some of my insights.
• 12:00
  Cathi Spooner: I don't really have any, uh, research or data to back this up other than through all of my consultation ex um, over the last, when did I, I started probably back in 2007 doing consulting and supervising and training.
• 12:20
  Cathi Spooner: So since that time, um, plus my own anecdotal experiences, what I've noticed is kids, for the most part, so I'm gonna speak in generalities here because we also, you know, there's always outliers and.
• 12:38
  Cathi Spooner: Typically speaking, what we find is children, when you introduce them to the playroom, they are like Nirvana.
• 12:44
  Cathi Spooner: I have just landed in the most magical place.
• 12:48
  Cathi Spooner: Look at all these toys, and they will typically, some may be a little more slow to warm up than others, but they will typically get started in the playing process pretty quickly and don't require, um, a lot of.
• 13:06
  Cathi Spooner: A lot of kind of intervention to do that.
• 13:10
  Cathi Spooner: And so for, for children, when you introduce 'em to the playroom, they'll get started right away.
• 13:17
  Cathi Spooner: Adolescents typically need to, um, get comfortable, maybe talk a little bit.
• 13:24
  Cathi Spooner: Not always, not, not all.
• 13:28
  Cathi Spooner: A adolescents, especially the really shut down ones talking is.
• 13:34
  Cathi Spooner: Um, let's say sustained talk, talking where all you're doing is talking is, is, doesn't always create that safe space for them, but typically for adolescents, they need to sit in a chair, they need to chat with you a little bit or have you chat with them, even if it's superficial things, asking about things that are of interest to them.
• 14:01
  Cathi Spooner: Um, they need a little bit more.
• 14:03
  Cathi Spooner: I'll say runway to get comfortable in the session, especially if you're gonna introduce expressive arts.
• 14:12
  Cathi Spooner: They need to get comfortable with you first before you move over to introducing the Sant tray making process.
• 14:21
  Cathi Spooner: So once they're comfortable with you, then you can introduce the sand tray or uh, you know, another expressive arts modality.
• 14:31
  Cathi Spooner: Because you wanna create that safe space for your adolescent clients, and they also need to feel like they have permission to explore the symbols, to explore the sand.
• 14:47
  Cathi Spooner: Or not, it has to be an invitation where, and they get to say no if they don't want to.
• 14:58
  Cathi Spooner: So what we're doing is we're inviting them.
• 15:01
  Cathi Spooner: We've, we've created a little bit of safety in the, in this session, maybe a session or two.
• 15:10
  Cathi Spooner: We've created a little bit of safety in there.
• 15:12
  Cathi Spooner: We've.
• 15:13
  Cathi Spooner: We've let them sit in a chair or do something that feels comfortable for them, and now, now we're inviting them into the sand tray making process because that sand tray making process is what opens up all of the possibilities.
• 15:34
  Cathi Spooner: For exploring the unconscious or what I say, exploring those implicit experiences and perceptions and allowing them the opportunity to use symbolic avenues to explore what is going on.
• 15:59
  Cathi Spooner: With the problems that are bringing them in, what are at the roots of those problems.
• 16:06
  Cathi Spooner: And they're not gonna be able to do that unless they feel like they, unless you've created that free and protected space for them.
• 16:15
  Cathi Spooner: And that's a process over time, it's not gonna hap well, it typically doesn't happen instantly.
• 16:23
  Cathi Spooner: It usually kind of unfolds.
• 16:25
  Cathi Spooner: That's true for everybody though.
• 16:28
  Cathi Spooner: Also when you're using San the sand tray making process with adults, it's kind of a very similar process for them.
• 16:38
  Cathi Spooner: And so if you are using, if you are using sand tray therapy with your clients, here's a question for you.
• 16:47
  Cathi Spooner: If you're watching live on the live stream and you are a child and adolescent therapist, um.
• 16:54
  Cathi Spooner: You're ex, um, interested in using sand tray or maybe you're already already using sand tray or expressive arts.
• 17:02
  Cathi Spooner: What are, what are your, um, experiences or tips that you've observed that help teens to get comfortable?
• 17:15
  Cathi Spooner: Because those are the things.
• 17:18
  Cathi Spooner: That we are gonna focus on in the beginning to create that free and protected space for teens.
• 17:24
  Cathi Spooner: They need a little bit more of a runway.
• 17:28
  Cathi Spooner: So if so, post those in the comments.
