What is Sandtray Therapy?
This article will provide an overview of the history of Sandtray and Sandplay Therapy, how to set up a station for this type of therapy, how to explain the therapeutic process to clients, and an overview of what to expect in treatment. Interchangeably the terms “figurine” and “object” are used throughout yet they mean the same thing.
The Very Start of Sandtray Therapy
Sandtray therapy dates back to the early 1900’s with H.G. Wells who developed a type of play therapy with children traumatized from war. Wells provided objects that represented war like figures including war men and vehicles and discovered this play helped children process the effects of war. Wells wrote a book, published in 1911, on the development of this experience which he titled “Floor Games” (Wells, 2006). So named because children played games on the floor, which is where Wells observed their play and made inferences about the healing process. Each child formed their own interpretations, leading to a process of healing.
In the 1920’s, Margaret Lowenfeld, who knew of Wells work, developed her own type of therapeutic play with children also living in a time of war. Lowenfeld was a pediatrician. She was the first to introduce the wooden box (i.e., sandtray) with sand in it for children to place the figurines in and play in the tray versus on the floor. Lowenfeld was also the first to introduce water with sand to use during session time. Just as Wells discovered, Lowenfeld also realized the healing effect play has on children who experience war. In those days the word “trauma” or “PTSD” did not exist. People and professionals just knew that something was happening in humans (what we call PTSD today) that resulted in symptoms of agitation, increased awareness, difficulty concentrating, hyper-arousal, and other symptoms covered in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) criteria symptoms we know today as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Lowenfeld named the process of playing in a tray with sand and figurines “The World Technique” not “Sandtray Therapy”, and it was called “The World Technique” because the children she worked with were encouraged to build their own world. Children were to build their world then together with Lowenfeld encouraged to share about their world (Lowenfeld, 2017). The non-directive approach used today in Sandtray Therapy was largely founded in the early work of Lowenfeld (Hutton, 2004). Lowenfeld was more interested in the process of play as a means to the healing process then talk therapy, which the Dr. Margaret Lowenfeld Trust (2017) website states she was “frustrated” by mainstream talk therapy for psychotherapy present in her community. She sought out to create her own therapeutic approach, away from traditional talk therapy, with children and documented about it in her work and writings.
A Little More History of Sandtray Therapy
Let’s start with Sigmund Freud, the founder of Psychoanalysis (Grzbowski & Zolnierz, 2021) and perhaps one of the most famous theorists of all time. Sigmund Freud put forth his theory which underlines the importance of the unconscious and conscious realities of humans and how these realities impact functioning (Jung, 1932). He is most known for his theory pertaining to sexual desires and impulses (Lantz, 2022). Despite many of Freud’s interventions being somewhat strange and unfitting to today’s world of therapy, the underpinnings of the belief that people can speak openly about their issues and be better is similar to Lowenfeld’s theory that the best approach to therapy is non-direct and lead by the client. Lowenfeld encouraged clients to explore and talk about the experience without judgement and Freud encouraged “free association” [free-association is talking openly without judgement from another person (Storr, 2013)].
Carl Jung learned from Sigmund Freud as Freud’s student. However, Jung journeyed off Freud’s path of theory to develop his own ideas about life, the world, and how to help people through therapy (Carducci, 2020). Jung called his theory Jungian theory and he also, like Freud, became famous for his thoughts and therapeutic theory. Jung considered the conscious and unconscious realities of his clients and focused on what he called “archetypes” of personality. These archetypes are specific ways a person responds based on their personality type. Jung talked about the concepts of extraversion and introversion and what he called the basics of personality functions: senses, thinking, feeling, and our intuition (Carducci, 2020). To bring this back to the subject of this article (Sandtray Therapy), Jung contributed to Sandtray Therapy by his influence on theorist Dora Kalff who named her work in sandtray “Jungian Sandplay Therapy” following her study of Jung’s theory (Kalff, 1971).
Sandtray and Sandplay Therapy are different. Sandtray therapy was developed from Lowenfeld’s “The World Technique” and is open to more interpretation and use from other theories. Sandplay therapy is founded in the work of Dora Kalff which requires specifics to be met in order to call the type of work Sandplay Therapy (Southern Sandtray Institute, 2014). These specifics include the size of the tray, color of the tray, and work in the tray has to follow strict guidelines. The tray in Sandplay is to be rectangle with dimensions 700mm wide, 500mm long, 100mm deep and painted blue on the bottom and sides of the tray (Enchanted Grain), and the technique remained non-directive.
