Using the Sand Tray to Facilitate Client Creativity: A Strengths Focused Approach to Adolescent Depression

ABSTRACT

Interventions incorporating the sand tray are presented as a tool for facilitating creative solutions in adolescent clients presenting with depression. The authors describe how interventions using the sand tray promote client strengths and provide a tool for adolescent clients to better understand their depressive symptoms, identify triggers, and practice coping skills. Attention will be given to how these interventions can be used across counseling perspectives including cognitive-behavioral, narrative, and psychodramatic approaches. The intervention is described and the authors present a case study of its use with an adolescent client experiencing significant levels of depression.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescents
• creativity
• creativity in counseling
• depression
• sand tray

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Josie Nickum

Josie Nickum and Lucy Lewis Purgason are with the Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington.

Lucy Lewis Purgason

Josie Nickum and Lucy Lewis Purgason are with the Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington.