Sand Tray Therapy Explained: How it Works and Who it Helps
A simple guide to this creative, hands-on approach and how it can help clients process their emotions and trauma.
What is Sand Tray Therapy?
Sand tray therapy is a mode of trauma and information processing used in therapy to aid clients in their therapeutic work. It is a stand-alone model of therapy, or could be used in conjunction with other models of talk therapy. It can also be used alongside eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) work. Sand tray therapy is a structured experience in which the therapist offers clients time, space, and resources to create a scene in the sand that they can then look at and process further together. The scene in the tray may be literal or symbolic, depending on the client and the context of the work. Clients are given the opportunity to explore emotions, patterns, relationships, trauma, and numerous other possible scenarios in the sand tray with their therapist. This type of processing technique can be very effective for people who think and learn visually, and also offers a safe, external space for clients to process complex ideas. If at any time the process becomes overwhelming or feels unsafe to the client, there is space to step away from the sand tray to practice coping skills, as the challenging idea or trigger is mostly contained to the tray.
Sand trays can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and a therapist may even want to use several options depending on the needs of their clients. Almost every session will include not just the sand tray itself, filled less than halfway full of sand, but also a collection of miniatures to place in the tray during the session. The client uses these miniatures to create a version of their inner or outer world in the tray. As such, there are likely to be many miniatures available for clients to use. To best represent a client’s needs, therapists will often have a number of miniatures from most or all of the following categories:
People
Animals
Nature/vegetation
Buildings and vehicles
Landscape elements, fences, and signs
Fantastical/mystical elements
Religious/spiritual items or icons
Medical items and/or body parts
Miniatures vary greatly, but oftentimes they may look similar to small hand-sized toys. Clients may even recognize characters or toys they know in their therapist’s collection of miniatures.
Who is Sand Tray Therapy best for?
Sand tray therapy is incredibly versatile, and can be an effective and beneficial tool for clients of all ages. With younger clients, the sand tray may function as a pliable story that continues to evolve and change throughout the session. In this scenario, children and adolescent clients are often projecting aspects of their own world into the sand tray, which gives them the chance to explore and process what arises as the sand tray changes throughout the session. With adult clients, it is more common to have a statictray. Once the client arranges the sand tray how they would like, they begin processing what they have created with the help of their therapist. The therapist will likely have a step-by-step process to guide the client as they consider the information presented in the sand tray.
Sand tray therapy is not only useful in individual sessions, but can also be practiced in family or couples counseling sessions. In these instances, clients build relational skills and process interactional patterns when working together with the sand tray. This can be done with one large sand tray that requires collaboration from all parties, or by using several smaller sized sand trays that are then processed and shared. This type of work provides space for clients to practice the skills they are fostering in therapy in real time, such as patience, active listening, and communication.
What to Expect in a Sand Tray Therapy Session
Prior to beginning sand tray work, it is important that the therapist offers information on informed consent regarding sand tray therapy. The visual and physical processing done during a sand tray therapy session may result in clients having some symptoms outside of sessions, such as fatigue, heightened mood, or vivid dreams, all of which can affect mood and tiredness the following day. In an initial sand tray therapy session, the therapist will offer the client an introduction to the sand tray, the miniatures available for use, and some basics of what the process will look like. Sessions should take place in a calm and peaceful space to allow the client to be at ease as they work in the tray. As part of a trauma-informed care approach, the therapist may dim the lights and put on some soft, nondescript music while the client builds their tray. Before the client begins working with the sand tray, the therapist will give the client a prompt of some kind to guide their time. A common prompt when clients are just beginning sand tray work is simply asking them to “create your world.” The therapist may give more specific and directive prompts as clients get more familiar with the sand tray. As the client creates their sand tray, the therapist quietly observes and offers support as needed. When the client is ready, both the client and the therapist can begin processing together.
There are a variety of techniques the therapist can use to help their client process their sand tray. The therapist may ask the client to name (or later rename) their sand tray, use “I wonder” statements or ask questions regarding the sand tray, change the orientation of the sand tray, or make changes inside the tray. The processing work during a sand tray therapy session can create very vulnerable and emotional states for clients, so during this time the therapist must carefully attune to the client's needs and state of mind. The therapist can implement coping strategies or offer support as needed. Both client and therapist work together to ensure the client feels safe and regulated before leaving the office. pon leaving, the therapist might ask the client if they would like to take a photo of the completed sand tray. Comparing sand trays over time can help highlight growth and therapeutic progress the client has worked to achieve.
