There are times when words are simply not enough to bring about change and healing.
Incorporating different aspects of creative art mediums to facilitate process rather than a product, Creative Therapy includes any of the following; Sandplay, Clay, Storyplay®. All are psychotherapeutic approaches which can be used with children, young people and adults.
Whilst talking therapy works mainly in the domain of the conscious mind, Creative Therapy works primarily with the unconscious mind. Processing through the right hemisphere of the brain allows for emotions to emerge from which healing can take place.
The therapist will not urge you to talk as you connect to what is meaningful and important as you express yourself in whatever way feels right for you.
Sandplay Therapy
Sandplay Therapy works gently, in a simple, yet profound way to bring about emotional healing and change. A series of sandplay images portrayed in the sand tray creates an on-going dialogue between the conscious and the unconscious aspects of your psyche which activates a healing process and the development of the personality.
What happens - The therapist will offer you the chance to make a picture, image, story or sculpture in a box of sand, known as the sand tray. You can choose from a variety of small objects to make whatever you wish, or, you may just choose to sculpt the sand, adding water or leaving the sand dry.
Clay Therapy
Clay Therapy is referred to as a ‘deep’ and active psychotherapy which reaches the core of unexpressed feelings and emotions. Touch is one of the first sensory responses to develop in humans and through the physical manipulation of the clay, a primal mode of expression and communication is enabled allowing the opening up and activation of emotions, buried experiences and memories into consciousness.
What happens - The therapist will invite you to work freely with a block clay. You can use your hands to manipulate the clay in whichever way you choose; holding, smoothing, squeezing, squashing, bashing or to create whatever takes shape.
Storyplay®
Storyplay is a model of therapy that draws upon the natural inner resources, skills and strengths of the individual. It provides creative approaches for healing, problem solving, self-growth and professional development. A resilience based indirective method, it brings together the different elements of story, metaphor, play and creativity to unearth and utilise inner resources of the individual to provide restorative steppingstones to help connect to life’s joy.
What happens - The therapist will offer creative mediums and utilise therapeutic storytelling, story crafts, living metaphors and therapeutic rituals for you to express yourself in whichever way you choose to bring about transformational change.