The lived experiences of becoming a Jungian sand play therapist in South Africa

Abstract

This study explores the lived experiences of qualified Jungian sandplay therapists in South Africa. The primary objective of this study is to have a comprehensive understanding of the experiences encountered by mental health professionals in South Africa who specialise in Jungian sandplay therapy. This study aims to gather their perspectives regarding the aspects that sandplay therapists in South Africa find valuable in their role as sandplay thera-pists, and qualities that need to be prioritised in a client’s engagement with sandplay. The study employed purposive sampling of five internationally qualified sandplay therapists and made use of semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed utilising Interpretative Phe-nomenological Analysis (IPA). The current study’s findings revealed that the partici-pants perceived Jungian sandplay interventions to benefit both their personal and professional growth. The five participants provided feedback on many facets of sandplay, emphasising the specialised nature of Jungian sandplay therapy. According to their descriptions, engaging in this non-verbal therapeutic modality requires a significant level of dedication and enthusiasm on their part.