[Suratji]

My T today brought out dolls today. I couldn't do it. Has anyone done that before?

[PTSDlovemycats]

Nope, I think that is generally done with kids isn't it? My T has a dollhouse, dolls, trucks, puzzles and games but we have never used them before. She specializes in children and adolescents...Did your T say why she wanted to use them?

[rainbow8]

I think of the book "Dib: In Search of Self" and "Play Therapy" by Axline, I think her name is, when you mention play therapy. Yes, it's usually done with kids. But, if you are dealing with the child parts of you, then it makes sense. When I wanted to fingerpaint, that was play therapy. Also coloring with markers, though I think toys like dolls are used in real play therapy.

I think as adults, we're not going to be able to let go enough to play with dolls. Is that what happened to you? Maybe something like fingerpainting or coloring would be a better means to the same end?

[PTSDlovemycats]

Thinking back now, I did on one occasion make a collage with my T. I'm not sure if that would e considered Play Therapy or more of Art Therapy...

[lastyearisblank]

What kind of dolls where they?

[PTSDlovemycats]

If they were Cabbage Patch Kids I would have been right in there like a dirty shirt! LOL!

[Suratji]

The dolls were soft cotton with no features at all. I guess the idea was to let a part of my personality communicate through the doll. I've read how this is useful for children and I've also researched just now how it can be used for adults in therapy. To be able to separate and possibly distance the emotions onto a doll and verbalize from there.

I told T it might be more useful that I have dolls representing different parts of myself communicate to each other instead of communicating with T. She thought that was a good idea. I told her I didn't want to do it now though.

Since then I've been thinking that it would be too scary and vulnerable for me to do that. I can imagine bringing out the different aspects of myself and having a free-for-all. Using the dolls could externalize it to some extent.

She invited me to take them home and decorate them with colored pens or any other way in order for them to represent what I would like. I think I could imagine doing such an exercise but not with T - I'd have to be alone. I would not be able to let myself be so exposed.

[granite1]

the closest i ever got to play T is drawing and sitting on the floor,and also tossing a ball back and forth to T to get me moving and able to interact some

Play therapy is generally done with children, but some therapist advocate "play" as a form of opening up clients who struggle communicating their feelings. Other therapists are trained in sand tray therapy--to me, it's absolutely glorious to be in the office of a therapist who uses sand tray therapy. She/he will have shelves and shelves of figures--mythical creatures, regular everyday people, babies, animals (wild and domesticated), structures, props like treasure chests, ghosts, monsters, super heros, houses, barns, money, crosses, gravestones, coffins, skeletons etc--there is no limit to the variety of things that can be used in a sand tray construction! Then the client is allowed to construct a representation of how they feel at the moment or what they feel represents their life in a small sandbox. The client is allowed to talk about the construction they have created and a picture is taken of it. In some practices, the therapist is able to "save" the construction and the client works on it over time. This technique can be used with children, teens, adults, couples and/or groups. It can be a very powerful medium.

When I'm feeling stuck in therapy, I would love to have a therapist who has a room filled with toys or a sandbox. . .. of course, I tend to be so self-conscious that I probably wouldn't be able to get up and go over to the toys and/or sandbox and engage in "playful" activities even if my therapist encouraged it. I have trouble just changing seats or getting up and moving when agitated. But some people are much more spontaneous and open to this kind of work. I really respect that ability!

[rainbow8]

I love to play in therapy; I wish my T had a sand tray! I loved fingerpainting and markers. I've always communicated best through art and writing rather than speech. It's freeing!

Suratji, do you think some kind of art would work better for you or have you tried that already?

[Suratji]

Originally Posted by Jaybird57

Play therapy is generally done with children, but some therapist advocate "play" as a form of opening up clients who struggle communicating their feelings. Other therapists are trained in sand tray therapy--to me, it's absolutely glorious to be in the office of a therapist who uses sand tray therapy. She/he will have shelves and shelves of figures--mythical creatures, regular everyday people, babies, animals (wild and domesticated), structures, props like treasure chests, ghosts, monsters, super heros, houses, barns, money, crosses, gravestones, coffins, skeletons etc--there is no limit to the variety of things that can be used in a sand tray construction! Then the client is allowed to construct a representation of how they feel at the moment or what they feel represents their life in a small sandbox. The client is allowed to talk about the construction they have created and a picture is taken of it. In some practices, the therapist is able to "save" the construction and the client works on it over time. This technique can be used with children, teens, adults, couples and/or groups. It can be a very powerful medium.

When I'm feeling stuck in therapy, I would love to have a therapist who has a room filled with toys or a sandbox. . .. of course, I tend to be so self-conscious that I probably wouldn't be able to get up and go over to the toys and/or sandbox and engage in "playful" activities even if my therapist encouraged it. I have trouble just changing seats or getting up and moving when agitated. But some people are much more spontaneous and open to this kind of work. I really respect that ability!

