Check out these videos :) Hopefully you’ll find them useful for your project:

(turn up the volume for this one!)

Warm Regards,
- Liz

Training to be a counsellor at the moment and would love to go into Art Therapy at some point.

Thanks!

:)

Thanks for clarifying about the art therapy sessions. I read one of your posts that talked about a piece you’d made and it made mention of discussions with your therapist. Somehow I assumed that these discussions were with an art therapist. How brave of you to bring in your artwork to your sessions!

It’s actually quite common that you found it easier to communicate at first using art making, which then led to writing and oral expression. Briefly, the theory behind this phenomenon lies in the idea that memories can be stored as images (and also as tactile or auditory sensations, etc…), so it follows that one could find it difficult to translate the images into words without some way to bridge the two…which is where art making comes in.

I don’t know much about Sandtray, but I was briefly exposed to it during an internship where I worked with children and teens in Philadelphia. From what I understand, there are many similarities between art therapy and Sandtray…and I know that Sandplay is similar as well and is based upon Jungian psychology. I’m sure at one point I’ll get some training on one of these methods…along with all the other stuff that intrigues me, like EMDR. If you’re interested in learning a little more about Sandplay, I know that Dr. David Van Nys who hosts two podcasts, 1) shrink rap radio and 2) wise counsel, has interviewed a Sandplay expert on one of his archived shows.

You’re right, DID is not very well understood, and is still somewhat controversial. You’re blog is an eye opener. Keep up the good work, and I’ll definitely be stopping by to explore some more.

I am a teacher. I only substitute teach right now, but when I was working full time I worked with children with emotional/behavioral disorders. I did art therapy with them weekly. I had some training on art therapy while in my Master’s program. My art actually started the second year I was teaching when I decided to do some of my own assignments at home. Mostly though I just drew whatever was on my mind at the time.

Do you do much work with Sandtray?? It is so much like art therapy, only more tactile and 3 dimensional. I used a sandtray in my classroom as well. I studied Sandtray more than I did traditional art therapy in my graduate program and attended a few play therapy conferences. I have actually given thought to going back to school at some point to get a degree in counseling and working with children and adolescents. Time will tell. I certainly have a lot of my own therapy to do first.

I am glad that you like my blog. Come as often as you wish. It is my hope that people will understand that DID does not = crazy. Mostly, I am just like anyone else. If you knew me casually, or even if your were a good friend, you would not guess. However trained professionals pick up on it, and my husband as well. Obviously if you live with someone that has DID, you will see more. But even people who are married to someone with DID don’t acknowledge it if the switching isn’t very prominent. Lots of people expect DID to look the way they see it in the media, and for the majority of people with DID, that is just not the way it is.

Thanks again for the compliments on my blog. What you said was a comfort and an encouragement to me.
Secret Shadows