Changes in verbalizations during sandplay: an empirical study

This is a quantitative study of an 11-year-old boy diagnosed with major depression who in all but one session made a sandplay. A computerized system was used to analyse the written verbalizations on four dimensions of positive and negative: emotions, contracts (psychosocial agreements, relationships, etc.), performance (behaviour) and rewards. It was hypothesized that the verbalizations made by the patient (recorded by the therapist) would become more positive and less negative during the course of therapy. The positive and negative values of the four dimensions were correlated with the session number. This was supported on two (performance & contract) of the four positive dimensions (statistically significant). The hypothesis that the negative dimensions would become less negative was supported on all four dimensions (statistically significant). Thus, six of the eight hypotheses were supported. This uninvestigated area of research illustrates verbal interactions between patient and therapist were an important aspect of sandplay therapy. Through reanalysing the sessions for quantitative content, written recording of direct quotes and observation of behaviour, data was entered into a valid and reliable coding system to quantitatively analyze the verbalizations. This analysis of verbalizations of the patient and observations made by the therapist indicates sandplay therapy is multifaceted.     

On My Terms: Sharing a Story of Hypocrisy and Transformation

The 4th interviewee for the Hearing Our Elders series is Mr. Bob Zellner. Mr. Zellner's experience growing up in the segregated South underscores a commitment to stand up to obstacles and societal norms, even when to do so was life threatening. His experiences remind us of a historical time not too long ago that, to hear, one might think could never happen. And yet, witnessing his experience in the context of modern‐day struggles portrayed in the civil rights movement; the 2016 Tennessee denial of service law for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals; and the 2016 Orlando shooting outside a gay nightclub reminds us that the historical events of Mr. Zellner's past are not too distant from the present. The interview captures 6 themes: being nonconforming in the face of punitive measures, living a purposeful life, pushing beyond comfort zones, early experiences as resilience building, self‐evaluation as a cornerstone for commitment, and giving meaning to grief. El señor Zellner creció en una comunidad segregada del sur, y su experiencia subraya su compromiso para enfrentar obstáculos y normas sociales, aunque hacerlo pueda poner en riesgo la vida. Sus vivencias nos recuerdan un periodo histórico no muy lejano que hoy podría parecer inconcebible. Y aun así, contemplar sus experiencias en el contexto de las luchas actuales del movimiento por los derechos civiles (como la ley de 2016 en Tennessee que permitía denegar servicios a personas lesbianas, gais, bisexuales, transexuales y queer; y el tiroteo de 2016 en Orlando en un club gay) nos recuerda que los eventos históricos del pasado del señor Zellner no están tan alejados del presente. La entrevista captura 6 temas: el inconformismo frente a medidas punitivas, vivir la vida con decisión, salir de las zonas de confort, experiencias tempranas como factores de resiliencia, la autoevaluación como cimiento del compromiso, y darle sentido al sufrimiento.