Tuesday, June 10, 2008
2008-2009 Sand Tray Therapy Training Series
Upcoming in January of 2009 -- Dates and location TBA
THE SAND TRAY PLAY THERAPY SERIES: A SKILL-BUILDING SERIES OF WORKSHOPS FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Course Instructor: Laurie Young, LCSW-C
For more information, e-mail Laurie Young at lyounglcswc@aol.com or call (301) 537-6363.
What is Sand Tray?
Sand tray is a "hands-on" expressive therapeutic approach that translates personal experience into concrete, three-dimensional form. Using a tray of sand, water, and thousands of miniature figurines, clients create and photograph 3-dimensional scenes in the sand. Without having to depend upon words, clients vividly and symbolically express feelings and conflicts in a tangible, highly personalized way.
Training Program Description
Sessions 1 and 2 are foundation courses and sessions 3 through 6 are electives. Participants must complete the first two sessions prior to signing up for any of the electives (or have permission from the instructor to start mid-series). This training is highly experiential; participants learn by immersing themselves in the experience of creating and witnessing play in the sand. The only way for mental health professionals to learn Sand tray is experience it it in a deeply personal way. However, please note that all experiential exercises are designed to provide professional training (not psychotherapy)...even though past participants report experiences of being deeply moved by their work in the sand.
Foundation Courses
SESSION #1
Introduction to sand tray. Participants will learn about the history and therapeutic value of sand tray play therapy, then build and hold a five-item sand tray. Participants will learn and practice the non-directive approach to conducting a sand tray session. Practical concerns about documentation and how to set up a sandtray space will be covered.
SESSION #2
Introduction to sand tray, part II. Participants will learn how to work with wet sand and will explore the archetypal meaning of earth and water. Working with wet sand , participants will explore a wide range of transference and countertransference reactions. Practicum will include building and holding wet sand trays, distinguishing between the archetypal meaning and idiosyncratic meaning of earth and water, and examining transference and counter transference reactions.
Electives
SESSION #3
Working with children and adolescents. Participants will learn how to integrate sand tray therapy into clinical assessment and treatment of children (ages 5 and up) and their work with adolescents. Participants will learn how to modify the non-directive approach to work with different age groups. Identification of common themes seen in children at different developmental stages will be included. Discussion of the role resistance plays and techniques used to address resistance will be included. Practical concerns of boundary-setting and working with parents will be discussed. Practicum will involve building and holding a directed sociogram sandtray.
SESSION #4
Using the sand tray to work with families. Following a review of family therapy principles, participants will learn how to modify the non-directive approach to work with families. This session will use lecture and case presentation to focus on the unique challenges and opportunities of working with families. Participants will take turns practicing family therapy interventions using sand tray.
SESSION #5
Using sand tray with parents to develop a working alliance. Participants will use the sand tray to collect psychosocial background information, develop a treatment plan, track progress in their child’s treatment and conduct parent education. Emphasis will be placed on addressing parental resistance (both to sand tray and to therapy) and on relationship-building with parents. Workshop participants will practice conceptualizing one of their own cases using sand tray.
SESSION #6
Deepening the sand tray experience by integrating it with art and guided imagery. Participants will learn how to amplify a theme by moving back and forth between sand tray, guided imagery and art. Emphasis will be placed on identifying archetypes and developing metaphors. The experiential practicum will integrate the use of guided imagery, art and sand tray to follow an archetype or metaphor.
About the Faculty
What is Sand Tray?
Sand tray is a "hands-on" expressive therapeutic approach that translates personal experience into concrete, three-dimensional form. Using a tray of sand, water, and thousands of miniature figurines, clients create and photograph 3-dimensional scenes in the sand. Without having to depend upon words, clients vividly and symbolically express feelings and conflicts in a tangible, highly personalized way.
