This systematic single case study explored the findings of the therapeutic effect of sandplay therapy on an 11 year-old, Caucasian male, affected by the somatic symptoms of migraine headaches and asthma. The sandplay sessions were conducted in the
researcher’s play therapy room in a clinic setting, once weekly over a 20-week period.
The study sought to understand the link between the participant’s somatic symptoms of asthma and migraine headaches with the chakra centres in the body as expressed in the elements of his sandplay. It also tracked the researcher’s thoughts, feelings, emotional and somatic reactions to the participant’s sandplay.
Sandplay provided the participant with the means to project his internal emotional states
via symbolic representations in the sand tray. The use of the miniatures created a scene or story that facilitated the integration of unconscious material with consciously held beliefs and feelings. The effectiveness of sandplay as a treatment modality is that the sand picture stands for itself. Interpretation was rarely needed, nor given to the participant. This aided him to process and integrate past difficulties leading to changes in his physical and emotional well-being which affected his behaviour in his outer world.