Alfred Adler drew away from psychoanalytic thinking and theory and built his hallmark work on the holism of mind, body, and spirit (Sabates, 2020). Adler looked at the whole self of the person and emphasized the developmental period, birth order, social interest, and coined the term “striving for perfection” (Sabates, 2020). He titled his approach “Positive Psychology”, which like its name, focused on bringing out the positive qualities in people. Adlerian Sandtray therapy is non-directive, encourages the client to be creative, to gain insight from working in the tray, teaches compromise and skill development through play, and is a way to explore dynamics in relationships (Kottman, 2023). Kottman provides a great resource on tray examples and processes. These seven processes are: spontaneous, non-directive, semi-directive, directed, quasi-directed, therapist-centered, and co-created trays (Kottman, 2023). Aderlian Sandtray Therapy focuses on the rapport between therapist and client by building and exploring trays together.
Spontaneous Tray
Clients in this tray choice will do whatever they want to do at that time without planning or preparation. This tray can also be called a “random tray.”
Non-Directive Tray
Therapists using this tray type will invite their client to build a tray of their choice.
Semi-Directed Tray
Therapists here will invite the client to develop a tray after providing options for the tray type.
Directed Tray
The therapist here will give clear directives of the type of tray they want their client to complete. For instance, your client comes in upset about an event at work so you say to them “I want you to make a tray showing this event so we can explore it from the tray.”
Quasi-Directed Tray
This tray type invites clients to create tray scenes based on their feelings and emotions and what they feel internally called to do in the tray.
Therapist Centered
When therapists feel it is necessary and helpful, they can create an example tray for their client to learn how to do their own. This example can help clients understand the therapy goals and feel more comfortable trying the intervention.
Co-Created Tray
In the co-created tray therapist and client will work together to create a tray scene then explore the scene together.
A modern day therapist using and training in Sandtray Therapy is Ana Gomez. Ana Gomez combines Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Sandtray therapy. Traditional Sandtray Therapy is set up and EMDR is used during the therapeutic intervention by the therapist using hand tapping, dry paint brushes across the client’s hands, or another approach to bilateral stimulation (BLS; is a process that is bilateral from right to left brain hemisphere or vice versa for reprocessing of memory to occur in the brain] to reprocess the memories coming up in the tray. Unlike Sandtray and Sandplay Therapy that is non-directive, Ana’s approach is a combination of direct and indirect. It is direct by giving options for the patient to choose from when a client feels stuck [unable to move past a feeling, thought, or conclusion] in a scene in the tray to move towards internal homeostasis. Ana’s approach is non-directive by continuing to encourage exploration by the client of the scene through internal processes. (anagomez.org)
The Art of the Figurine Collection Set Up
One of the most important parts of Sandtray/play therapy is setting up the figurines and therapy station. When setting up, therapists need to create a space that is specific to the client population they plan to serve. This will help therapists decide what type of set up they want to have. There are two choices common: shelves with an open display and storage containers with the figurines pulled out when used and put away when not being used. The trays can sit on a stand, be placed underneath furniture, or stay stationary on a table. Each space is different. The space with figurines on the shelves and out in the open is geared more toward children and adolescent ages who are drawn to play. And the objects in the storage containers are more geared for the space that is shared with adults. This way the storage containers can be brought in and out depending on the client and the therapeutic intervention. Storage shelves can also help to keep the space and items clean and organized. Once the space is obtained and created, next it is time to purchase the figurines. Figurines can be expensive so being creative is important. Think of all objects as possible figurines to use in a tray setup. The items therapists have not used in a while, old children’s toys, and other objects that are small make great figurines. Thrift shops and garage sales can also prove to be marketable sources for figurines at a cheaper cost. Once therapists exhaust these efforts, they will need to get online and shop in stores where they can get a decent supply of figurines for your space. There are also sources online to purchase a package start up of figurines. Categories of figurines to collect can include:
-
Birds, turtles, bears, antelope, armadillo, deer, monkeys, giraffe, tiger, lion, elephant, buffalo, cows, horses, sheep, lamps, hens
-
Dolphins, whales, fish, dolphins, jelly fish, starfish, octopus
-
different cultures, ethnicities, gender orientations, ages, and ability, army people
-
Cat, Dog, birds, rabbits/bunnies, farrat
-
dragon, unicorns
-
cars, trucks, work vehicles, fire truck, police car, ambulance, bus, train
-
choose different colored fences, items that can represent barriers and fences, boulders
-
rocks of all sizes, shapes, colors. Gems all colors, different sizes, and gem types. Make sure to have blue gems and rocks for water or sky in tray to be more available.
