What is it?
The Sand tray is a tool or technique that play therapists sometimes use in sessions, not only with children but adults, couples and families too. It helps people who have gone through traumatic life events such as abuse or other horrific events. Research shows that sand tray therapy can improve emotional expression and reduce re-traumatization that may be experienced with traditional talk therapy.
Where did it come from and how does it work?
This technique was developed by Margeret Lowenfeld a Paediatrician and child Psychologist. it was further developed by Dora Kalff who chose a slightly different approach to working with sand. However, the main idea of the sand tray technique is that while in a safe, non-judgemental space, the client is free to solve dilemmas on their own. They are able to do this with a wide range of categories of toys that the therapist provides. For example, people, cars, trees, buildings, dinosaurs and other mythical creatures. Generally, the child or adult creates a story or a world that is relevant to their lives in the present. The therapist merely observes the process and after the world or story is complete there is a discussion. Here the therapist may comment on some of the items in the tray and take on a curious approach. Such as I wonder what these animals are saying to each other, or I wonder why this character is all alone. Through this process of discussion, the child is then able to make changes to their world or show the therapist how it could be different etc.
Benefits of Sand tray and what challenges it helps overcome
Studies show that sand tray therapy is useful for many mental health-related challenges and fosters resilience. It allows the person to freely explore and express what is going on in a place where they are accepted by the therapist with no judgement. In this way, the client is then able to free themselves from deep-seated negative emotions. The sand tray is also therapeutic in the sense that it is a sensory activity. It helps clients to relax and let go as they let the sand run through their fingers or drag their hands across the tray.
The sand tray technique is very broad and can be used in many ways. The way a particular therapist chooses to use it will depend on the person’s age, challenge, and the specific approach that the therapist uses. It is also particularly useful for non-verbal or partially verbal children. This technique is used to assist with a wide variety of challenges such as anger management, depression, divorce, self-esteem, grief and loss, trauma, and school or work-related challenges.
Examples
Below are some other studies cited by Morin (2021) that show the effectiveness of sand tray therapy:
• A study in Korea found that sand play therapy as part of school counselling led to improved self-esteem and significant changes in emotional problems in fourth and fifth graders.
• A study conducted on 4- and 5-year-old children with externalizing behaviour problems demonstrated that these children showed less aggressive behaviour after 30 minutes of group sand play. They participated in therapy twice a week for 16 sessions.
• Another small study in Korea included three children who had witnessed domestic violence. It found that supportive music and imagery combined with sand play therapy improved emotional and behavioural adaptability after six individual sessions.
• Meanwhile, another study evaluated the sand play of migrant women in Korea. The researchers found that group sand play therapy produced positive self-expression and reduced negative self-expression.
• In China, a study involving boys with Asperger’s syndrome, a diagnosis that the DSM-5 has since retired and today would be considered level one autism spectrum disorder (ASD), combined sand play therapy with other forms of treatment. It concluded that sand play therapy helped develop the boys’ psychological well-being and interpersonal communication skills.
• Researchers theorize that sand play therapy may help vulnerable, pre-verbal children with trauma, making it a good strategy for those who are too young to talk about their traumatic experiences. A study supporting this theory was conducted on a 3-year-old orphan with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Researchers found that sand play therapy provided the child with emotional support.