Training Program Description
Sessions 1 and 2 are foundation courses and sessions 3 through 6 are electives. Participants must complete the first two sessions prior to signing up for any of the electives (or have permission from the instructor to start mid-series). This training is highly experiential; participants learn by immersing themselves in the experience of creating and witnessing play in the sand. The only way for mental health professionals to learn Sand tray is experience it it in a deeply personal way. However, please note that all experiential exercises are designed to provide professional training (not psychotherapy)...even though past participants report experiences of being deeply moved by their work in the sand.
Foundation Courses
SESSION #1
Introduction to sand tray. Participants will learn about the history and therapeutic value of sand tray play therapy, then build and hold a five-item sand tray. Participants will learn and practice the non-directive approach to conducting a sand tray session. Practical concerns about documentation and how to set up a sandtray space will be covered.
SESSION #2
Introduction to sand tray, part II. Participants will learn how to work with wet sand and will explore the archetypal meaning of earth and water. Working with wet sand , participants will explore a wide range of transference and countertransference reactions. Practicum will include building and holding wet sand trays, distinguishing between the archetypal meaning and idiosyncratic meaning of earth and water, and examining transference and counter transference reactions.
Electives
SESSION #3
Working with children and adolescents. Participants will learn how to integrate sand tray therapy into clinical assessment and treatment of children (ages 5 and up) and their work with adolescents. Participants will learn how to modify the non-directive approach to work with different age groups. Identification of common themes seen in children at different developmental stages will be included. Discussion of the role resistance plays and techniques used to address resistance will be included. Practical concerns of boundary-setting and working with parents will be discussed. Practicum will involve building and holding a directed sociogram sandtray.
SESSION #4
Using the sand tray to work with families. Following a review of family therapy principles, participants will learn how to modify the non-directive approach to work with families. This session will use lecture and case presentation to focus on the unique challenges and opportunities of working with families. Participants will take turns practicing family therapy interventions using sand tray.
SESSION #5
Using sand tray with parents to develop a working alliance. Participants will use the sand tray to collect psychosocial background information, develop a treatment plan, track progress in their child’s treatment and conduct parent education. Emphasis will be placed on addressing parental resistance (both to sand tray and to therapy) and on relationship-building with parents. Workshop participants will practice conceptualizing one of their own cases using sand tray.
SESSION #6
Deepening the sand tray experience by integrating it with art and guided imagery. Participants will learn how to amplify a theme by moving back and forth between sand tray, guided imagery and art. Emphasis will be placed on identifying archetypes and developing metaphors. The experiential practicum will integrate the use of guided imagery, art and sand tray to follow an archetype or metaphor.
About the Faculty
Ms. Young's particular expertise is in providing practical, solution-oriented psychotherapy for children, teenagers, adults and families in crisis. Besides maintaining an active psychotherapy practice, Ms. Young also provides clinical training to other therapists through monthly workshops and clinical supervision. This is her fourth year teaching the Silver Spring Sandtray Series.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, E-MAIL LAURIE YOUNG AT lyounglcswc@aol.com or call (301) 537-6363.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Using EMDR to Treat PTSD
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro nearly two decades ago. Since then nearly 100 case studies and at least 20 formal randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of EMDR versus other treatments to treat post-traummatic stress disorder (PTSD). As a result of this research, in 2004, the American Psychiatric Association gave EMDR the same status as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy--another well established therapy modality-- as an effective treatment of both acute and chronic symptoms of PTSD. One reason that EMDR remains the treatment of choice is that it usually requires fewer sessions than CBT and other behavior-based therapies for PTSD sufferers to experience relief and resolution of symptoms.
At SSPA, all of our therapists are trained in EMDR, not only to treat PTSD but also to provide relief for other anxiety disorders, depression, grief and to enhance performance in such areas as sports and public speaking. EMDR treatment begins with a thorough assessment of symptoms and memories surrounding a trauma or stressful life event and then targets specific areas to work on using a particular EMDR protocol developed by Francine Shapiro and the EMDR Institute in California. Sometimes EMDR just helps clients to relax using creative visualizations and guided imagery. Over the years, many of our clients have gotten significant benefits from using EMDR, which provides further evidence for us that it is now an important and ground-breaking therapy.
