Sand Play Therapy is an expressive therapy that uses a tray of sand and miniature objects to allow children to symbolically act out and resolve inner conflicts and psychological issues. It was developed by Margaret Lowenfeld in the 1930s and emphasizes using a three-dimensional sand "world" to explore a child's deeper psyche and integrate their psychological condition. The method involves the child constructing a sand picture with miniatures provided while the counselor observes without interference to understand the child's issues and perspective. Common stages of sand play include chaos, struggle, and resolution as psychological problems are worked through.

1. Sand Play Therapy
Natasha Gupta

2. 
Counseling
 “Counseling is a
professional relationship
that empowers diverse
individuals, families, and
groups to accomplish
mental health, wellness,
education, and career goals”
(20/20: A Vision for the
Future of Counseling
Group, 2010)

3. Children’s play is not mere sport. It is
full of meaning and import
- Freobel, 1903

4. 
Expressive Therapies
 Expressive therapies are
defined as the use of art,
music, dance/movement,
drama, poetry/creative
writing, play, and sandtray
within the context of
psychotherapy, counseling,
rehabilitation, or health care
(Malchiodi, 2005)
 Unique Properties
 Limitations

5. 
Counseling as a Creative
Art
 Several of the expressive
therapies are also considered
“creative arts therapies”
(National Coalition of
Creative Arts Therapies
Associations, 2004a)
 Creative art (Gladding,
1992)
 Actual practice differs from
theory (Cavanagh, 1982)

6. 
Art Therapy
 Therapy – Aim to bring
about favourable changes
(Ulman, 1961)
 Art - a way of stating mixed,
poorly understood feelings
in an attempt to bring them
into clarity and order
(Naumberg, 1958)
 Art Therapy - Man’s most
fundamental thoughts and
feelings, derived from the
unconscious, reach
expression in images rather
than words. (Naumberg,
1958)

7. 
Sand Play Therapy
 Sand as a magnet for
children
 Explore deeper layers
of Psyche. Illustrate and
integrate psychological
condition (Malchiodi,
2005)
 Sandworld corresponds
to dimensions of
idividual’s social reality
(Dale & Wagner, 2003)

8. 
Sand Play Therapy
 Three Dimensional Scene
 Two trays of Sand – Dry and
Wet Sand, with a container of
water nearby
 Miniatures – People, Animals,
Buildings, Vegetations, Vehicles,
Structures, Natural Objects,
Symbolic Objects
 Dimension allows view in one
glance
 Interior painted Blue – Gives
impression of water or sky when
sand moved
 Many kinds of sand colour
serving different symbolic
functions

9. 
Historical Background
 Margaret Lowenfeld (1939)
 Established London Institute of
Child Psychology in 1930s
 H.G. Well’s (1911) book ‘Floor
Games’
 Provided Sand Trays in the
Institute
 Children called it ‘The World’
 Lowenfeld (1979) called it ‘The
World Technique’
 Kalff (1966, 1981) emphasized on
the development of healthy ego
in children
 Sandplay – Child gains mastery
and control over inner impulses

10. 
Method
 Sandplay – Process, Sand
Tray – Medium, Sand World
– Finished Product
 Counselor invites child to
play with sand and choose
miniatures
 Miniature – Unique physical
structure and symbolic
meaning
 Two central Stages
- Construction of Sand Picture
- Sharing of story or narrative
about sand picture

11. 
Common Stages
 Chaos
- Dump Objects
- No Order
- Intermingling of Sand and Toys
- Toys not chosen deliberately
 Struggle
- Many Battles
- No Winner, Dead left in a heap in
the corner
- Gradually battle becomes more
intense, organized, balanced
- Adversaries not killed, imprisoned
- Hero emerges

12. 
Common Stages
 Resolution
- Getting back to normal
- Order and Balanced
restored
- Resolution of Problem
- Accepting place in the
outer world
- “I don’t need to come
anymore”
- Wholeness or Completion
demonstrated by squares,
rectangles, circles

13. 
Role of the Counselor
 Do nothing
 Harder to do nothing than do
something
 Unconditional Positive Regards
 Minimal Verbalizations
 Allow the client to feel ‘safe and
free’
 Images come from collective
unconscious rather than ego
(Jung)
 Knowledge of the language of
symbols
 Draw quick sketch or take slide
photographs
 Show them during termination
for review and discussion

14. 
Applications
 Most suitable for children
because non-verbal and
symbolic
 Language and
communication difficulties
 Attention Deficits
 Experienced Trauma
 Behavioral Difficulties
 Children from various
Cultural Groups
 Adults and Adolescents
 Combination with Family
Therapy and Group Therapy

15. 
 Zhou, D. (2009). A Review of Sandplay Therapy. International Journal of
Psychological Studies, Vol 1 (2)
 Gladding, S.T. (2014). Counseling: A Comprehensive Profession, Pearson
Publication
 Gladding, S.T (1992). Counseling as an Art: The Creative arts in
Counseling.
 Malchiodi, C.A. (2003). Handbook of Art Therapy. The Guilford
Publications
 Malchiodi, C.A. (2005). Expressive Therapies: History, Theory and Practice.
Guilford Publications
 Allan, J., Berry, P. (1987). Elementary School Guidance & Counseling,
American School Counselor Association, Vol 21 (4), 300-306
 Dalley, T. (1984). Art as a therapy: An introduction to the use of art as a
therapeutic technique. Routledge Publication
References