-
Christian, Buddha, Mormon, Judaism
-
houses of all types, bridges of all types and sizes
-
Holiday items, leaves, trees, cottonballs for snow, mountains
-
City workers, first responders, army, doctor, dentist, mailman, cross guard
-
Trees of all size and shrub type, bushes and shrubs, bare trees and full leaved trees
-
snakes, beetles, bugs, snails, crickets, cockroaches, butterflies, fly,
-
living room sets, rugs, lights, curtains, kitchen items, tables, food and drink of all varieties, outside items
This is not an exhaustive list of categories and each therapist will build their collection as clients give them feedback about the things they [clients] need in order to make the sandtray collection complete. When with clients, therapists need to listen to what their clients tell them their sandtray collection is missing. Clients will usually say they cannot find something they are looking for to complete their tray the way they want to. When a therapist hears this, they should take note of the object and ensure they get the object by next session. For instance think about the client who has problems with eating, if the therapist’s display does not have food types or food at all the client will need these objects to adequately process their eating issues coming up. Another example is a client in recovery for addiction, therapists need to have available objects that represent this recovery type such as alcohol (small objects), cigarettes (candy or paper form), syringes (pen syringes used at Halloween work great), and other objects related addiction and recovery. With the categories of figurines ready, now is time for the therapist to set them in categories on the stands or in the containers of choice. It is important to keep the categories together and display with great intention. This is not a toy collection but the entire process is a therapeutic intervention to provide healing. Make sure the space and figurines stay clean and organized at all times before and after session. During session let clients do what they want with the space and figurines as this is part of the therapeutic intervention. Of course, within reason allow this. Setting ground rules for young clients especially to treat the objects and space with respect and care is always recommended. When figurines break keep these items and include them still in the display as options, broken pieces are also powerful options for clients to choose from in their own tray setup. Every client that comes into your space should have the opportunity of a new tray and clean set up.
The space (i.e., session room) clients come into needs to be set up, clean, and organized each session. This is in regards to the room itself and the Sandtray display and setup. This is critical to the healing process for clients in therapy (Sweeney & Homeyer, 2009). Think about how different it feels when we sit in a space that is messy versus clean there is an internal change that happens in our emotions. Clients will feel the same way when walking into a therapy room. Therapists need to remain mindful of the space that clients walk into each and every day. So whether the therapist chooses an open setup or closed setup the categories and organization needs to stay intact.
Supplies that Accompany Sandtray/play Therapy
At any local store most of the supplies can be found in the kitchen and bathroom sections. For the kitchen section choose a strainer, spoons (with and without holes), measuring cups and measuring spoons, and other random items which all make great tools for Sandtray Therapy. The strainers and spoons are used for removing sand from objects so easier and faster to clean the space. In the bathroom section some great items to get include are combs and hair picks for making the sand smooth. Online stores are also great for finding tools for Sandtray/play therapy. If water is going to be offered to clients as well, make sure to pick up a plastic tray and water container.
Where to Get or Buy Sand
Do not go out to the backyard and dig for sand. Sand in Sandtray therapy is a unique sand, so unless the therapist lives on a beach or the Sedona hills the sand at the nearest sandbox will not be sufficient for what is needed. Therapists can certainly research sand and where to find outdoors, however, there are online stores that make it easy to purchase. One recommended resource is Jurassic Sand. Jurassic Sand has several different choices of sand to choose from. If affordable (sand can be expensive), getting more than one type of sand for clients to choose from is best. Wherever the sand comes from, just make sure the sand is clean and durable for the therapy. Make sure not to buy sand that is dusty, which most outside sand is. Especially sand found outside, sand can be dusty. So if getting sand from an outside source make sure to research to find where non-dusty sand is.
Who is the Best Candidate for Sandtray/play Therapy?