Kathleen Smith
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro nearly two decades ago. Since then nearly 100 case studies and at least 20 formal randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of EMDR versus other treatments to treat post-traummatic stress disorder (PTSD). As a result of this research, in 2004, the American Psychiatric Association gave EMDR the same status as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy--another well established therapy modality-- as an effective treatment of both acute and chronic symptoms of PTSD. One reason that EMDR remains the treatment of choice is that it usually requires fewer sessions than CBT and other behavior-based therapies for PTSD sufferers to experience relief and resolution of symptoms.
At SSPA, all of our therapists are trained in EMDR, not only to treat PTSD but also to provide relief for other anxiety disorders, depression, grief and to enhance performance in such areas as sports and public speaking. EMDR treatment begins with a thorough assessment of symptoms and memories surrounding a trauma or stressful life event and then targets specific areas to work on using a particular EMDR protocol developed by Francine Shapiro and the EMDR Institute in California. Sometimes EMDR just helps clients to relax using creative visualizations and guided imagery. Over the years, many of our clients have gotten significant benefits from using EMDR, which provides further evidence for us that it is now an important and ground-breaking therapy.
Kathleen Smith
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Eating Disorders
An eating disorder can be severe food restriction (anorexia), bingeing and purging (bulimia), consistent bingeing or overeating, or take a subtler form: "emotional eating", which means eating that is driven by emotions, not hunger.
Typically the person with an eating disorder feels very ashamed and attempts to keep the behavior a secret. A sense of shame about one's body; a preoccupation with food, weight, and appearance; and a feeling of being out of control are usually present also.
The goal in psychotherapy is two-fold, and happens simultaneously. One goal is to understand the (psychological) purposes that the behavior serves. As awareness of these underlying reasons grows, different ways can be found to meet those emotional needs. The other goal is to learn to manage the behavior, until it is no longer "needed".
In addition to psychotherapy, medication can be a useful part of the process
Catherine Lowry, LCSW-C
Typically the person with an eating disorder feels very ashamed and attempts to keep the behavior a secret. A sense of shame about one's body; a preoccupation with food, weight, and appearance; and a feeling of being out of control are usually present also.
The goal in psychotherapy is two-fold, and happens simultaneously. One goal is to understand the (psychological) purposes that the behavior serves. As awareness of these underlying reasons grows, different ways can be found to meet those emotional needs. The other goal is to learn to manage the behavior, until it is no longer "needed".
In addition to psychotherapy, medication can be a useful part of the process
Catherine Lowry, LCSW-C
Play Therapy
Play therapy is the preferred approach for conducting psychotherapy with children. Play therapy helps children to adjust to stressful life events (such as divorce, moving, changing schools), learn to express thoughts and feelings (without acting-out, nor repressing), learn new relational skills to use with friends, family and authority figures, and to cultivate self-acceptance and empathy for others.
Psychotherapy with children at Silver Spring Psychotherapy Associates always starts out with a careful assessment of the child's functioning at home, in school and in social relationships. A treatment plan is developed in collaboration with the parents, and is updated in regular parent meetings. At Silver Spring Psychotherapy Associates, parents are active participants in all phases of treatment.
Using play therapy with children, even the most challenging problems can be confronted, and solutions can be rehearsed, mastered and adapted into lifelong strategies. Using play therapy, children learn to communicate with others, express feelngs, modify behavior, develop problem-solving skills and learn a variety of ways of relating to others. Play therapy provides a safe psychological distance from their problems, and allows expression of thoughts and feelings appropriate to a child's developmental level.
This blog is loosely adapted from the APT web site.
