Sandtray Therapy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
An external expression of your inner world
Sandtray Therapy may sound a bit like a child’s game, but it is an effective therapy method for both adults and children, helping individuals learn to cope with past trauma and express their inner selves in healthy, productive ways.
What Is Sand Tray Therapy?
Sandtray therapy is a type of therapy that allows an individual to express their emotions and internal and external experiences. Developed by several experts, including Margaret Lowenfeld and Dora Kalff, this type of therapy encourages clients to come up with their own solutions to their problems by providing them an imaginary world in which they can symbolically act them out.
In a sandtray therapy session, the therapist will give the client a tray of sand with colorful or natural sand, and an array of toys, called “miniatures”. These toys may include anything from buildings, cars, and animals, to people, dinosaurs, and fantasy characters. The client is then free to select which toys they would like to use and arrange them within the tray to create a small world.
The idea behind this type of therapy is that in arranging the miniature world within the tray, the client will reveal their internal battles and conflicts. Throughout the initial construction of the world, the therapist usually remains quiet and simply observes. Once it has been completed, the therapist will discuss with the client to determine any deeper, metaphorical meanings their sand tray arrangement may represent.
Why Is Sandtray Therapy Helpful?
For those who have experienced a traumatic event, whether it be abuse, the loss of a loved one, a car accident, or any other life-changing incident, it may be difficult to process their trauma or express their emotions related to the event. Sandtray therapy can be a helpful tool for individuals with a history of trauma or other challenging life experiences to help them work through their emotions and uncover truths or feelings they may not even be aware of themselves. And this can all be done with limited verbal expression!
Sandtray therapy has been proved effective for patients in a variety of age groups, from children to adults, and may benefit individuals suffering from ADHD, anxiety disorders, autism spectrum disorder, depression, low self-esteem, social issues, and even school-related problems. Especially for those who struggle with self-expression, it provides a safe and engaging way to learn how to express yourself positively and gain a deeper awareness or understanding of your mental state.