Jungian Informed Sand Tray Work
Sand tray therapy invites clients–both child and adult–to use a tray of sand and a large collection of miniatures to symbolize internal experience. It is a creative, non-verbal process that is considered one of the expressive therapies (along with art therapy, music therapy, drama therapy, etc.).
Sand work is a powerful engine of change that facilitates the psyche’s natural capacity for healing. Sand work can support clients in exploring difficult issues, processing early traumas, and finding ways to express that for which there is no language.
Sand tray work is appropriate for clients of all ages and abilities. Because of its reliance on modes of processing other than verbal, sand tray therapy can be an especially good medium for clients who have expressive and receptive language issues, auditory processing deficits, sensory processing challenges, and developmental differences. It is also an effective therapy for extremely verbal people who find it difficult to “get out of their heads.” For some clients, a sand tray process is an extended and transformative journey of self reflection and growth, however, important work can be accomplished within a framework of brief therapy as well.
To learn more about Sandplay, you may want to read “What is Sandplay?” and explore the other resources offered on the Sandplay Therapy Association website.
Theories of Mind 