Enabling Children & Teens to Speak About Feelings Through Sandplay Therapy

Overview

On this training day you’ll discover how sand play can be a powerful tool to help children and teenagers reflect on their lives and process difficult emotions.

You’ll explore the use of symbolic play with miniature figures in the 3D sand tray environment, enabling young people to express what is important in their lives when words are hard to find. The training focuses on how to recognise and respond to key emotional themes, metaphors, and recurring imagery in different sand worlds.

Participants will learn how to create a psychologically safe space from the outset, enabling children and teenagers to share their inner world - often for the first time.

Sandplay is especially effective for young people dealing with trauma, anxiety, grief, manifesting in distressed behaviour. The training includes powerful case studies, hands-on learning, and the opportunity to experience sandplay therapeutic interventions first-hand.

Please note: These days are very much an introduction to the use of the therapeutic arts to enhance your listening skills and creative ways of connecting with children and young people. If you're interested in further training, please see TISUK and IATE for professional programs.

About the presenter

Ellie Baker

Expert in arts therapy and child psychotherapy, supervision, illustration, parenting.

Integrative Arts Psychotherapist/Supervisor (UKCP). Work included: Lead Supervisor - Adolescent Psychiatric Unit (Education), Clinical Lead Foster Care Support Multi-Disciplinary Assessment Treatment/Therapy Service. Head of Psychological Health and Wellbeing, Wave Multi Academy Trust. Artist Lead for Arts Lab Project (secondary education settings), Therapeutic Lead Attune Research Project (ACEs/Trauma-Informed Practice Oxford, Falmout and Kent Universities). Delivered parenting courses for decades. Chair for The Centre for Child Mental Health for 15 years.

About the venue

1 Danes Yard, Sugar House Island, Stratford, London, E15 2QL

1 Danes Yard, the home of the Institute for Arts in Therapy & Education (IATE), is located in the heart of the stunning creative quarter known as Sugar House Island. Offering an inspiring selection of creative event spaces, it has been carefully designed to create a unique and stimulating environment for your event.