• 17:31
  Cathi Spooner: Or if you're watch listening on the podcast, feel free to send me a message on Instagram or send me an email.
• 17:41
  Cathi Spooner: This is, this is the invitation.
• 17:43
  Cathi Spooner: We're inviting them into the process of using symbol for exploration, which means they don't have to talk about it.
• 17:54
  Cathi Spooner: They don't have to talk about it.
• 17:57
  Cathi Spooner: They, because they might not have access to those areas of their brain yet.
• 18:03
  Cathi Spooner: They might need to just explore through symbol.
• 18:08
  Cathi Spooner: Before they can make those connections with.
• 18:13
  Cathi Spooner: Um, what it is.
• 18:14
  Cathi Spooner: The other part, and I would caution people here, the, I would caution caution therapist, play therapist here is don't jump to interpretation because they might not be ready.
• 18:29
  Cathi Spooner: Just because you are seeing some connections doesn't mean we need to share it.
• 18:34
  Cathi Spooner: It's the same in talk therapy.
• 18:36
  Cathi Spooner: In talk therapy, especially early on.
• 18:40
  Cathi Spooner: In that therapeutic process, we're not sharing all of our interpretations because here's the thing, it doesn't matter as much as if we get it.
• 18:50
  Cathi Spooner: It really matters more if they get it.
• 18:53
  Cathi Spooner: And if they can get it without necessarily having a whole conversation with you about it, then that's, that's the important thing.
• 19:03
  Cathi Spooner: The important thing is how are they using that process to, for healing.
• 19:10
  Cathi Spooner: This is years ago, I once had a colleague that I was consulting with and, um, the therapist had a client who wa had been diagnosed with selective mutism.
• 19:23
  Cathi Spooner: So she struggled with the client, struggled with talking in therapy or just talking with, um, adults.
• 19:33
  Cathi Spooner: And so the talking process was hard for her.
• 19:38
  Cathi Spooner: And what we realized, and this is why I wanna make my point about it, needs to be what the client needs it.
• 19:44
  Cathi Spooner: And it's not about what we need in the therapy process in terms of do we make interpretations to clients or do we not, do they have to talk to us or not In order for this to be healing and, and I have seen this so many times, so many times.
• 20:06
  Cathi Spooner: I think the, the process was, I think the treatment was probably about a year coming every week and every week.
• 20:15
  Cathi Spooner: This client would, uh, immediately just, and this was an adolescent client, young adolescent client, early teen, using the sand tray every week coming in, creating a sand, sand world.
• 20:29
  Cathi Spooner: The therapists just kind of held space.
• 20:32
  Cathi Spooner: And just would invite, Hey, do you wanna make a sand world?
• 20:35
  Cathi Spooner: And every week the answer was yes.
• 20:38
  Cathi Spooner: And then the therapist and I would kind of explore the themes and look at what was going on using our theory model, attachment and neuroscience.
• 20:49
  Cathi Spooner: Um, and we're, we were able to see what she was communicating.
• 20:55
  Cathi Spooner: We don't require kids to explain their play behaviors with us.
• 21:01
  Cathi Spooner: So to me, we wanna make sure we're not having that expectation of teenagers and because this therapist was able to hold that space, hold that, create that sense of safety where you don't have to talk, it's your choice.
• 21:22
  Cathi Spooner: This went on week after week after week, throughout the whole treatment process and what we observed.
• 21:29
  Cathi Spooner: Was week after week after week, this client, without saying word was working through what was at the roots of her symptoms, of, um, selective mutism, not talking, freezing up.
• 21:49
  Cathi Spooner: I look at selective mutism as freezing.
• 21:52
  Cathi Spooner: And so, and through consultation with parents and, um.
• 21:59
  Cathi Spooner: What we could, what we knew, what we knew was that it was working.
• 22:04
  Cathi Spooner: That client didn't need to talk to the therapist and have a cognitive conversation about the symbolism that was being used in the sand tray because this particular early teen client was getting it done, was making sense of it, was using that process.
• 22:23
  Cathi Spooner: For healing.
• 22:25
  Cathi Spooner: And so I say that as a reminder of we think with adolescence that they need to always talk to us about it and they always need to get insight.
• 22:36
  Cathi Spooner: And as play therapists, we know that that isn't true.
• 22:42
  Cathi Spooner: And it also isn't true for teenagers when we are helping them use.
• 22:48
  Cathi Spooner: The sand tray to access those therapeutic powers of play for healing using the sand tray, that symbolic process, using that expressive arts modality, they can use that for healing.
