Sandplay therapy, is an experiential therapeutic approach where clients build their own world using miniature toys or figurines and colored sand. A sandplay-trained therapist will view the client’s scene as a reflection of their life, thoughts, feelings and concerns, and help him or her to interpret the sand tray as an opportunity to resolve conflicts, remove obstacles, and gain acceptance of self. Sandplay therapy is often used to address trauma or abuse and can be particularly useful for clients (both adults and children) who have trouble expressing themselves verbally. A sandplay therapist's office is equipped with a specially proportioned sand tray and allows clients to express themselves in a safe and supportive space. Think this approach might be right for you? Reach out to one of TherapyDen’s sandplay therapy experts today.
The Sandtray provides a safe, contained space to express and explore your inner world in a tangible way. The tray can be used with or without a prompt. Sometimes, the tray can help communicate or illustrate something words cannot. The scenes created with a tray can help clients experience emotional release, gain new realizations, and practice out fictitious change leading to real change in their life. I utilize sandtray therapy on its own as well as in conjunction with parts work and EMDR.
— Jasmine Hiland, Associate Marriage & Family Therapist in Nashville, TNMy office is filled with figurines and toys with which you child can use to create a sandtray or "mini-world" in order to express their unconscious material. As a sandplay therapist, I hold the safety in the space and the relationship so that your child is free to create in the sand that which is beyond words to express. Some clients say that doing sandplay is like "dreaming, while awake." And like dreams, oftentimes, important material comes up as an offering to work through and overcome.
— Skye Horie, Psychotherapist in Wailuku, HII have been using this modality with children, adolescents, and adults for almost 20 years and find that it complements both play therapy and traditional talk therapy by providing a rich and powerful means of self-expression and exploration of significant issues.
— Robin Knoblach, Clinical Psychologist in Herndon, VALike play therapy, sand tray is a fantastic way to get to the root of some issues without always having to come up with the words to explain it. It allows our brains to access the deeper parts to begin to heal itself.
— Evan Woodall, Counselor in Heath, TXI have been using sand tray therapy successfully with clients on a regular basis since 2017 and have an extensive collection of miniatures for use in the sand tray. I receive supervision for my sand tray work from my supervisor, who also uses a sand tray in her work.
— Lauren Krzyzaniak, Licensed Professional Counselor in Saginaw, MII love using Sandtray when working with teenagers and adults. It is a great way to access other parts of our brains and integrating them. I am a Registered Integrative Sandtray Therapist through Southern Sandtray Institute.
— Jamie English, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Grand Prairie, TXI have experienced and training in Sandplay, Sandtray and SandStory(r) Therapy. I use my sandtray and sandstory symbols with both children and adults.
— Maggie Yowell Wilson, Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Renton, WAI am an associate member of the Sand Play Association. Sand Play is a powerful way to access non-verbal parts of ourselves. Do you ever feel something, and you don't know how to even begin to talk about it? The sand play process, in a fun and imaginative manner, using symbolic imagery, can bring out to our conscious mind parts of ourselves that were unknown to ourselves.
— Ginger Bahardar, Marriage & Family Therapist in Bonsall, CASandplay Therapy facilitates opportunities to access the wisdom of psyche in the pursuit of healing. The client uses miniature figures and objects to create a story or image in a tray of sand. This image can be a powerful fool for accessing unconscious resources and revealing unknown layers of emotion and insight. Even as children experience this as play the psyches natural capacity for healing is activated as preverbal and unconscious elements of our inner lives are revealed.
— Shelly Stratton, Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Portland, ORI am a Certified Sand Tray Therapist and enjoy utilizing sand tray for many topics my clients bring to therapy. "Is that just for kids?" No! It's great for children who cannot completely communicate their thoughts and feelings yet and because children learn and express through play. However, in my experience it is even more beneficial for adults because they are able to be more insightful about their tray. Sand tray is excellent for anyone who doesn't want to only do traditional talk therapy.
— Kimberly Fann, Mental Health Counselor in Oviedo, FL