Sand Therapy

“Sandplay therapists who work in the way Kalff taught differentiate sandplay from sand tray therapy," said Lauren Cunningham, a founding member of STA and the editor of The Journal of Sandplay Therapy. "Sand tray therapy is a more generic term referring to a variety of effective ways of using sand, figures and a container from different theoretical perspectives." She continued, "Sandplay therapy emphasises the spontaneous and dynamic qualities of the creative experience itself. The essence of sandplay is nonverbal and symbolic. In what Kalff called the 'free and protected place' provided by the tray and the relationship with the therapist, children and adults play with sand, water and miniatures over a period of time, constructing concrete manifestations of their inner world. When energies in the form of 'living symbols' are touched upon in the personal and collective unconscious, healing can happen spontaneously within a person at an unconscious level. As a more harmonious relationship between the conscious and the unconscious develops, the ego is restructured and strengthened." References Bradway, K. (1990). Developmental stages in children’s sand worlds. In Bradway, et al, (Eds.), Sandplay studies: Origins theory & practice. 93-100. Boston: Sigo Press. Cunningham, L. (1977). What is Sandplay Therapy? Journal of Sandplay Therapy, 6:1, 1977. Stewart, C. (1990). The developmental psychology of sandplay. In K. Bradway et al (Eds.), Sandplay studies: Origins theory & practice (pp.39-92). Boston: Sigo Press. Thompson, C. (1990). Variations on a theme by Lowenfeld: Sandplay in focus. In K. Bradway et al (Eds.), Sandplay studies: Origins, theories & practice (pp.5-20). Boston: Sigo Press. Weinrib, E. L., (1983). Images of the Self. Boston: Sigo