Playing with Sand Tray Therapy When You Have DID: An Interview with Dr. Elisa Niles Thorne

Drew & Garden System have a playful conversation about the benefits of sand tray therapy for those living with dissociative disorders with Dr. Elisa Niles Thorne (Dr, E). Topics include how sand tray can enhance internal communication between dissociative selves, how it can help nonverbal selves communicate, and how it can be used to process complex experiences. Whether you are a therapist or a client living with a dissociative disorder, you can learn so much from Dr. E's knowledge about the sand tray.

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Dr. E is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the State of Florida. She is a Board Certified Counselor and a qualified supervisor for mental health interns and marriage and family therapist interns. Dr. E is a recipient of the National Board of Certified Counselor- Minority Fellowship Program (2016). She completed her education at the University of the Virgin Islands 2002, 2005 and Argosy University in 2009. She completed her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision at Walden University. Her dissertation examined the Impact of Trauma on Re-occurring Homelessness in the U. S. Virgin Islands.

Her Specializations include: Christian Counseling; Clinical Supervision; Dissociative Disorders; Play Therapy; Trauma/Complex Trauma; and Women Issues

She has presented at local, state, and national conferences. She is now a published contributing author in the textbook: Fazio-Griffith, L. J., & Marino, R. (Eds.). (2021). Techniques and Interventions for Play Therapy and Clinical Supervision. IGI Global. http://doi:10.4018/978-1-7998-4628-4 

Dr. E currently works as an associate professor at Hodges University in Fort Myers, Florida. She is the Founder and Owner of SoundMind Counseling and Consulting Services, LLC.

Dr. E hails from the Caribbean Island of St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, and has also lived in Jamaica and Antigua.

Sand Tray Training Resources:
Florida Sandplay Therapy Association
Southern Sandtray Institute
Free Online Sand Tray by Dr. Karen Fried

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Remember, this podcast is not a substitute for therapy. The purpose of this podcast is to educate and provide information on dissociative identity disorder. We share our personal stories, interview guests who also live with DID, and we interview mental health professionals to share their clinical knowledge.

And most importantly: remember that every system is different. What works for one may not work for another—and that’s okay. Your journey is valid, your healing is real, and we’re so glad you’re hanging out with A Couple of Multiples.

Articles cited in Seasons 4 & 5:

Brand, B. L., Sar, V., Stavropoulos, P., Krüger, C., Korzekwa, M., Martínez-Taboas, A., & Middleton, W. (2016). Separating Fact from Fiction: An Empirical Examination of Six Myths About Dissociative Identity Disorder. Harvard review of psychiatry, 24(4), 257–270. https://doi.org/10.1097/HRP.0000000000000100