講演情報
[SY-4-01]At the water's edge: Sand play co-therapy, Relieving compassion fatigue
*Kanako Shimizu1,2, *Naoko Miyaji3 (1. Rokubancho Mental Clinic, Japan depression center (Japan), 2. Jichi Medical University, Department of Psychiatry (Japan), 3. Graduate School of Social Sciences Hitotsubashi University (Japan))
キーワード：
compassion fatigue、burnaout、sandplay、art therapy、trauma
This presentation explores the use of Sand Play Therapy (SPT) as a psychological intervention aimed at alleviating compassion fatigue and burnout among mental health professionals. The study involved a series of co-therapeutic SPT sessions conducted between two psychiatrists who shared a longstanding relationship characterized by trust and professional familiarity. The interactive and symbolic nature of the sand play facilitated psychodynamic movement within each participant, ultimately contributing to the release of emotional exhaustion. The methodology consisted of alternate sand tray constructions, with each participant engaging in 20–40 minute turns. The second participant would then modify the previous tray—by adding, removing, or repositioning figures—thus generating a continuous, evolving narrative. A total of seven sessions were conducted. These sessions took place approximately one week after the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake (M7.6) in Japan, a catastrophic event that not only reactivated traumatic memories of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake but also intensified existing compassion fatigue experienced in daily clinical work. This temporal proximity provided a unique context in which the efficacy of SPT could be observed under acute stress conditions. The presentation will examine the dynamic intersubjective processes that unfolded during and after the sessions, highlighting the emergence of deeper layers of the psyche and shared symbolic meaning-making. The co-creative process allowed for mutual psychological support, the symbolic transformation of emotional burdens, and the ongoing evolution of personal and shared narratives beyond the sessions themselves. We conclude by discussing the therapeutic potential of sand play co-therapy as a reflective, non-verbal modality for mitigating compassion fatigue and enhancing emotional resilience among clinicians.