• 23:08
  Cathi Spooner: And it depends on the teenager depend.
• 23:11
  Cathi Spooner: Just like it depends on the child.
• 23:13
  Cathi Spooner: It also depends on your theory model.
• 23:15
  Cathi Spooner: Um.
• 23:17
  Cathi Spooner: How much talking and processing you are doing and at what stage of the treatment process are you in?
• 23:29
  Cathi Spooner: Are they ready for it?
• 23:31
  Cathi Spooner: Is it something that's gonna be meaningful for them?
• 23:34
  Cathi Spooner: You're, you are assessing all of those things as you're getting to know your client and your theory model's gonna help you.
• 23:44
  Cathi Spooner: Know when, when to do that.
• 23:46
  Cathi Spooner: Helping them make the connections, if that's, you know, if you're using Adler and play therapy at some point, you know, after there's a sense of safety in there and you've, you've, you're doing that, um, insight part of it where you're helping them to connect.
• 24:05
  Cathi Spooner: What's going on with behaviors and, and seeing how they might be able to get their needs met in other ways more effectively.
• 24:16
  Cathi Spooner: So in an adle and play therapy model at some point, but you have to wait until that's the point in the treatment phases or the stages of treatment and trust in the fact that through that.
• 24:36
  Cathi Spooner: Um, through those therapeutic powers of play and holding that free and protected space that they can work through those, those things that are going on.
• 24:47
  Cathi Spooner: Here's the other thing to think about.
• 24:49
  Cathi Spooner: If we're using.
• 24:51
  Cathi Spooner: Um, more of an interpersonal neurobiology approach.
• 24:56
  Cathi Spooner: Then we know our attuned presence in the sand tray, their interaction with the sand and the miniatures, all of that on a kind of neural integration process.
• 25:12
  Cathi Spooner: They're gonna be able to use that to facilitate that healing process.
• 25:18
  Cathi Spooner: So this is again, where, where your, what's your theoretical model say about how the process works.
• 25:26
  Cathi Spooner: And, um, we've been reading the, and so in plate therapy Elevation Circle, which is my kind of, I, I call it kind of like my tier one play therapy membership tier two.
• 25:39
  Cathi Spooner: Play Therapy Academy.
• 25:40
  Cathi Spooner: That's where we, we do a deeper dive play Therapy Academy.
• 25:44
  Cathi Spooner: We go deep, we go deep in Elevation Circle, um, just, it's not heavily skill based like Play Therapy Academy is.
• 25:55
  Cathi Spooner: Anyway, play Therapy Academy and Elevation Circle.
• 25:59
  Cathi Spooner: We're doing a, uh, we have a book club and so we're reading the book being a Brainwise therapist by Ban Bonnie Ock, and if, if it, so it seems weird to me that 2008 is a long, long time ago.
• 26:14
  Cathi Spooner: Just seems like it should be like five years ago or maybe last decade, but not a couple of decades.
• 26:21
  Cathi Spooner: So in there, we're, we're reading the book.
• 26:24
  Cathi Spooner: So this book is heavily, uh, uh, is focused on using interpersonal neurobiology.
• 26:30
  Cathi Spooner: And one of the things she talks about a lot in the book.
• 26:35
  Cathi Spooner: Is the neural integration and the role of that therapeutic process.
• 26:42
  Cathi Spooner: One of the reasons I picked the book for Play Therapy Academy and Play Therapy Elevation Circle Book Club is because she does chapters on, um.
• 26:53
  Cathi Spooner: Using interpersonal neurobiology with teens, with using art, using sand tray children.
• 27:01
  Cathi Spooner: So it was really relevant to play therapists.
• 27:04
  Cathi Spooner: It's such a good book.
• 27:05
  Cathi Spooner: I've, I've read through it a few times.
• 27:07
  Cathi Spooner: That's one of my favorites.
• 27:09
  Cathi Spooner: But anyway, so, so if, again, we're grounding in a theoretical model.
• 27:14
  Cathi Spooner: If we're, if we're thinking about interpersonal neurobiology and we're using the sand tray, then we're thinking about all of those things.
• 27:22
  Cathi Spooner: How is that attuned therapeutic relationship, creating that sense of safety and presence, and connecting resident circuits, facilitating neural integration?
• 27:36
  Cathi Spooner: And if we're introducing the sand tray making process in there, the that sensory interaction with the sand and the symbols and moving things around and symbolically accessing the implicit experiences, self-expression, expression, all of those therapeutic powers at play.
• 28:00
  Cathi Spooner: That we, that's, we are kind of holding that as we are thinking developmentally and clinically.
• 28:08
  Cathi Spooner: How does this work with adolescents?
• 28:11
  Cathi Spooner: If you're interested in learning more about using San the sand tray making process with your clients in therapy, I'm gonna talk a little bit at the end.
• 28:22
  Cathi Spooner: About a training that I have coming up.
• 28:24
  Cathi Spooner: It's in person 'cause we are getting hands in the sand.
• 28:28
  Cathi Spooner: It's a very small group.
• 28:30
  Cathi Spooner: I keep it really small.
• 28:32
  Cathi Spooner: I kind of call it like at a retreat like experience where we're small group, we're making sand trays, we're processing sand trays.
• 28:41
  Cathi Spooner: We're using that whole process for learning and, um, grounding that that work.
• 28:50
  Cathi Spooner: That we're doing with our child and adolescent clients.
• 28:54
  Cathi Spooner: So that's coming up in April.
• 28:57
  Cathi Spooner: If you're interested, registration is still open.
• 29:00
  Cathi Spooner: The early bird price is gonna be closing soon.
• 29:03
  Cathi Spooner: So I'll just let you know that.
• 29:06
  Cathi Spooner: Also, if you're interested in Plate Therapy Academy, 'cause you really want to develop the core competencies using play therapy with children, adolescents, and families, then I do have some openings.
• 29:19
  Cathi Spooner: Play Therapy Academy at this point in time.
• 29:24
  Cathi Spooner: So if you're interested in Play Therapy Academy or maybe you're not sure if Play Therapy Academy or Elevation Circle work is more, which one fits better, then just schedule a call and we will figure it out together.
• 29:41
  Cathi Spooner: Any what?
• 29:42
  Cathi Spooner: I decided in 2026,'cause Elevation Circle is currently closed.
• 29:48
  Cathi Spooner: Um, enrollment's not open at this point in time and I only have openings in Play Therapy Academy as people leave.
• 29:56
  Cathi Spooner: 'cause we keep that a very small group.
• 29:59
  Cathi Spooner: If, um, if you attend any of my trainings, like the, I have this week, if you're interested, I have a training on using play therapy with adolescents.
• 30:11
  Cathi Spooner: Using expressive arts registration for the training this Saturday, March 7th closes tomorrow, Thursday, March 5th.
• 30:20
  Cathi Spooner: I have that one, and then I also have the sand tray training next week.
• 30:24
  Cathi Spooner: I mean, sorry.
• 30:24
  Cathi Spooner: Next month in April, if you register for the trainings, then you do get access to two months of Elevation Circle.
• 30:33
  Cathi Spooner: The reason I've done that is because I really feel like, especially like with sand tray and using expressive arts and um, feeling more competent using it, what I found is it really does help to have a community of play therapists who are gonna have.
• 30:49
  Cathi Spooner: Kinda walk alongside of you to help you take what you learned in the training to apply it in real time.
• 30:55
  Cathi Spooner: So I, I always felt like I've, I've gone to the trainings, which I love, but then like a month later I'm like, what did we talk about?
• 31:04
  Cathi Spooner: How did they say to do this?
• 31:06
  Cathi Spooner: And then I go pull out my slides and I try to remember what they said.
• 31:10
  Cathi Spooner: So this way.
• 31:12
  Cathi Spooner: Having access to a plate therapy community in Elevation Circle is gonna provide support even after the training.
• 31:21
  Cathi Spooner: So I will talk some more about those at the end if you're interested in any of those.
• 31:29
  Cathi Spooner: So I wanna round up today's episode by talking about just giving you some ideas.
• 31:37
  Cathi Spooner: For using prompts for.
• 31:39
  Cathi Spooner: So typically when you're working with adolescents using the sand tray, then you are typically being more directive, giving them some prompts about getting started in the place in the sand tray.
• 31:54
  Cathi Spooner: This is true for adults as well.
• 31:57
  Cathi Spooner: I have found the sand tray making process to be so effective.
• 32:05
  Cathi Spooner: Excuse me, when I'm working with adolescent and also adults, especially when they've experienced a lot of trauma, or excuse me, attachment trauma, and we're working through some of those attachment wounds using the symbolic.
