Did you know that anxiety disorders are the number one mental health disorder for children? If left untreated, Generalized Anxiety Disorder has possible long-term effects such as school failure, drug and alcohol abuse, relationship problems and depression.

However, early intervention increases a favorable prognosis by nearly 80%! My name is Erin Pannell and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor. In addition, I am a doctoral candidate at Argosy University-Sarasota. I am conducting research on Generalized Anxiety Disorder in children for my dissertation, and I would like to ask your help with this project. I am currently seeking girls ages 8-11 to volunteer for this study. In short, this is an assessment seeking the effectiveness of sandtray techniques to diagnose young children with Generalized Anxiety Disorder in order to provide early intervention.

Participants will receive a free anxiety assessment and a free sand tray session.

If you would be interested or would like more
information, please feel free to call me at 512.917.3220.
Or, you may email me at erin@erinpannell.com.

VOLUNTEER PARTICIPANTS NEEDED

WHAT ARE SANDTRAYS?

Sandplay therapy is a projective form of therapy introduced by Margaret Lowenfield with her World Technique in 1928 as a therapeutic tool for anxious children, and children with behavioral problems. By using small objects and two sandtrays (one with water and one without), children are able to depict their world in the tray. The therapist will take a picture of the tray and analyze the use, placement, and type of miniature objects.

Although sandtrays are used quite often with children and adolescents, scant research exists for using sandtrays as a diagnostic tool for young children with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. This study hopes to prove sandtrays may be used as a tool to diagnose young children with anxiety so early intervention may occur.