Highlighted Events

A heart-centered workshop with gentle practices for exploring what feels sacred. This heart-centered workshop offers gentle, contemplative practices that invite participants to sense what feels sacred within their own human experience, including the deeply personal ways spirituality can be felt or expressed. Through embodied exercises, reflective moments, a brief sandtray experience, and personal journaling, participants will explore their own spirituality in ways that feel authentic and personally meaningful. Grounded in personal meaning and experiential awareness, this session creates space for participants to connect with aspects of human life that feel profound, tender, or spiritually significant. The presentation will also explore spirituality as a deeply personal dimension of human life, acknowledging the unique beliefs, practices, and values each person holds, including those rooted in religious traditions. In addition, we will consider best practices for incorporating spirituality into clinical practice in ways that honor client autonomy, cultural diversity, and the unique meanings individuals bring to their therapeutic journeys. Together, we will consider how opening the heart in this way can enrich sand therapy practice across diverse cultural and theoretical backgrounds, honoring the universal human capacity to experience spirituality in unique and personally resonant ways.

This study evaluates the ACST Training Program I developed — a year-long curriculum grounded in ACT and situated within contextual behavioral science, neuroscience, and interpersonal neurobiology.

Abstract

This paper introduced Acceptance and Commitment Sandtray Therapy (ACST) as a new branch of sand therapy theory. As a novel framework, it offers a fresh approach to conducting sandtray therapy and provides additional avenues for pursuing research. The creation and articulation of ACST is an evolution of my unique experience as an enthusiastic and dedicated studen of both Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Sandtray Therapy (STT). Part of this article's purpose is to introduce ACT's foundational philosophy and theory. I achieve this by briefly describing radical behaviorism, functional contextualism, and relational frame theory. However, the primary focus of this paper is to highlight the six core psychological processes used in ACST and provide an example using a fictitious client's tray with those processes in mind. Suggested protocols for implementing this framework, along with therapeutic interventional prompts appropriate for its application, are also offered. This work is significant in that it bridges two worlds: the contextual behavioral science realm of ACT and the interpersonal neurobiology domain of STT. With the mergence of this new model, new possibilities are on the horizon for both professional communities.

This introductory workshop was an introduction and overview of Acceptance and Commitment Sandtray Therapy (ACST), a framework that bridges the worlds of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Sandtray Therapy. This workshop was for anyone curious about this modality. It this provided a basic understanding of ACST an offered an opportunity to participate in a short experiential exercise. 

This presentation explored innovative strategies to address the pervasive issue of loneliness among aging individuals. Grounded in ethical principles, we delved into the relevance and need of fostering meaningful connection in this population. How to address loneliness with our aging clients using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, creativity, playfulness, and spirituality was explained. This was an experiential workshop, and participants had the opportunity to participate in an interactive creative activity. Supplies needed: paper and one of the following: crayons, pastels, marker, colored pencils, gel pens. Even if these weren't on hand, attendees could still participate!

Metaphor is a powerful tool for enhancing therapeutic engagement and insight. This workshop introduced a suggested protocol for incorporating visual metaphor as evocative relational imagery, lending enhanced precision, scope, and depth to the therapeutic process. This workshop highlighted experiential learning and practical application. Participants were guided through a step-by-step process, including an explanation of the protocol, a live demonstration, breakout room practice, and a group discussion. Key considerations such as managing challenging emotions and fostering present moment awareness were addressed. The workshop encouraged reflection on the purpose, context, and population(s) for using metaphorical imagery. This innovative intervention added to the therapeutic repertoire of attendees and enhanced their ability to facilitate client self-awareness and emotional expression. This workshop was suitable for clinical professionals seeking to deepen their understanding and application of metaphor in therapy. All levels of expertise were welcomed!

THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

The Art Share Project was a community based initiative aimed at responding to the US national epidemic of loneliness by fostering connections through art. Any patron or citizen in the Fayetteville/Cumberland County area could participate.

Participants could gain a sense of belonging, camaraderie, and generosity of spirit in this shared artistic adventure. Even if we are alone in this world, we know that creative expression helps us feel connected. By fostering a vibrant cultural exchange through a project of this nature, the feeling of loneliness for all who actively participate can be soothed.

HOW IT WORKS

Participants were invited to take a mini art kit home with them. Basic instructions and information was included with each kit. Once they were done with the art kit activity, they were invited to return their creation to the Art Share Depot and leave it as a gift to a stranger.

Or, they could snap a picture of their creation and upload it here:

#ArtShareProjectFayCC

If they saw a creative gift they'd like to have, they were invited to feel free to take it home and take a moment to appreciate the generosity of the giver.