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An Explanation of Sandplay

When someone says the word 'sand', what do you think of? Do you think about how relaxing a walk along the beach can be? Or how sifting the sand through your fingers helps the stress flow out of your body? Does it remind you of childhood play? In therapy, the sand, along with a collection of miniatures can be used as a wonderful tool for expressing thoughts and feelings.

Sandplay is an expressive tool used by children, adolescents, adults, and families in which miniature figures, sand, and water are used to create a story or share the person(s) view of his or her world. During sandplay, the client selects from the many figures on the selves. The manner in which the client uses the sandtray is unique to that individual. At times there may be silent reflection, a discussion between the client and the therapist, or the client may play out his of her thoughts, feelings, or problems.

It is often helpful to the clients to have their thoughts or situation displayed in front of them in this manner. Not only does this help the person define a problem more clearly in his or her own mind, but it also helps the person move through it and find a new and practical solution. The solution, which emerges from the work in the sandtray, feels comfortable and right to him or her because he or she created it by rearranging the elements of the problem. When a person feels comfortable with a new idea, it often seems to implement itself. It makes since to him or her from the inside out. Clients usually leave the counseling session with a better understanding of themselves and with solutions they themselves brought up from deep down inside.