Sandtray Therapy

There are a few therapies that use sand in the treatment process. While they are similar, “sandtray” and “sand play” are different. At DoBePlay, we are certified in sandtray therapy but do incorporate some forms of sand play into the treatment process. If you’re wondering “what is sandtray therapy” we’ll explain all about this unique modality below.

In sandtray therapy, the client places miniatures in a sandtray, following their own intuition of what “feels right.” These miniatures represent either experiences, events, emotions, or thoughts of the participant. The therapist plays the role of observer, reflecting to help bring awareness to the client of possible ideas or patterns or meaning.

How Does Sandtray Therapy Work?

As a technique, sandtray therapy facilitates emotional processing similar to EMDR utilizing the right side of brain. Often when a person cannot find words to describe their feelings, the action of using miniatures to represent something can provide those words through image. Basically, the brain knows what to do when the cognitive mind does not.

In general the brain processes nonverbal information first and then attaches words. Sensory information coming from the body goes to the right brain, bypassing cognitive blocks, working via the lower regions such as the limbic region and cortex (Southern Sandtray Institute). Sandtray therapy is considered a “brain based” therapy as the process actually alters the brain’s structure by helping to facilitate changes to its neuropathways.

“Working in the sand invites the implicit world, home of our earliest attachment wounds, to take symbolic form. Sometimes it provides a road around defenses; often it lets preverbal pain emerge; sometimes to make concrete the feelings that a person has had difficulty communicating; sometimes it externalizes and contains inner anguish that has been too powerful to call to consciousness in other ways.” (Bonnie Badenoch)

How is Sandtray Therapy Different From Traditional Therapy?

Sandtray therapy is a physically active, creative representation of thoughts, emotions through images. It is an experiential therapy. Traditional therapy is usually based on talking about thoughts and feelings. Sandtray therapy can be effective when individuals are, for any reason, unable to talk about or express their thoughts, feelings or emotions.

What is the History of Sandtray Therapy?

The earliest record of sandtray therapy was developed by Margaret Lowenfeld  (1890-1973). Lowenfeld created a “wonder box” in which she used simple playing blocks. She was a medical doctor (1918) but shifted to pediatric psychology in late 1920’s (Clinic for Nervous and Difficult Children).

“All children are difficult sometimes, but some children are difficult all the time. Some children seem always to be catching something and never be quite well.  Some children are nervous and find life and school difficult for them. Some children have distressing habits. This clinic which is in the charge of a Physician, exists to help mothers in these kinds of trouble with their children, and also to help the children themselves.” (Lowenfeld, 1979)

Notice how there was a shift from helping parents (at the time dads were not even considered as part of the child rearing) to help kids to “kids are the problem, let’s fix them.” My belief is that we do need to help the parents first. So many of kids’ issues are either caused by relationship difficulties between parent and child or challenges are exacerbated by this relationship. However adults may actually benefit more from individual sandtray work due to it’s ability to bring up childhood wounds for processing.

Sandtray is somewhat based on the Jungian Archetype theories of psyche speaking in metaphor. When Lowenfeld presented her theory to a Paris conference in 1937, Jung was present. Another practitioner, Dora Maria Kalff who studied under both, created the term “Sandplay” which is functionality similar but fundamentally different.

Are There Different Types of Sandtray Therapy?

There are two main modalities (sandtray and sand play) and which vary in structure. At their core, both sandtray and sand play therapy are experiential adjuncts to traditional talk therapy. But there are nuances with words used and process. Briefly these are as follows:

Sandtray vs Sandplay*

How Will I Know if Sandtray Therapy is Working?

There are many reasons to be using the interventions, but in general some goals are:

• Creativity and resourcefulness in confronting problems
• Self control and direction
• Gradually learn, at a feeling level, to accept themselves
• Make choices and be responsible for their choice

“Therefore when these seem to be happening, that is improvement with these issues, it may be considered “working”. Parents will often view positive changes in behavior as indicative of progress. Certainly there is a reduction of symptoms related to the actual diagnoses. It is important to note that sandtray is used in conjunction of traditional talk therapy.” (Southern Sandtray Institute)

What Are Some Additional Facts About Sandtray Therapy?

• Miniatures used are intended to be inclusive, representative of many facets of life. The categories include: Animals, Sea/water, Transportation, Vegetation, Buildings, Fences, Signs, Natural items. These may be used to demonstrate Fantasy, Spiritual, events in life.
• Some people just like to put hands in sand to facilitate regulation.
• There are no “right” or “wrong” answers, the value is through processing emotions, experiences.

Interested in Sandtray Therapy for You or Your Child?

If you are curious about sandtray and interested in learning more about the process, we invite you to schedule a free, 30-minute consultation.