Untapped Therapeutic Potential: Using Sandtray in Substance Abuse Treatment Groups

ABSTRACT

Substance use is a significant problem that plagues many individuals and families. Of the millions needing substance use related services, a fraction of those receive treatment in an inpatient treatment facility. Most of those facilities use evidence-based practices to treat these disorders. While research shows the benefits of verbal methodologies, adding a sensory-based, creative process to the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD) could have massive benefits due to the neurological and developmental changes that take place with trauma and substance abuse. Clinical illustrations of using sandtray therapy in SUD treatment groups are provided.

KEYWORDS:

• Sandtray therapy
• substance abuse
• substance use disorders
• SUD treatment groups
• creativity in counseling