• 32:26
  Cathi Spooner: Avenues available through expressive arts in this, in this case, uh, sand tray.
• 32:33
  Cathi Spooner: The sand tray making process can be so, so valuable.
• 32:37
  Cathi Spooner: And to do that I'll usually use prompts.
• 32:40
  Cathi Spooner: So some prompts to think about.
• 32:42
  Cathi Spooner: Here's one.
• 32:43
  Cathi Spooner: So typically the way that I use prompts with the sand tray making press process with adolescents and adults, I'll put that in there.
• 32:54
  Cathi Spooner: Um, a lot of times that we might, like, I might be exploring some things.
• 32:58
  Cathi Spooner: We might be talking through a few things, and then I'll introduce the sand tray and I'll say, you know, in here it could be however we want.
• 33:08
  Cathi Spooner: So if you were go, let's say we were talking about depression, right?
• 33:13
  Cathi Spooner: And how they're feeling depressed and what it's like.
• 33:17
  Cathi Spooner: Experiencing those symptoms of depression where you feel like you're walking through a, a mud pit and you just are moving so slowly and you're feeling sluggish and you're just feeling down about everything and feeling a little hopeless, maybe you have one of those adolescent clients who are going way existential in their head and they can, they can get way too stuck in their head.
• 33:45
  Cathi Spooner: Introducing the sand tray can be a way to get them unstuck.
• 33:49
  Cathi Spooner: So the way that I might do that, if we're exploring depression and what that's like, I might say to my adolescent client or adult client.
• 33:59
  Cathi Spooner: So in here things can be however we want.
• 34:02
  Cathi Spooner: So if you were to choose one of these miniatures or several miniatures to represent.
• 34:11
  Cathi Spooner: What it feels like.
• 34:13
  Cathi Spooner: What is the experience of depression?
• 34:16
  Cathi Spooner: And you take those symbols and you put them in the sand, which ones would you choose?
• 34:21
  Cathi Spooner: And if it's the first couple of times, first, especially the first time, a lot of times what I'll also say is, you know, it doesn't always make sense why you're choosing or why you feel drawn to a particular miniature.
• 34:37
  Cathi Spooner: Just go with it.
• 34:38
  Cathi Spooner: I promise you, there's no wrong way to do this.
• 34:42
  Cathi Spooner: However you do it, it'll be just the way it needs to be.
• 34:46
  Cathi Spooner: There's no wrong way.
• 34:47
  Cathi Spooner: It'll, I promise you, it'll be, it'll all work out and it'll be just exactly how it needs to be, and then I'll just kind of competently hold that space quietly until they find a symbol or symbols that best represent that.
• 35:04
  Cathi Spooner: And then the key word I'm about to say is invitation.
• 35:10
  Cathi Spooner: That is a key word.
• 35:11
  Cathi Spooner: So what I do next is I invite.
• 35:15
  Cathi Spooner: Them to say as much or as little as they want to about that.
• 35:18
  Cathi Spooner: We wanna make sure it's an invitation so that it doesn't put too much pressure on them.
• 35:23
  Cathi Spooner: And if they don't wanna say anything, they don't have to say anything.
• 35:26
  Cathi Spooner: So that's one way I use the prompt.
• 35:29
  Cathi Spooner: Um, if, if you know there are some family issues, you, you might use the prompt of pick the miniatures that best represent how you see yourself.
• 35:43
  Cathi Spooner: In your family and then invite them to put that in the sand tray.
• 35:49
  Cathi Spooner: If they're exploring peer relationships and maybe they're struggling with that, you can invite them to pick the miniatures that best represent how they think their peers see them, their friends.
• 36:04
  Cathi Spooner: Um, what, what miniatures would represent that put those in the sand tray.
• 36:10
  Cathi Spooner: Or maybe you are doing some parts work.
• 36:13
  Cathi Spooner: Maybe you are a big fan of internal family systems and you're wanting to do some parts work.
• 36:22
  Cathi Spooner: You can explore them.
• 36:23
  Cathi Spooner: Maybe they're looking at an angry part.
• 36:28
  Cathi Spooner: And they can, you can invite them to pick the miniature or miniatures that best, represent that angry part and then put that in there.
• 36:37
  Cathi Spooner: Or maybe they have another part, or maybe there's one of the protectors that are kind of getting in the way.
• 36:44
  Cathi Spooner: Then you can have them, um, choose miniatures that best, re represent that protector, and maybe have a conversation with that protector about, Hey, can you.