Psychotherapy with children at Silver Spring Psychotherapy Associates always starts out with a careful assessment of the child's functioning at home, in school and in social relationships. A treatment plan is developed in collaboration with the parents, and is updated in regular parent meetings. At Silver Spring Psychotherapy Associates, parents are active participants in all phases of treatment.
Using play therapy with children, even the most challenging problems can be confronted, and solutions can be rehearsed, mastered and adapted into lifelong strategies. Using play therapy, children learn to communicate with others, express feelngs, modify behavior, develop problem-solving skills and learn a variety of ways of relating to others. Play therapy provides a safe psychological distance from their problems, and allows expression of thoughts and feelings appropriate to a child's developmental level.
This blog is loosely adapted from the APT web site.
Hello everyone,
our latest news is that our office has moved! Our new address is 8720 Georgia Ave, suite 808, Silver Spring, MD 20910. For Catherine, Kathleen, and Elizabeth, this is a move from the third floor to the eighth floor of our same building. For Laurie it's a move from Four Corners to downtown Silver Spring.
We made the move to enable all four of us to be together in one place, and to give us room to house an in-house sandtray collection,which will be set up within the next few weeks.
Catherine Lowry
our latest news is that our office has moved! Our new address is 8720 Georgia Ave, suite 808, Silver Spring, MD 20910. For Catherine, Kathleen, and Elizabeth, this is a move from the third floor to the eighth floor of our same building. For Laurie it's a move from Four Corners to downtown Silver Spring.
We made the move to enable all four of us to be together in one place, and to give us room to house an in-house sandtray collection,which will be set up within the next few weeks.
Catherine Lowry
Ego State Therapy
We all have different parts (ego states) or aspects to our personality, that have formed throughout our lifetimes. Everyone has child ego states, protector ego states, adult ego states, and integrator ego states.
A traumatic event, or unmet developmental needs, may result in a wounded child ego state, an over zealous protector ego state, or some other lack of integration of ego states. Any of these could manifest as a variety of symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, or compulsive behaviors.
Ego State Therapy is an experiential approach using imagery that helps one to explore, understand and ultimately to heal or integrate imbalances in one's ego state system
A traumatic event, or unmet developmental needs, may result in a wounded child ego state, an over zealous protector ego state, or some other lack of integration of ego states. Any of these could manifest as a variety of symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, or compulsive behaviors.
Ego State Therapy is an experiential approach using imagery that helps one to explore, understand and ultimately to heal or integrate imbalances in one's ego state system
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Some people suffer from symptoms of depression during the winter months, with the symptoms subsiding during the spring and summer months. This may be a sign of Seasonal Afffective Disorder or SAD, which was noted by doctors more than two hundred years ago but only named within the last twenty years.
As sunlight diminishes during the winter months, a shift occurs in our "biological internal clocks" or circadian rhythms. This can cause our biological clocks to be out of step with our daily schedules. The most difficult months for SAD sufferers are usually January and February, and younger persons and women, according to research, seem to be at higher risk.
If you have noticed a sudden downturn in your mood, or change in sleeping or eating patterns, with the shortening of daylight hours, consider SAD as a possible explanation. Consult with your doctor or a mental health professional about possible treatments, including psychotherapy, phototherapy (or bright light therapy), anti-depressants and seasonal/life changes that may help alleviate symptoms of SAD.
As sunlight diminishes during the winter months, a shift occurs in our "biological internal clocks" or circadian rhythms. This can cause our biological clocks to be out of step with our daily schedules. The most difficult months for SAD sufferers are usually January and February, and younger persons and women, according to research, seem to be at higher risk.
If you have noticed a sudden downturn in your mood, or change in sleeping or eating patterns, with the shortening of daylight hours, consider SAD as a possible explanation. Consult with your doctor or a mental health professional about possible treatments, including psychotherapy, phototherapy (or bright light therapy), anti-depressants and seasonal/life changes that may help alleviate symptoms of SAD.