How can sand trays help with trauma?

There's a reason why play therapists use them!

Sometimes, putting things into words just doesn't cut the mustard. We struggle to articulate the complexities of our emotions, the depths of our experiences, the landscapes of our inner worlds. That's where sand tray therapy steps in. It offers a unique and powerful way to bypass the limitations of language and express ourselves through the medium of sand and miniature objects.

Imagine a child, a bit shy about talking about a tricky time, but their little hands reach for a dragon figure and place it protectively within a circle of castles. Or a teenager, grappling with social anxiety, meticulously crafts a scene where a lone astronaut stands on the edge of a vast, starry sky. These seemingly simple acts of creation become profound windows into the internal struggles and triumphs of the individual.

So, why do therapists use sand trays?

Here are a few reasons:

1. A Safe Space for Self-Expression: The sand tray acts as a contained world, a microcosm where individuals can explore their thoughts and feelings without judgment. It allows them to process difficult experiences in a way that feels safe and manageable.

2. Beyond Words: For young people who find it challenging to verbalise their emotions, the sand tray provides an alternative language for them to use. Through the placement of figures, the shaping of the sand, and the creation of scenes, they can communicate what words might fail to capture—or what they do not yet have words to explain.

3. Unveiling the Unconscious: You can observe the choices made within the sand tray, how the miniature objects interact, and the emerging landscapes. These seemingly random arrangements can offer valuable insights into the young person's unconscious mind, revealing hidden patterns and conflicts.

4. Building Resilience: As young people create and recreate their sand tray worlds, they gain a sense of agency and control. They experiment with different scenarios, find solutions to symbolic problems, and ultimately, build resilience in facing their real-life challenges.

5. Recreating Scenarios To Process: Young people often use small-world scenarios as a way of going over a certain scenario—often a traumatic one of some sort—over and over again. They experiment with ways it could have gone differently, ways in which it might turn out okay—and ways they can be okay. By gaining an understanding of why it happened as it happened, they can learn to move on.

Sand tray therapy is not just about playing with miniature toys in sand. It's a powerful tool that allows us to delve into the depths of our inner selves, express what words cannot, and build the strength we need to navigate the complexities of life.

Surely this only works with small children?

While sand tray therapy is often associated with children, it can be a remarkably effective tool for teenagers as well. Adolescence is a time of immense change and emotional turmoil. Teenagers grapple with identity, social pressures, and the complexities of forming relationships. Often, they find it difficult to articulate their internal struggles in a way that feels authentic. Similar to childhood, they might struggle to find words for what are yet another slew of new, complex emotions.

Sand tray therapy provides a safe, non-judgmental space for teenagers to express themselves symbolically. Through the creation of miniature worlds, they can explore their emotions, navigate internal conflicts, and process challenging experiences in a way that feels manageable. The act of creating and manipulating the sand and figures allows them to gain a sense of agency and control over their inner world, which can be particularly empowering during a time of significant change.

Similarly, parents and teachers can incorporate sand tray-like activities to support children's emotional well-being. Providing a tray of sand, miniature figures, and natural objects allows children to express themselves creatively, process difficult emotions, and work through challenging experiences in a way that feels safe and natural. This can be a valuable tool for fostering open communication and building a deeper understanding of a child's inner world.

Can you help me?

Absolutely! Whether that is help in building your own sand tray—you will need a tray, some sand to play with (but some people might be okay with pebbles) and some miniature toys to be a part of the small world—or whether you are unsure or lacking in confidence using it as a way of creating space for your young person, I can provide advice.

If you are a teacher or school-based staff interested in using these types of interventions within your settings, the same goes—I will happily come and talk to your staff about using sand trays. I can also heartily recommend Trauma Informed School UK’s Practitioner Diploma to equip your staff with the skills they need to use these interventions. The training is delivered over 11 days and six months, allowing staff to learn, integrate, try out and continually improve and feedback to supervisors.

At any rate, please get in touch:

Final thoughts

It can be hard when young people in our care clam up. We want them to talk because we want to be available for them and help them to thrive. Sometimes they need help.

Sand tray as a therapeutic technique offers a powerful, unique tool that transcends age. While the image of playing with miniature figures in sand might seem childlike, the underlying principles resonate deeply with teenagers and adults alike.

For individuals of all ages, the ability to bypass the limitations of language and express emotions symbolically through the creation of miniature worlds proves incredibly valuable. It provides a safe space for exploration, a platform for processing difficult experiences, and a means to gain a sense of agency and control over one's inner world.

This approach recognises that sometimes, the most profound things we have to say cannot be uttered in words. Sand tray therapy allows us to tap into the depths of our unconscious, build resilience, and ultimately, navigate the complexities of life with greater understanding and self-compassion. Ultimately, recreating the inexpressible can help us know our own inner lives in a more rich way than words can capture.

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