• 36:56
  Cathi Spooner: Can you let this, this part over here, talk with us, or you know, that whole process?
• 37:04
  Cathi Spooner: Another prompt you can use is, I use this one especially early on in the treatment process, and that is using a safe world or using the miniatures to create a safe world.
• 37:19
  Cathi Spooner: So if you were to.
• 37:22
  Cathi Spooner: Um, create a, a safe world, what would that world look like?
• 37:27
  Cathi Spooner: And you can use as many or as few of the miniatures as you would like to create a safe world or your ideal world.
• 37:37
  Cathi Spooner: So those, again, are prompts, I find prompts work effectively in the beginning when I'm working with adolescent clients in the play therapy process.
• 37:49
  Cathi Spooner: Uh, also works well with adults as well, and again, you're, you're gonna wanna create that safe space in order for them to feel comfortable engaging that with you.
• 38:03
  Cathi Spooner: Okay.
• 38:05
  Cathi Spooner: So that is it for today.
• 38:07
  Cathi Spooner: Let me do a quick recap for today's episode of using the sand tray making process in play therapy with adolescents.
• 38:18
  Cathi Spooner: So sand tray, the sand tray making process.
• 38:21
  Cathi Spooner: Is an expressive arts modality, and you can integrate that in the play therapy process because you are helping your adolescent clients access those therapeutic powers of play based on a theoretical model.
• 38:38
  Cathi Spooner: And they could use that process for healing within that, um, safe therapeutic relationship.
• 38:46
  Cathi Spooner: And there are some developmental differences when you're working with children and adolescents in the play therapy process, including when you're integrating expressive arts like the sand tray making process.
• 39:01
  Cathi Spooner: So you wanna make sure to create that sense of safety.
• 39:05
  Cathi Spooner: In that therapeutic relationship because they need to get to know you a little bit better.
• 39:11
  Cathi Spooner: They probably need to sit in a chair, um, before you invite them into the sand tray.
• 39:18
  Cathi Spooner: Some, some, you know, and that's gonna look different, especially if you have a, an adolescent who's pretty emotionally shut down.
• 39:26
  Cathi Spooner: The conversations are not gonna be maybe as long as maybe a less shut down adolescent client, but there's usually some bit of helping that teenager.
• 39:39
  Cathi Spooner: Feel comfortable in the session with you before you invite them into the sand tray making process.
• 39:47
  Cathi Spooner: And then I shared some tips with you using about using prompts, because using prompts is pretty.
• 39:55
  Cathi Spooner: Um, it's a pretty effective way to help them get started, especially in the beginning and understanding how this process works and how they can use that sanctuary making process once they feel more comfortable in there.
• 40:11
  Cathi Spooner: You probably don't have to give as many prompts.
• 40:13
  Cathi Spooner: You probably just invite them into the sand tray and they all know exactly what to do.
• 40:20
  Cathi Spooner: And you can use the sand tray making process in your sessions as you're exploring different things, and then invite them to show you what that would look like using the miniatures.
• 40:33
  Cathi Spooner: What would that experience look like as you go through the treatment process?
• 40:39
  Cathi Spooner: So that is it for today.
• 40:42
  Cathi Spooner: If you are interested in, um.
• 40:48
  Cathi Spooner: In I more training, so you'll probably wanna hop over to my website.
• 40:54
  Cathi Spooner: My, um, I have a training coming up on Saturday, this Saturday, March 7th.
• 41:01
  Cathi Spooner: It's called Play Therapy with Adolescents using Expressive Arts.
• 41:06
  Cathi Spooner: The registration for that one closes tomorrow, March 5th.
• 41:13
  Cathi Spooner: Um, if you are interested in learning more about the sand tray and using the sand tray, then you, you, I have a training coming up next week, so the training on Saturday play therapy with adolescents using expressive arts.
• 41:31
  Cathi Spooner: There's a virtual option, there's an in-person option, and if the time zone doesn't work for you or maybe you're not available.
• 41:41
  Cathi Spooner: There is a recorded version that you can purchase the sand tray training because I think it's really important to get your hands in the sand creating and processing sand trays.
• 41:55
  Cathi Spooner: And we use that sand tray making process to learn.
• 41:59
  Cathi Spooner: Um, it's a very small group experience.
• 42:03
  Cathi Spooner: I have a few spots left for the April training.
• 42:06
  Cathi Spooner: It's two days where we immerse ourselves.
