Sandtray Therapy

What Is Sandtray Therapy?

Sandtray therapy is an expressive approach which uses a tray filled with sand and a collection of miniature figures and objects. During a sandtray therapy session, you will be invited to create scenes in the sand using the miniatures.

The sand acts as a blank canvas, providing a nonverbal and symbolic medium for expression.

The figures or objects are used to represent your inner thoughts, feelings, memories, and experiences in a tangible and concrete way. The process of creating and manipulating the sand scenes can help you gain access to your unconscious thoughts and emotions, explore complex issues, and gain insight into your inner world and the issue(s) you’re currently dealing with.


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Is Sandtray Therapy Right For Me?

various figurines in sand tray including door and dragons

Many of us carry painful memories which are difficult to talk about. Talking about painful things can sometimes lead to feelings of overwhelm or make us feel anxious. Sandtray therapy offers a different option.

Sandtray therapy is a great approach for you if you:

  • Have trouble verbalizing your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. For whatever reason, you may not find it easy to express yourself in words or find it challenging putting words to your thoughts and feelings. Sandtray therapy allows you to use the miniatures as a stand-in for language and words. In some ways, you may find the scenes you create through the sandtray process much more powerful than anything you could possibly share or speak about. The saying A picture is worth a thousand words is a very apt way to describe the power of sandtray therapy.

  • Are shy or hesitant to open up. Sandtray therapy takes the pressure off of the direct face-to-face interaction that can be hard for some. The focus is more on the created scene rather than on the conversation between yourself and the therapist. A sandtray scene can help ease your way into having a conversation about a difficult topic.

  • Are tired of telling your story. I have had clients come to work with me who have been to other therapists where talking was the primary way of exploring issues. These clients have reported feeling fatigued by talking and, at times, have felt that they have talked themselves out or talked in circles. Sandtray therapy provides a different mode of communication and expression.

  • Have a memory or issue you want to work on that feels “unspeakable” or too horrible to talk about aloud. When something is terribly painful, we may be at a loss for words. Sandtray is the perfect medium when you find yourself feeling like, “there are no words” to describe a painful matter. Many clients find that creating a sandtray scene allows them to have some healthy distance from an emotionally charged issue.

What Issues Can Sandtray Therapy Help With?

Sandtray therapy is a versatile approach that can be used to effectively address a number of issues including:

  • Trauma/PTSD

  • Grief

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Anger issues

  • Boundary issues

  • Break-up or Divorce

These are just a few of the issues that sandtray therapy can help with. There really is no limit to the type of issues which can be explored through sandtray.

Sandtray therapy Is Not Just For Children

Upon first glance, you might assume sandtray therapy is more suitable for children. When you step into my office, you will immediately notice a large tray filled with sand and what you might assume are toys galore housed on a number of shelves around the room. You might understandably think they’re meant to be used by children. In fact, sandtray therapy was originally developed for children in the 1920’s by a pediatrician named Dr. Margaret Lowenfeld who is known for being a pioneer in child psychology and play therapy. 

Since its development, though, sandtray therapy has been successfully used with individuals of all ages and walks of life including teens, adults, couples and families.

How Effective Is Sandtray Therapy?

There are numerous studies which have shown that sandtray therapy has been significantly helpful in supporting individuals cope better with a variety of mental health problems. A 2019 study which evaluated 33 studies about the effectiveness of sandtray therapy revealed significant improvements in both children and adults who were experiencing traumatic stress. 

Brain scans of individuals who have experienced trauma have shown that language and speech centers in the brain are not functioning properly. This means that putting thoughts and feelings into words can be nearly impossible which is why non-verbal approaches like sandtray therapy are enormously beneficial.

In my professional experience using sandtray therapy, I have consistently observed and heard feedback from clients about how powerful and helpful this approach has been for them.

various figurines in sand tray

Why I Got Trained In Sandtray Therapy And Why I Love Using This Approach With Clients

The issues and problems clients bring to therapy can feel very weighty. What I love about sandtray therapy is how the simple act of world building in the sand unexpectedly lightens the load each person is carrying in with them into the therapy space.

As adults, many of us don’t have a lot of opportunities to express ourselves creatively. Because sandtray therapy requires no special skills and there is no pre-conceived ideas of rightness or wrongness which might occur with other expressive mediums like painting or drawing, clients feel much freer to use their innate imagination, creativity, and self-expression.

Are You Ready To Experience The Therapeutic Power Of Play And Find Healing In A Creative And More Intuitive Way?

To schedule your first appointment or to schedule a free 20-minute phone consultation, please reach out at 210.802.2697.