Sand & Clay Therapy

06/11/2025

I thoroughly enjoyed this piece of writing. Thank you for sharing it with us. 😊👏💕

Wisdom from Nature: The Spider’s Patience in Building Again

When the wind sweeps through the forest, breaking branches and tearing down the spider’s web, the little creature doesn’t sit in mourning. It doesn’t curse the storm, nor does it wait for pity. Instead, it begins again, thread by thread, line by line, with quiet patience and unwavering focus.

The spider teaches us a profound truth about life: strength is not in what we build, but in our willingness to rebuild.

Every morning, the spider wakes to uncertainty. Its web may be gone, its hard work erased overnight. Yet it starts anew, without complaint, without hesitation. Why? Because its purpose is greater than its pain. Its instinct tells it: “To live, I must build again.”

In our human journey, storms come too. Dreams collapse, relationships break, businesses fail, and plans crumble. But just like the spider, we are called not to weep over broken webs, but to rise, rebuild, and trust the process once more.

The spider’s lesson is patience wrapped in persistence. It doesn’t rush the threads or take shortcuts; it knows that beauty and strength come from steady work. And when the web is complete again, glistening in the morning dew, it stands not only as a trap for prey but as a quiet monument of endurance.

Two proverbs remind us of this truth:
🕷️ “The spider’s web may be fragile, but it catches what it needs.”
🌿 “A tree that bends in the wind will never break.”

So, the next time life tears down your web, remember the spider. Do not despair. Begin again. Not because it’s easy, but because your destiny demands it.

Moral:
Patience is power. The world rewards not those who never fall, but those who quietly rebuild after every storm.

©️Africa Today

04/11/2025

🌾 The Free and Protected Space

“The child’s play must be free, yet held.” — Dora Kalff

Healing starts when a child feels safe enough to be their wild, goofy self. In Jungian Sandplay Therapy, the tray’s edges say, “Don’t spill!” while the open sand whispers, “Go ahead, make a mess!” It’s a perfect setup for the inner world to come out and play, no translator required.

Dan Siegel reminds us that a child’s brain is like a Wi-Fi router—it works best when it feels secure, seen, and occasionally rebooted. At home, parents can create this magic with calm routines, choices that aren’t too wild, and listening without jumping in to fix every tiny “disaster.”

When adults master this art—firm like a cookie crust, soft like its gooey center—kids find their way back to being the delightful little chaos-makers they’re meant to be.

✨ Read the full article: The Free and Protected Space – How Sandplay and Parenting Create Safe Ground for Growth
https://rinalouwclinical.co.za/healing-begins-in-spaces-safe-and-free/

04/11/2025

🌾 The Free and Protected Space

“The child’s play must be free, yet held.” — Dora Kalff

Healing begins when a child feels both safe and free.
In Jungian Sandplay Therapy, the tray’s boundaries create protection, while the open sand invites freedom — allowing the child’s inner world to unfold without fear or words.

Dan Siegel reminds us that a child’s brain integrates best when they feel safe, seen, soothed, and secure.
At home, parents can offer the same space through calm routines, choice within limits, and listening without fixing.

When adults hold this balance — strong edges, soft center — children find their way back to wholeness.

✨ Read the full article: The Free and Protected Space – How Sandplay and Parenting Create Safe Ground for Growth
https://rinalouwclinical.co.za/healing-begins-in-spaces-safe-and-free/

03/11/2025

See what I found in my travels to Potchefstroom......
an old man with calm eyes and bare feet.
He carries no weapons, no crown, only wisdom born from stillness.

In Sandplay, this Wise Old Man appears in both children’s and adults’ worlds.
For a child, he may symbolize the inner guide— the part that knows, even when words are few.
For an adult, he often arrives as the inner sage — reminding us to slow down, to listen, to trust the quiet rhythm of life.

He teaches that wisdom is not found in doing more,
but in being present — grounded like sand, flowing like water.

🪶 Sometimes, healing begins when we stop searching outside
and discover that the guide we long for
has been waiting patiently within.

03/11/2025

Back at my sandplay therapy room following a week away....... I am truly grateful. 🙏💆‍♀️🌸

28/10/2025

In play, your child’s heart speaks.
A toy becomes a story.
A story becomes healing.
And your presence turns play into connection.

✨ Jung called play “the expression of the soul’s freedom.”
Join your child’s world — even for ten minutes.
It’s where the real magic happens.

🌿 Read the full blog: The Gift of Play: Entering Your Child’s World
👉
https://rinalouwclinical.co.za/the-gift-of-play-entering-your-childs-world/

26/10/2025

Baie dankie, Amia. Jy het 'n pragtige video vir Ouma gemaak. Jy is baie kreatief, en ek waardeer al jou hulp.

Thank you very much, Amia. You made a beautiful video for Ouma. You are very creative.

Created by Amia Badenhorst, 11 years old, DF Malherbe Laerskool, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa.

25/10/2025

I made this many moons ago, shortly after the birth of my first grandchild, who is now 12 years old. 🌕👶🎉🎂

25/10/2025

24/10/2025

🌍 Calling all Social Workers, Social Auxiliary Workers, and Jungian Sandplay Therapists!

Are you longing for a reflective, nurturing space to explore your professional work and emotional wellbeing?

I’m creating Holding the Space — an international online supervision and training circle that offers both clinical reflection and creative learning.

✨ Together, we’ll explore:
• Case reflection and ethical dilemmas
• Working with trauma and attachment
• Emotional regulation and self-care
• Jungian and expressive methods (Sandplay, clay, and symbolism)

💬 Before we begin, I’d love to hear from you.
Please take a few minutes to complete the short questionnaire and help shape this community:
👉https://forms.gle/LxT3BFp1utJmJR3K7
https://forms.gle/LxT3BFp1utJmJR3K7



Read my blog: https://rinalouwclinical.co.za/social_work_supervision/

Join Holding the Space, an international online supervision and training circle for social workers, social auxiliary workers, and Jungian Sandplay therapists. A reflective, creative space for growth and connection.

24/10/2025

The most frequently used figurines in my sand play box this week were soccer players and robots! What might a soccer game and robots symbolize for young boys in sand play?

🌍 When Robots Watch the Game

In Jungian Sandplay Therapy, robots or transformers often appear in the trays of boys between 6–10 years old. These figures represent more than mechanical strength — they mirror a deep inner process of learning what it means to be human.

Robots are beings without emotion — programmed, not feeling. When they appear standing aside, observing a “game” rather than playing, it can reveal a boy’s inner experience of watching life from the outside — trying to understand emotion, relationship, and play but not yet knowing how to join in.

💬 This moment in the sand tells a quiet story:

A struggle between control and spontaneity
Between thinking and feeling
Between being “wired to act” and learning to relate

Through sandplay, boys can gradually move from mechanical order toward emotional presence — from the robot to the human within.

✨ Every miniature becomes a messenger of the inner world — even the small robots watching from the sidelines.