Lenore F. Steinhardt, MA, ATA, CST-T
Journal of Sandplay Therapy
Volume 23, Issue 1, 2014
Keywords
Sandplay therapy, mask, sculpted sand, sand masks, mask objects, symbol, archetypal, mourning, grief, proceeding, individuation, clinical examples, child, adultSandplay therapy, mask, sculpted sand, sand masks, mask objects, symbol, archetypal, mourning, grief, proceeding, individuation, clinical examples, child, adult
Abstract
This article was presented at the ISST Congress held in Venice, in August 2013, whose theme was “The Mask.” It focuses on 3 categories of masks that appear in sandplay: miniatures that wear masks—superheroes and clowns; mask objects—replicas of mythical or religious masks; and masks that are sculpted directly in sand. In the sandtray, masks are played with, placed or created, and not worn. A mask emphasizes the gaze of eyes behind the surface, a shared encounter between the mask and the viewer that suggests a visible boundary between the conscious factual world and the archetypal invisible world. Masks bring the client into relationship with the puzzle of what is hidden. An overview of the 3 mask forms is followed by examples from 4 sandplay processes: masks in the spontaneous trays of a young boy; masks in the mourning process of a girl for her father; a gold mask used in 3 sandtrays in a spiritual dialogue with a young mother; and different mask forms that aid the individuation process of a 28-year-old woman. Three examples of sculpted sand masks are also discussed.
German / Deutsch
Drei Artenvon Masken in der Sandspieltherapie: Miniaturen die Masken Tragen, Masken als Objekte und Geformte Sandmasken
ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Diese Schrift wurde im August 2013 auf dem ISST Kongreß in Venedig präsentiert, dessen Thema »Die Maske« war. Drei Kategorien von Masken werden fokussiert, die im Sandspiel sichtbar sind. Vier Beispiele von Sandspielprozessen sind inbegriffen und drei Beispiele von Sandmasken werden ebenfalls besprochen.
SCHLÜSSELWÖRTER: Sandspieltherapie, Maske, Fallbeispiele, Kind, Erwachsener, geformter Sand, Sandmasken, Maskenobjekte, Symbol, archetypisch, trauern, Trauer
Suggested Citation
Steinhardt, L. (2014). Three forms of masks in sandplay therapy: Miniatures wearing masks, mask objects, sculpted sand masks. Journal of Sandplay Therapy, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.61711/jst.2014.23.1.500