Despite H.G .Wells and Lowenfeld starting the field with children and young people today the field of play therapy and Sandtray Therapy is for all ages and populations (Sweeney & Homeyer, 2009). When explaining to children, teens, and their guardians explain that the focus of Sandtray Therapy is skill development and healing trauma. Children and teens will be able to process events in their life without using verbal cues. They can process the scene quietly and safely and only share what they want to share. For very young children, Sandtray Therapy becomes a medium they use to express emotions, feelings, and events. Therapists need to be cautious not to make conclusions in their mind that because something happens in the tray that means something. The formula A+B does not = C in Sandtray Therapy, meaning just because a scene is in the tray does not mean it means something in reality. Instead, explore the scene with clients to find out the meaning of the tray. Therapists need to be cautious not to tell their clients their conclusions as well. It is important that each client be able to make their own conclusions and meanings, versus their therapist telling them what their scene means. If a therapist gives their client their own interpretation of their clients tray they may lose confidence in their own ability.
The Sacredness of the Tray
The tray is a not just a wooden or plastic tray with sand. It is a therapeutic intervention with clients going through a very hard struggle, oftentimes, and the means for them to get better and experience healing. When introducing Sandtray Therapy start by going over what the sand is, having your client feel the sand and get grounded, and go over the figurines and their role. Then show clients the tools available to use and how to use them. Therapists can comb the sand for example and then provide the tools to their clients to try and get comfortable with them too. One the therapist explains the process and gives over the tray to their client to begin the process the therapist needs to keep their hands out of their clients tray. The best thing is to pretend the tray has plexiglass around it and it is impossible to go through the glass to reach objects or place hands in the tray. Keeping hands off objects and out of the sandtray keeps clients feeling more secure in the space they are building. If hands touch their items or go into their space clients can have a visceral experience like their boundaries are being imploded upon. Regardless of intervention and theory, remember to let clients lead the direction of treatment (remember non-directive approach) and be focused on knowing the direction they want to go. Even in EMDR therapy with Sandtray therapy, this semi-direct approach still allows the client to lead the session direction.
Tray Choices
There are several tray building options to give clients. Therapists can provide as many options as they want. When a therapist wants to focus their client on building a certain type of tray they can be creative in the choices they give to their client to choose from. Let’s say, for instance, the therapist wants their client to explore their anger in the tray. I call this “Emotion Tray.” The therapist can give their client choices that all reflect the anger tray by saying “here are some choices today for a tray set up. We [I like to use we because it feels to the client we are united in this process of healing] can do an anger tray, a negative day tray, a pro/con tray, a negative emotion tray, or a tray focused on the emotion of mad or sad.” I encourage the client to choose another tray example if these choices do not work. However, more than likely the client will hear the choices and will choose one of the options without asking for more. Additional tray choices are endless however there are a few that I like to offer: World Technique, Story World, Random Tray, Safe Place, Emotion Tray.
World Technique Tray
Lowenfeld coined this term and used it to explain what the client built in the tray, and the tray represented their world. It is a tray built completely around how the client wants to build their tray without rules or recommendations from their therapist.
Story World
During the Story World, clients will build a tray of their choice and then tell a story resulting from their tray. This can be a real story that can be found in their current life or past or fictional.
Random Tray
Very much like World Technique, Random Tray gives the client the directive to build a random tray and do whatever they want in the tray without rules.
Safe Place Tray
This tray is the client building a tray based on an experience or place, either real or fictional, they experience the sense of safety and comfort in.
Emotion Tray
Emotion tray is focused on the emotions of the client. Typically one emotion will be picked like sadness and sadness will be displayed in the tray by the client then together with their therapists explored and insight about that emotion is built.
