Sand Tray Therapy

When coming into therapy it might be difficult to put words to the experiences or emotions that you have. Therapists can be trained in a multitude of ways and modalities (if you are wanting to know more about this check out our blog on modalities here), but there can be lots of creative ways to get out the words we don’t know. Being creative and play can be something that a lot of us have used at some point in our life, but we can utilize that now with the introduction of Sand Tray Therapy. Sand Tray Therapy is a creative form of therapy that uses miniature figures and a tray of sand to help people express thoughts, feelings, and experiences—especially the ones that are hard to put into words. 

Sand tray therapy has long and historic roots in psychological theories all the way back to Carl Jung (shadow work, anyone?). This was then developed further into sand tray and sand play therapy. Sandplay Therapy  follows a more non-directive, silent work, where the therapist observes without interpretation until the client initiates reflection. It’s more symbolic and spiritual in nature. However, Sand Tray Therapy is a broader and more flexible approach that has elements from cognitive-behavioral therapy, trauma-informed care, narrative therapy, and internal family therapy. It can be either directive or non-directive and is more widely practiced in school settings, counseling centers, and clinical environments. The history of the work is important to know as this is considered an evidenced based practice and requires therapists to receive training in this work.

Sand Tray Therapy utilizes lots of small figures, symbols, and objects (like animals, people, houses, bridges) to build scenes that reflect your inner world. Instead of talking about your story, you create it in the sand. The clinician may ask you to create things like experiences, your world or relationships to help identify how you view people or situations in your life. Some adults or teens might see this and think it isn’t for them. However, Sand Tray therapy is for children, teens, and adults—really, anyone who wants a different way to explore what’s going on inside. I have been asked “before why would I do this when I can just talk about it”, but I like to remind people that our experiences happen both to our conscious self and unconscious self. Some experiences live deep in our subconscious, beyond what we can easily say out loud. Sand Tray therapy allows us to engage in passing the “thinking brain” to access deeper emotions. It can offer a non-verbal outlet when words aren’t enough and creates a safe distance from painful memories or feelings. Our goal in therapy is to develop better insight into self and create a more understanding version of our emotions. 

So what happens in a sand tray session? Well your therapist will first introduce you to the space and the tray you are working with and allow you to get an idea of the figures they have available. Then there might be some prompting on what to create or there might not be one, but just having you create one that feels right. First you will choose figures or symbols from a collection of miniatures. Place them in the sand tray to create a scene or story. Reflect on your creation with your therapist. You might talk about it, or simply notice what comes up emotionally. Your therapist might note some themes coming up or how things are placed. There are some very obvious themes like death, life, religion and substance use. However, sometimes there is no meaning until you place the meaning there to explain what is happening for you. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. Your tray can be symbolic, abstract, imaginative, or very realistic. The sand gives you a space to process things safely and at your own pace. Continuing forward each session will look a little different, depending on your needs. Your therapist will guide you and respect the pace you need. You might build one tray or several over time, tracking your growth and healing through the images you create. 

Sand Tray Therapy can be a powerful tool for self-expression, insight, and healing. Whether you’re navigating something difficult or just want a new way to explore yourself, this method offers a quiet, meaningful way to connect with what matters most. If you’re curious, ask your therapist or reach out to learn more. Sometimes the smallest figures can tell the biggest stories.