MOOSE JAW — Moose Jaw Family Services Inc. (MJFS) can now provide an even greater level of mental health support for the community following a recent counsellor training program that added sand tray and play-based therapy techniques to its available services this fall.
Counsellors with this additional training are now incorporating these techniques to expand their existing methods including Eye Movement, Desensitization, and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy that executive director Tara Jones is qualified to administer.
“It’s so wonderful that we can make sure people know what we’re offering, because then those people can take advantage of it,” Jones announced.
“They can be receiving services they need that they might not be able to get through other organizations, and at the more affordable costs that we have (as compared to some alternatives).”
Specialized training was arranged through Rapid Access Counselling (RAC), a province-wide program co-ordinated by Family Service Saskatchewan.
Three MJFS counsellors can now deliver a form of sand tray and play-based therapy including counselling co-ordinator Cecily Carrillo, MAMFT, CCC.
Play-based therapy models understand that children and youth process experiences more through movement and play than words, Carrillo explained. These techniques are less focused on outcomes and more child centred with a focus on appropriate developmental tasks and healthy attachment — all in the context of play.
Most counselling approaches involve talk, which uses the language centre and cognition in the left hemisphere of the brain.
“While this can be a wonderful way to process and work through presenting problems, it can limit full processing of our brain’s right hemisphere,” she said.
The right hemisphere, by contrast, carries somatic memories and nervous system responses to alarm and trauma — among other aspects unique to this half of the brain. Current research suggests that it’s important to involve both brain hemispheres in therapy methodologies.
“A simple way I like to explain it is: ‘Talk therapy is like playing the piano with one hand; while (talk therapy) can create music and a good tune, it can be limited,'” she said. “When piano music involves both hands, there can be layers and depth to the melody.
“The same can be true for counselling when we think of both the left and right hemispheres of the brain.”
Sand tray therapy may better suit some clients as it involves the five senses and promotes right brain processing. It uses a literal sand tray to create pictures and the sand itself to express oneself using non-verbal methods.
“The sand can be a way to ground one’s nervous system and turn inward,” Carrillo explained. “As clients work with the sand… the movement begins to support the ‘unwinding’ of the nervous system and opens up further processing.”
This method could benefit all ages and types of people and might be “especially helpful for processing trauma or painful events, as it does not require the use of story or descriptions” which can sometimes re-traumatize.
The hopeful outcome of the new therapy techniques is to “increase nervous system regulation, support the processing of ‘stuck’ emotions, and (potentially)… help clients reimagine situations and ‘play’ with possibilities, planting seeds for hope and transformation.”
Although these options are now available, it’s important to clarify that they’re offered “at a minimal level as a creative modality to promote regulation and communication through metaphor, especially for youth,” Carrillo explained.
To be fully qualified as Certified Play Therapists, MJFS councillors require further master’s level training and clinical supervision — which may be on the way.
“It is our hope to pursue more training in this area, as it could greatly benefit our community,” Carrillo said.
For more information or to book a session email [email protected].
Moose Jaw Family Services Inc. is located at 200 Main Street Â鶹ÊÓƵ and can be reached at 306-694-8133. For more information visit or ‘’ on Facebook.
