During play therapy a client is exposed to various types of objects that can be used to objectify or express their emotion.
In sand based trays clients are encouraged to express their emotion on sand. The image is later discussed with the therapist and is analyzed to provide counseling and direction to the client as their mental framework is expressed on the sand.
With the exploration of this concept, Dance therapy became a substantial practice in the 1940’s when the American Dance therapy association validated it after seeing the positive impact it had on patients seeking mental help. Especially after modern dancers such as Martha Graham, Marian Chase, Isadora Duncan to name a few did substantial work in making individuals realize the value of dance or movement on emotion and thought process.
Along with pure expression there is also a sense of self awareness and stress/ emotional release that is felt after a dance therapy process which is therapeutic.
Puppets are used as a good source for externalizing emotion on another object. They representing human beings but do not actually have any emotion. By exploring the puppet enact the situation, the client can empathize with the puppet and thus realize the situation enacted more clearly. A lot of times observing human behavior and interaction in a non biased manner through the form of a puppet who is given a personality and emotions, one can view the situation from a third party perspective and understand the problem on a deeper level.
People subconsciously are drawn to certain things. Using figurines and small objects and individual is able to recreate a picture or a scene using these objects and are able to express and identify a lot of things about emotional situations they are in.