• 42:10
  Cathi Spooner: In the sand tray making process, learning and exploring together that that training is coming up next month in April.
• 42:23
  Cathi Spooner: The, if you're interested in either one of those trainings, you're gonna wanna pop over to my website at RH play therapy training.com.
• 42:32
  Cathi Spooner: That's renewing hearts play therapy training.com, and.
• 42:39
  Cathi Spooner: These two trainings come with 60 days of access to play therapy Elevation Circle at no cost for new members.
• 42:49
  Cathi Spooner: So if you're not already a member of Elevation Circle, then you have 60 days of access to Elevation Circle to continue.
• 42:59
  Cathi Spooner: That learning and getting support with what you've learned in the training.
• 43:04
  Cathi Spooner: I just really feel like having a place for support after the training is, is important to continue that, that learning process.
• 43:14
  Cathi Spooner: So if you're interested in those, then pop over to my website at rh play therapy training.com.
• 43:22
  Cathi Spooner: That's renewing Hearts Play Therapy training.
• 43:25
  Cathi Spooner: Also, if you are interested, I do have some openings in Play Therapy Academy.
• 43:32
  Cathi Spooner: Play Therapy Academy is my online, I call it like my tier two membership.
• 43:38
  Cathi Spooner: We go much deeper into skill building and core competencies in play Therapy Academy than we do in Elevation Circle.
• 43:49
  Cathi Spooner: Play Therapy Academy is a much smaller.
• 43:53
  Cathi Spooner: Online program.
• 43:55
  Cathi Spooner: We meet twice a month.
• 43:57
  Cathi Spooner: There are courses in the program, play therapy courses in there.
• 44:01
  Cathi Spooner: There's lots of support between our meetings.
• 44:05
  Cathi Spooner: We, we do case presentations, learning core competencies for play therapy so that you don't feel like an imposter when you're using play therapy and you have a much more grounded sense of how to take the play therapy model that you're using.
• 44:25
  Cathi Spooner: How do you apply that through each stage?
• 44:28
  Cathi Spooner: Of the play therapy process, and so I only have openings in Play Therapy Academy when others kind of graduate or move on.
• 44:39
  Cathi Spooner: I've had people in play therapy academy for, uh, sometimes they stay for a few months and then life happens and they need to kinda shift gears.
• 44:50
  Cathi Spooner: People can, will stay for like a year, two years, three years, a little longer.
• 44:55
  Cathi Spooner: We're really tight, supportive little group and it's, it's amazing to see what, um.
• 45:03
  Cathi Spooner: That experience of community and learning and growing together.
• 45:08
  Cathi Spooner: So if you're interested in Play Therapy Academy.
• 45:11
  Cathi Spooner: Then pop over to my website at rh play therapy training.com.
• 45:17
  Cathi Spooner: Go onto the supervision page and schedule a 30 minute video call with me.
• 45:23
  Cathi Spooner: We will figure out if Play Therapy Academy is a good fit for you or not, or maybe Elevation Circle might be a good fit for you and you can go on the wait list.
• 45:34
  Cathi Spooner: When we open up enrollment again for that.
• 45:37
  Cathi Spooner: So that is it for today, and I will see you next time.
• 45:49
  Cathi Spooner: Thank you for joining me on this episode of Next Level Play Therapy.
• 45:53
  Cathi Spooner: I hope you found the discussion valuable and gain new insights and ideas to support your work helping children, adolescents, and families heal.
• 46:03
  Cathi Spooner: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review.
• 46:08
  Cathi Spooner: Your feedback helps to improve and reach more people who can benefit from this information.
• 46:14
  Cathi Spooner: Remember.
• 46:15
  Cathi Spooner: Play therapy is a powerful tool for healing and growth.
• 46:19
  Cathi Spooner: Whether you're a new play therapist or experienced, I encourage you to continue your learning journey to unlock the potential of play in your own work and relationships.
• 46:30
  Cathi Spooner: If you have any questions or topics, suggestions for future.
• 46:35
  Cathi Spooner: I'd love to hear from you.
• 46:37
  Cathi Spooner: Connect with me on social media and visit my website at Renewing Hearts Play Therapy Training to stay updated on upcoming episodes, trainings, and resources.
• 46:50
  Cathi Spooner: Thank you once again for listening to Next Level Play Therapy.
• 46:53
  Cathi Spooner: Until next time, keep playing, learning and growing.