1. Introduction to Sand Tray
By Naveen Jonathan, Ph.D., LMFT
Friday, August 1, 2014

2. “Play is a natural medium of communication.” -Garry Landreth

3. Connection Between Play and Sand Therapy (Brown & Vaughn, 2009)
Play is done for its own sake – it may even seem purposeless.
Play is voluntary.
Play has an inherent attraction.
Play involves a freedom from time.
Play helps diminish the consciousness of self.
Play has an improvisational potential.
Play develops a continuation desire.

4. “Family therapists and play therapists share a noble trait: The are by far the most creative and dynamic therapists in existence.” Eliana Gil

5. Background Common Names Expressive Therapy Jungian Base
Archetypal Images – Connecting Inner + Outer Worlds
Humanistic Base
Safe Container
Developed:
Margaret Lowenfield (Developer of World Technique)
Dora Kalff (Developer of Sandplay Therapy)

6. “I set myself as a goal to work out an apparatus which would put into the child’s hand a means of directly expressing his ideas and emotions, one which would allow of the recording of his creations and of abstracting them for study.” - Margaret Lowenfield

7. Objective Creation of a Microcosm Reflection of One’s Life
Gives Access to the Inaccessible
Opportunity to Resolve Conflicts
Remove Obstacles
Connect to One’s Inner Being
Recognize the Beauty of One’s Soul
Acceptance of One’s Self

8. “Often the hands know how to solve a riddle with which the intellect has wrestled in vain.” Carl Jung

9. Materials Needed Sand Sandtray Miniatures Rationale Importance of
Selection of
Categories:
People, Animals, Buildings, Transportation, Vegetation, Fences/Gates/Signs, Natural Items, Fantasy, Spiritual-Mystical, Landscaping, Household Items, Misc. Items
Arrangement of

10. “The client’s ability to generate an interpersonal system with the sand and her chose symbols Creating new representations of comfort and release in a visceral rather than cognitive way.” Bonnie Badenoch

11. Basic Guidelines Client Types When is a good time? Relationship
Myths
When is a good time?
Relationship
Stance of Therapist
Witness or Facilitator
“Free and Protected” Space
Stance of the Client
Builder

12. “Let the Figure Pick You.” - Dora Kalff

13. Forms of Sandtray – World Technique (Experiential/Jungian)
Most Common/Popular
The use of miniatures
Client’s Primary Tools: Imagination and Subconscious
Avenue into the inner world
Therapist’s Primary Tools: Symbolism and Metaphor
Connections within one’s subconscious and conscious Worlds.

14. “Learn your theories as well as you can, but put them aside when you touch the miracle of the living soul.” Carl Jung

15. Forms of Sandtray – Humanistic/Person-Centered
Free space
Clients are in charge.
All about creative expression
Clients find solutions to problems = Healing Technique
Empowerment of the client

16. “In an emotion sense the therapist “enters” the sandtray with the client and participates empathically in the act of creation.” Estelle Weinrib

17. Planning for a Session 1). Set Up
2). Introduction of the Sandtray & Miniatures
Nondirective
Directive
3). The Creation
4). Postcreation Phase
5). Sandtray Cleanup
6). Documenting the Sandtray

18. “To destroy a picture in the client’s presence would be to devalue a completed creation, to break the connection between the client and his/her inner self, and the unspoken connection to the therapist and their world.” Estelle Weinrib

19. Research Children Adults Experiencing Trauma, Neglect Abuse
Shown to aid in vocalization of issues.
Provides comfort and security.
Develop own expressions to situations.
Behavior changes through this model.
Adults
Trauma, Painful Situations, Difficult to Express Situations
Move away from adult cognitive brain
Creates a sense of freedom
Allows to present honest self
Gives possibility of looking past problem to new possibilities.

20. “Not infrequently clients report that they consciously carry the image of the sand tray in their minds. They may focus on and reexperience some part of a picture they have made, or change it, or they may make imaginary new pictures when they often then create in reality at the next opportunity.” Estelle Weinrib

21. Resources The Sand Tray Network (http://www.sandtray.org)
Sandplay Therapists of America (
Sandtherapy: A Practical Manual (2011) By Linda E. Homeyer& Daniel S. Sweeney, Routledge Publishers.