Time to do Therapy
Once a client decides what type of tray they want to build, the therapist can now invite their client to get up and choose figurines. Therapists can start by handing their client a basket to take with them to the figurine setup letting them know they are free to choose as many or as few objects as they want. Also, therapists can ensure clients that if they want to go back and choose more they are welcome to at any time. Therapists need to stay focused on their client while they are at the figurine station. This way the therapist can make sure they stay focused on their client while their client is choosing objects, this is important. At this time of choosing objects, therapists will want to observe their client’s actions in choosing objects. Once a client is back sitting down and ready to place the figurines, therapists can calmly invite their client to place the figurines as they feel comfortable to do so. Clients like to be reminded that there are no rules and they are free to do what they feel called to do in the process. When clients are done placing their objects in the tray they will oftentimes look up at the therapist for the next direction of what to do. I like to say “Okay, so tell me about your world.” Then I listen and take notes of the tray. When they pause I will in a non-directive way ask them to explore a certain area or tell me more about an object, then listen, then illicit more, and it is a back and forth process of exploring the tray together that takes place until the session is over. During the process I recommend writing on a piece of paper the tray and the objects and name the objects as your client names them. Using a tablet is also a great way to document this type of session. Typically these drawings will not go into the clinical record but are a type of therapy doodle pad for the therapist to note on. Make sure they are locked up or shredded after creating though. If a client misses naming the object either because the therapist did not hear what their client named it or their client missed naming it the therapists needs to ask for the object name or title. It is important to know the name of the object because from that point on the therapist will need to refer to the object by that name or title. If a client calls a bear a giraffe, for instance, the therapist needs to call the animal a giraffe not correct their client that it is a bear. If the color to the therapist is red but to their client it is orange the color becomes orange for the therapist too. If an event in the tray is scary to the client but to the therapist it is funny the therapist should not correct their client or share their own experience of the difference. Instead in this type of example the therapist can help their client develop insight and build towards seeing the positive emotion and experiencing it also in the tray. If a therapist says “no this is a funny experience not scary” their client may feel ashamed by the reality of difference between them and their therapist. Let clients be themselves and structure the session where they continue to feel united to the experience as their own.
Session Ends
At the end of the session it is time to clean up the tray. Therapists can let clients know they can leave their tray as is and they [therapist] will put away the tray and objects once they have left the session room. This way the client is not having to tear down their world after building it up. Therapists can invite their client to take a picture of their tray so they can take with them as well. I encourage clients not to take pictures of negative scenes in the tray. Ultimately, though, if the client wants to take a picture or put the tray away I let them. This way they stay in control and the therapy continues in a non-directive approach. Finally at the end, let clients know they did a great job and praise them for their willingness to be vulnerable throughout the session time.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
Gomez, A. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.anagomez.org/
Boyd KK. Power imbalances and therapy. Focus. (1996). Aug;11(9):1-4. PMID: 11363821.
Carducci, B.J. (2020). Carl Jung. In The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences (eds B.J. Carducci, C.S. Nave, J.S. Mio and R.E. Riggio). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119547143.ch13
Dr. Margaret Lowenfeld Trust. (2017). The world technique. Retrieved from https://lowenfeld.org/the-world-technique/
Enchanged Grain. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.enchantedgrain.co.uk/product-page/therapy-sand-tray-70x50x10cm
Grzybowski A, Żołnierz J. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). J Neurol. 2021 Jun;268(6):2299-2300. doi: 10.1007/s00415-020-09972-4. Epub 2020 Jun 8. PMID: 32514872; PMCID: PMC8179891.
Hutton D. (2004). Margaret Lowenfeld’s ‘World Technique’. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 9(4):605-612. doi:10.1177/1359104504046164
Jung, C.G. (1932), Simund Freud in his historical setting. Journal of Personality, 1: 48-55. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1932.tb02212.x
Jurassic Sands. (2024). Retrieved from https://www.jurassicsand.com/
Kalff, D. (1971). Sandplay: Mirror of a child’s psyche. C. G. Jung Institute.
Kottman, T. (2023). Adlerian applications of sandtray play therapy. World Association of Sand Therapy Professionals. 1: 1-13. https://digital.library.txst.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/1d6edc2f-1084-4f68-8ede-2b607823a16d/content
Lantz SE, Ray S. (2022). Freud Developmental Theory. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557526/
Lowenfeld, M. (2017). The World Technique. https://lowenfeld.org/the-world-technique/
Sabates, A.M. (2020). Individual Psychology of Alfred Adler. In The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences (eds B.J. Carducci, C.S. Nave, J.S. Mio and R.E. Riggio). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119547143.ch20
Southern Sandtray Institute. (2014). Sandplay vs. sandtray. Retrevied from https://sandtraytherapy.org/sandtray-vs-sandplay/
Storr, Anthony, 'Free association, dreams, and transference', Freud: A Very Short Introduction, Very Short Introductions (Oxford, 2001; online edn, Oxford Academic, 24 Sept. 2013), https://doi.org/10.1093/actrade/9780192854551.003.0004
Sweeney, D. S., & Homeyer, L. E. (2009). Sandtray therapy. In A. A. Drewes (Ed.), Blending play therapy with cognitive behavioral therapy: Evidence-based and other effective treatments and techniques (pp. 297–318). John Wiley & Sons, Inc..
Wells, H.G. (2006). Floor Games. Floor Skirmisher Publishing LLC
