“Often the hands know how to solve a riddle with which the intellect has wrestled in vain”
Carl Jung
Just what is sandtray, anyway?
Sandtray is about manipulating smooth sand with your hands in a tray or container along with small objects called miniatures. The sand can be molded and moved around to make mounds, designs, or objects that stimulate thoughts of playing with sand on the beach. Miniatures are small objects that are used to create a sandtray scene and are representational of objects taken from daily life as well as from the imagination. Categories of miniatures can include people, fantasy figures, animals, vegetation, buildings, vehicles, universal symbols, and multipurpose items such as string, feathers, and rocks. Adults generally tend to associate sandtray with children who play in the sand. Sandtray is very useful approach for adults who want to have a creative process that helps them move beyond feeling stuck with frequently held assumptions about life.
Sandtray can be beneficial because it can help you to rediscover memories, thoughts, and emotions which may have been buried in the past, allowing for greater self-expression. Sandtray is a means for moving past verbal thought processes to gain new insights into behavior for increased awareness and greater self- understanding. The use of the sandtray can help you find inner strength and resilience to find solutions for life’s problems. Not only does it teach new coping skills, but it provides a safe space to transform inner thoughts into images and ideas on to the sand. It is a great tool to generate new ways of thinking about old things, freeing you up from thought processes that no longer serve you.
What are some of the benefits of using Sandtray in counseling sessions?
- It is a soothing experience
- It expresses creativity
- It allows you to focus on the process
- It encourages personal growth
- It allows insights to form
- It encourages you to solve problems and set goals
- It does not require any artistic skills
I am a graduate of the Southern Sandtray Institute, a training program for sandtray practitioners. I have used sandtray as a therapeutic tool in counseling sessions with people from all walks of life.
I am here to help you explore yourself in a related, non-judgmental way. Please schedule a sandtray session with me today.
