*A 9 year old engaging in Sandplay Therapy, chooses symbols and arranges them in the sand tray to create and then play out an epic battle.*

How can these therapies help?

If we put a child’s unhappy memories or challenging behaviour in the spotlight and ask then to talk about it, we risk retraumatising or humiliating them. Instead, by building on the foundations of trust and a safe therapeutic relationship, with play and expressive therapies, we can acknowledge and accept all parts of a child without judgement.

When children are able to lead the play or choose the activity, we support them to build and strengthen a more positive sense of self. They find things they like about themselves.

What activities are included?

At Heart’s Light Studio a range of expressive tools, toys and techniques are on offer to cater for individual needs and preferences. This ensures that every child can select what they need, and, using their hands and imagination, find their own individual path toward mental and emotional wellbeing.

While many children choose to create a story or image using symbols in the sand tray, some just want to paint or draw, and others like to act out their story through role play with soft toys or puppets.

Children who love to create objects to take home, might use craft materials to make a safe place for a small animal figure, or worry dolls to take care of their worries at night.

Others will carefully decorate a shoe box over several sessions, and create their own fidget toys or significant items to remind them of their strengths. When it goes home at the end of therapy, the box becomes their special treasure chest or calm-down kit.

Older children may work with card sets to clarify their strengths and values, or identify a protector spirit animal or superhero, and then create artworks, sculptures or images to represent and remind themselves of these.

Clients of any age may simply need to receive some calming sensory feedback, by immersing their hands or feet in soft cotton sand, or finger-painting with both hands together. And there is always the option of sensory play with clay (see Clay Field Therapy.®)