My son has been having Sand Therapy with Julie at Hazelwood Therapy for the last year to help with self-esteem, confidence, and develop his communication skills, after years of school-related anxiety.
He is Autistic and has a number of sensory processing challenges which have in the past often lead to self-isolation. He has not been able to attend school for over 4 years, and social activities with friends and family have always been difficult for him, often ending in complete avoidance, or meltdowns. This has been distressing for both my son and those around him and has limited his life experiences and his interaction with those outside of his immediate circle.
Having seen my son for play therapy a few years ago Julie had already built a trusting therapeutic relationship with him, which I’m sure helped, but being a little older he was initially a little sceptical about how sand therapy may help, and we did have some concerns about how well he would engage with it. However, once his routine was established, he soon started to look forward to going and we began to see results surprisingly quickly.
Sand therapy gave my son freedom within his sessions to communicate in a way that worked for him, knowing that he wouldn’t be judged, and this really reduced some of the anxieties he felt around traditional face to face verbal communication. This has seemed to help him tap into, reflect upon , and process some strong suppressed emotions. Julie allowed my son to move through this at his own pace, not rushing or pushing, and this has been vital to help him to accept and deal with these emotions, start to feel more positively about himself, and think about what he really wants for his future.
At home my son has become much more open and able to talk about his feelings and needs. He is more vocal generally, and he expresses his personal boundaries, trusting that these will be respected. He joins in with family activities more readily and seems much more resilient and receptive to unexpected change or spontaneity. Friends and family have seen a massive difference in him, and have commented on how he seems more present, less ‘inside his own head’ and more interested and engaged with the world around him. He’s looking forward and outward more often now, and it’s lovely to see.
Therapy with Hazelwood came at a crucial time for my son – we knew he was ready for things to change, and we think he knew it too, but he needed help to see that more clearly. Over the last year he has grown to know himself better, and it’s obvious he now feels more confident in the person he is becoming.
In short, he’s happier, healthier, and more open to possibilities, which is all that we wanted for him.
Thank you, Julie, at Hazelwood creative therapy .
Autistic 14-year-old boy
