The diversity of modern counseling approaches parallels the growing understanding of the different ways individuals express themselves. In this context, alternative means of expression become crucial, especially when verbal communication falls short.
At this very point, the sand tray approach—widely used not only with children but also effectively with adolescents and adults—emerges as a powerful counseling technique in which emotions and internal conflicts are made visible through symbols. This method exemplifies the core of symbolic therapy, allowing deep inner material to surface.
WHAT IS THE SAND TRAY APPROACH?
The sand tray approach is a projective counseling method that enables individuals to express their feelings and thoughts through symbols.
Typically, a tray filled with dry or wet sand is used along with various miniature figures (such as people, animals, buildings, objects, elements of nature, and religious or mythological symbols). The client creates a scene by placing these figures in the sand tray. This scene represents the client’s inner world, unconscious processes, or emotional challenges.
HISTORY AND THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS
The sand tray approach was first developed in the 1920s by British pediatrician Margaret Lowenfeld, who believed that children could express their emotions through play. She created the technique known as the World Technique.
The theoretical foundation of this method is rooted in Carl Gustav Jung’s analytical psychology. Jung’s emphasis on archetypal symbols, unconscious material, and creative processes also informs sand tray therapy.
Later, Dora Kalff integrated Jung’s theory with Lowenfeld’s technique and developed her own approach called Sandplay Therapy. According to Kalff, the sand tray provides a safe space for clients to explore their inner world through symbolic representation. This process supports the emergence and integration of unconscious content into consciousness.
HOW IS IT APPLIED?
Ideally, the sand tray used is blue-bottomed and of specific dimensions (commonly 50×70 cm). The counselor provides a wide selection of miniature figures for the client to use.
The client chooses figures and places them in the tray. The process is intended to be non-directive; the counselor does not intervene but observes and interprets.
The scene created may be discussed with the client, or the work may focus solely on the creative process. The counselor’s role is not to evaluate the scene, but rather to witness the symbolic narrative created by the client and, when appropriate, support the awareness process with reflective questions. This aligns with non-verbal counseling practices where healing emerges through symbolic rather than verbal means.
AGE GROUPS AND APPLICABLE SITUATIONS
Although the sand tray method is often used with children, it can also be highly effective with adolescents, adults, and even in couples counseling. It is especially preferred in the following cases:
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History of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse
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Separation, grief, loss
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Stress management
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Anger issues
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Developmental disorders
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Communication difficulties
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Family conflicts, divorce
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Individuals with limited verbal expression
Emotions that are difficult to verbalize, unconscious conflicts, and repressed experiences can be safely externalized through symbols. These characteristics make sand tray therapy a core part of trauma-informed techniques.
SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE AND THE ANALYTIC PROCESS
In the sand tray approach, the placement of figures, selected symbols, and recurring themes within the scene carry significant meaning.
For example, a bridge may symbolize “transition between two worlds,” a ruined building may represent “internal collapse,” and isolated figures may indicate “attachment difficulties.” However, the therapist avoids assigning fixed meanings to symbols and instead interprets them within the unique context of the client’s inner world.
Over time, recurring patterns in therapy may provide insight into internal changes and healing. Early scenes may be chaotic, dark, and fragmented, while later scenes may become more organized, integrated, and positive.
EFFECTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNSELING PROCESS
The primary goal of the sand tray approach is to help the individual externalize and make visible their inner world.
This process offers a symbolic map for both the client and the therapist. As the counseling process progresses, the client:
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Becomes aware of internal conflicts
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Accesses repressed emotions
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Expresses inexpressible experiences through symbols
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Reconstructs their experience in a safe environment
This method allows for processing challenging experiences without the need for verbal expression. In this way, it differs from classical methods and directly engages with emotions.
CONCLUSION: THE POWER OF SYMBOLS
The sand tray approach holds a unique place among counseling methods. It is a creative and effective technique, especially when verbal expression is limited. One of its most striking aspects is how it brings the client’s unconscious world into view.
Though it may seem like a simple material, sand becomes a vessel for personal stories, suppressed memories, and complex emotions. The inner narrative built with symbols offers the client a mirror to their emotional world—both for themselves and their therapist.
These narratives can undergo transformation over time: from chaos to order, darkness to light, fragmentation to wholeness—mirroring the client’s internal healing process.
Children think and express emotions through play, not words. For them, sand is both a fun and safe space. Within this space, children can reconstruct difficult experiences through play, feel empowered, and develop emotional regulation skills.
For adults, the sand tray provides symbolic access to repressed feelings and unconscious processes that operate beneath everyday awareness. Working with symbols helps make issues that are hard to articulate more visible and tangible.
In summary, the sand tray method is theoretically rich, practically effective, and multidimensional. These silent stories told through symbols can often say more than the loudest words. The stories hidden within the sand help the client tap into their inner strength, reorganize their emotions, and take steps toward healing.
REFERENCES
Homeyer, L. E., & Sweeney, D. S. (2021). Sandtray Therapy: A Practical Manual (Trans. M. F. Yavuz & H. Koç). APAMER Publications.
International Society for Sandplay Therapy. (n.d.). ISST – International Society for Sandplay Therapy. https://www.isst-society.com