Magical Creature - Creating a Safe Place This activity may be used across different phases of the supervisory relationship; the authors typically use it in the beginning phase of supervision. Supervisees are provided with a paper plate, clay, and variety of expressive art materials for decorating (e.g., feathers, fabric, baubles, glitter, etc., Bratton et al., 2008, pp. 217-221).


The supervisor asks supervisees to think of an animal or creature (real or imaginary)


to symbolize themselves and to create their animal/


creature using the clay and any of the materials provided. Supervisors invite supervisees to create a safe place for their animal/creature using the paper plate and any of the materials provided. Staying in metaphor, process the activity with the supervisee.


Sandtray Supervision - Fostering Supervisees’ Understanding of Play Therapist-Client Relationship


Dynamics This activity includes sensory features (experiencing the sand) and strong symbolism. The supervisor provides supervisees with a sandtray and variety of miniatures and asks them to think of a client who elicits strong feelings (e.g., Bratton et al., 2008, pp. 221-226). Then, supervisees   relationship. The supervisor instructs the supervisees to observe their creation and to note the feelings that arise. The supervisor invites supervisees to explore the scene and their experience. The supervisees may process how the exercise could illuminate their work with the play therapy client.


 Supervisees can create a pocket pal to carry with them throughout the day (e.g., Stewart & Echterling, 2008, p. 304). The supervisor provides a wooden ice cream spoon or broad popsicle stick and craft supplies (e.g., yarn, glue, scissors, markers, glitter, googly eyes, feathers, etc.)     reassurance and identify someone who knows and believes in them. They decorate their pocket pal to represent that person (or favorite animal, or pet). Supervisors invite them to write a message on the back that reflects the sentiment they receive from their real-life pal. The supervisor processes the exercise with their supervisee.


Dance of Wise Hands – Creating Meaning and


Fostering Community The Dance of Wise Hands activity incorporates story,


touch, and


movement and is recommended for use with a small group of advanced supervisees. Participants pair up and each person shares a brief and meaningful story with their partner. The story can include a range of emotions and depict comfort, joy, loss, peace, humor, persistence, and/or  and explore each other’s hands as they talk and listen. After one person has shared a story, the other person, acting as a witness, makes a simple statement about what they have heard, starting with “These hands…” For example, we have heard, “These hands have suffered and survived.”


“These hands hold and support pain.” “These hands love well and with joy.” Next, the pair create movement to accompany the statement and “perform” their dance. Then, the partners switch roles and reconduct the activity. This exercise can be particularly powerful in groups to generate a collective, narrative dance.


Conclusions Drawing on trauma-informed care literature, we have shared a rationale for engaging in TIS in play therapy supervisory work using experiential activities. TIS invites supervisors to consider supervisees’ preferences for and comfort with the materials, as well as their readiness to explore their own or their clients’ potentially traumatic experiences using expressive techniques. With thoughtful planning and consideration for supervisees’ developmental level, experiential activities can enhance supervision. We hope you will discover ways to use these innovative processes to increase supervisees’ self-reflective capacity, deepen their connection in the supervisory relationship, and express yourselves!


References Brandt, K., Perry, B., Seligman, S. & Tronick, E. (2014). Infant and early childhood mental health: Core concepts and clinical practice. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Press.


Bratton, S., Ceballos, P., & Sheely, A. (2008). Use of expressive arts in a humanistic approach to play therapy supervision: Facilitating supervisee self-awareness.


In A. A. Drewes & J. Mullen (Eds.),


Supervision can be playful: Techniques for child and play therapist supervisors (pp. 211-232). New York, NY: Jason Aronson.


Bratton, S., & Stewart, A. (2018, October). Creating deep connections: Trauma-informed play therapy supervision. Presentation given at the Annual Association for Play Therapy International Conference, Phoenix, AZ.


Drewes, A. A., & Mullen, J. (Eds.). (2008). Supervision can be playful: Techniques for child and play therapist supervisors. New York, NY: Jason Aronson.


Fallot, R. D., & Harris, M. (2006, March). Trauma-informed services: A self-assessment and planning protocol. Retrieved from https://www. theannainstitute.org/TISA+PPROTOCOL.pdf


Gaskill, R. L., & Perry, B. D. (2014). The neurobiological power of play using the neurosequential model of therapeutics to guide play in the healing process. In C. A. Malchiodi & D. A. Crenshaw (Eds.), Creative arts and play therapy for attachment problems (pp. 178-196). New York, NY: Guilford Press.


Hardy, K. V. (2016). Towards the development of a multicultural relational perspective in training and supervision. In K. V. Hardy & T. Bobes (Eds.), Culturally sensitive supervision and training: Diverse perspectives and practical applications. (pp. 3 -10). New York, NY: Routledge.


Helms, H. (2010). Managing vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue.      Fatigue/links/568a83df08ae1e63f1fbd007.pdf


Lahad, M. (2000). Creative supervision: The use of expressive arts methods in supervision and self-supervision.Philadelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley.


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