What Is Sand Tray Therapy?
Sand Tray therapy is a form of educational therapy that uses a sand tray to create a safe and therapeutic space for children and adults to work through their feelings and emotions. The process of creating the sand tray, choosing the materials, selecting imagery that represents the client’s inner world, and then completing the artwork are all part of this therapeutic process.
How Does Sand Tray Therapy Work?
The first step in the sand tray therapy process is to create an inner world. The client chooses objects that represent their feelings, conflicts, hopes and dreams. This can include objects such as a castle or tree house that represents their ideal life; a car or aeroplane that represents moving away from something they desire; or even a volcano, which represents anger and frustration. Next, the therapist gives the client some time to play with all of their materials. The therapist may ask open-ended questions that help the client explore different aspects of their inner world, such as: What are you doing right now? Who else is here with you? What do they look like? How do they feel about what is happening? Why did they come here today? This part of the process can be a lot of fun for both the client and the therapist. The client may have an especially strong emotional response, which can be helpful in identifying their feelings about their inner world. For example, if they start to cry when looking at something sad (like a crying child), then this might indicate that they need to address some difficult emotions such as grief or sadness in real life.
Who Should Consider Sand Tray Therapy?
Sand tray therapy is a great option for children, adolescents and adults who want to get in touch with their feelings, work through issues or improve their mental health. It’s a very safe and non-invasive form of therapy by a qualified child and educational psychologist. However, it’s especially helpful for children and teens (especially those who are struggling with anxiety or depression), as well as those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
What Are The Benefits Of Sand Tray Therapy?
Research has found many benefits including self-expression and personal growth, greater ability to express feelings, deeper connection between therapist and patient, increase in confidence, the release of deeper emotions, an increase in personal insight, an increased ability to take responsibility for their actions, an increase in positive attitudes towards others, decrease in depression/anxiety/addiction symptoms.
Sand tray therapy has been found to be beneficial for many populations, including:
- Children with autism and other developmental disabilities and learning disorders;
- People suffering from cancer;
- Cancer survivors and their families;
- Survivors of suicide attempts or sexual abuse;
- Patients with mental illness (e.g., depression) or disorders (Autism);
- Anxiety disorders;
- Substance abuse disorders;
- Trauma, neglect or abuse.
Sand tray therapy has also been shown to be effective in treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), autism spectrum disorder, and eating disorders.
Book A Session With Certified Sand Tray Therapy Professionals in South Africa Today.
Sand tray therapy can help anyone who wants to explore the self, past and future, creativity, emotions and feelings. Mizu Therapy & Assessment’s highly qualified educational psychologists use sand and other materials to create positive images and help patients across South Africa deal with problems in their lives and create working solutions for the future.