When I first started therapy I saw the wall of figurines in the corner of her office. I was intrigued and did some internet search to find out what Sand Tray was. I never imagined that I would actually do it. I've done it twice so far. In both cases I was really nervous and kept telling her that I didn't know how and I would 'fail'. In both cases, it so happened that we got into some deep stuff. She took a photo of them and they're in my file. And we discuss it immediately after I'm finished and also the next session. Very powerful

[Suratji]

Originally Posted by rainbow8

Suratji, do you think some kind of art would work better for you or have you tried that already?

I have zero artistic ability but I've been trying to write poems. I've told T that I have pages and pages of 'poems' but they're not coming together the way I want; they're not expressing the feelings accurately yet. I have not been able to retrieve what I need to convey what I feel. But I keep trying and one day I will have my poem ready. I am so eager for that. I have so much contained inside that needs to be released. And poetry, I think, is the best vehicle for that movement for me.

[quote=Suratji;1891126]I have zero artistic ability but I've been trying to write poems. I've told T that I have pages and pages of 'poems' but they're not coming together the way I want; they're not expressing the feelings accurately yet. I have not been able to retrieve what I need to convey what I feel. But I keep trying and one day I will have my poem ready. I am so eager for that. quote]

Wow, Suratji! This is exactly what sand therapy is suppose to do! So many of us believe that we have no artistic ability, but deep deep inside of us is a knowledge, a knowing, a intuitive feeling for what needs to be said. Your therapist's offering of sand tray therapy is obviously allowing that to happen for you! How lucky for you

Play therapy is typically used with children. It's their "language". However, if you have younger "parts" or alters, play therapy can be very beneficial. My inner children have done play therapy with our therapists and it works well.

Art therapy, psycho-drama, etc, are other areas of therapy that can be used with adults who struggling to communicate verbally.

Yes I have done play therapy and sand tray therapy, both only once. I didn't enjoy either of them at all. The play therapy involved hundreds of little toys and figurines as Jaybird said. I felt very self conscious and my T just sat there waiting for me to begin. A one timer only, and that was the end of that!!!

Oh yes have done loads of play therapy and art therapy. Favorite stuff ever.
We have lots of inside kids who love play therapy... we even made a dollhouse to take to T's office to play with because she didn't have her own.We took our own little family of dolls. Apparently one of the kids got mad at the "daddy" and opened T's door and threw him down the hallway
T also has lots of dolls and stuffed animals to play with, and do coloring and art and things like that.
Old T bought some of those Playskool Little People for us to play with and the kids would act out things with them.
Also have done sand tray therapy a few times but didn't quite get into that as much. More fun to just bury everyone in the sand and hide them, game over.
We also have a couple of "anatomically correct" boy and girl dolls that make frequent appearances in T to help the inside kids talk about abuse stuff.

[dizgirl2011]

Originally Posted by Jaybird57

I would love to have a therapist who has a room filled with toys or a sandbox. . .. of course, I tend to be so self-conscious that I probably wouldn't be able to get up and go over to the toys and/or sandbox and engage in "playful" activities even if my therapist encouraged it. I have trouble just changing seats or getting up and moving when agitated. But some people are much more spontaneous and open to this kind of work. I really respect that ability!

I feel this way too. My T never does that type of Therapy, I wish she did as I have an inner child whos in a lot of pain and yet I just get told how I have to comfort her, but the adult part of me has tried many times and gets completely stuck because she hate the little me. I do take a teddy with me to therapy but I just hold her.

xxxx

I never did any type of play therapy in my sessions. Although I wouldn't mind pulling out a deck of cards and having a game or 2 of poker.

[PTSDlovemycats]

Originally Posted by stormyangels

Play therapy is typically used with children. It's their "language". However, if you have younger "parts" or alters, play therapy can be very beneficial. My inner children have done play therapy with our therapists and it works well.

I am just wondering what exactly are "parts"? I have heard this term used many times and I am wondering what it is. Does it have anything to do with DID?

[Suratji]

My understanding is that 'playing' with symbols is a way to tap into the unconscious. In my case, I am very analytical and analysis does not work well in that arena. Those people who are artistic or musical can use those non-verbal methods to access deeper parts of themselves. People like me who are not talented in that way can use figurines to bypass the 'superficial' mind and go directly to the 'deeper' mind.

[PTSDlovemycats]

Hmmm...that is interesting...I want to play with my T's toys!!

[Indie'sOK]

Originally Posted by TryinToGetBy

I never did any type of play therapy in my sessions. Although I wouldn't mind pulling out a deck of cards and having a game or 2 of poker.

Agreed!

[PTSDlovemycats]

Originally Posted by Indie'sOK

Agreed!

I am in on this too!!

[PTSDlovemycats]

Originally Posted by Indie'sOK

Agreed!

Hey Indie, I know this is off topic but which chat do you lead? I see that you are a chat leader. Just curious.

[Indie'sOK]

I couldn't do play therapy, even if I wanted to. I know I'd get embarassed, as I often do whenever we try something new in therapy. I'd love to do art therapy, but being an art student I think I've got this covered

Cats, I sent you a PM