Individual Child Therapy: Art and Sandtray

While many arts therapists doing child assessments have adequate play space and an abundance of play materials, this is not the case for many others who need to work in tight quarters, managing equally tight budgets. This video may be of help to those in such circumstances, because it shows 3 therapists interviewing “volunteer patients” for the first time, conducting arts assessments with a small assortment of materials. In this video, Judy Rubin interviews a 7-year-old; Carole Kunkle-Miller interviews a 12-year-old; and Ellie Irwin does a modified sand world interview with a 10-year-old.

In these assessments, the art therapy supplies are minimal, while the sand world interview substitutes miniature life toys and a large plastic container filled with sand for the typical wet and dry sandtables and the many objects and miniatures that most sandplay therapists offer. The important factor in these initial interviews is not the abundance of materials, however;  the crucial therapeutic factor is an engaged and interested  therapist who can help the child make up a personalized story or fantasy, stimulated by the available materials. This beginning relationship coupled with the initial foray into the child’s inner world can then be further elaborated in future sessions.

Total Running Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes, 48 seconds