Pondering the best symbols for a sand tray experience

By Karen Carnabucci, LCSW, TEP

While I'm knee-deep in getting ready for my "Sand Tray (and Play Therapy) Meets Psychodrama" three-day training and mini-retreat which starts Thursday, I'm pondering the symbols and metaphors that make sand tray psychotherapy and coaching so powerful.

Through the years, I've worked with mainly with adults, so my sand tray miniatures and items are a bit more sophisticated than those other practitioners might have for therapy with children. When psychodrama is incorporated with sand tray, I've found that the nature of the work is deepened on multiple levels.

I've been compiling and collecting sand tray miniatures and other items from my own sand tray collection of many years, plus a few from thrift stores and yard sales -- and a few that I've made myself. Here's a representation of what are useful miniature metaphors.

I found this great vintage bird cage at a yard sale, and I promise you that cages, prisons and jails are always well used in my experience.

Very little and bigger items are always useful because sand trays vary in size according to the practitioner, the size of the practice space and if you're traveling to various locations or staying put in one place.

You'll want to have money -- real or play -- because everyone will have money issues to explore.

I modified the stickers at the bottom into sand tray figures by gluing them onto cardboard and will make little stands for them before the class begins. I find that  wine corks make ideal stands, which I attach to the signs with hot glue. They'll be added to several other items for a section that that speaks of social justice topics.

Boxes with lids are always fun to open, and they also hide what is not ready to be seen or protect what must have protection or limit what must have boundaries.

Buildings, people and animals are mandatory. Thankfully, my collection includes more than images of white humans -- I've collected images of people of color from hero images, to babies to working people.

I always like to include items of natural materials because I believe that we consciously and unconsciously yearn to connect with the natural world. Here, the raffia placemat offers connection with the natural world, as do the bamboo plates. I'll be also be adding seashells, branches of eucalyptus, stones, feathers and other natural items to the choices.

I'll be using the classic sand tray with its blue interior -- as advised by the Swiss Jungian psychologist Dora Kalff, considered one of the key pioneers of this creative modality -- as well as demonstrating options for smaller trays, including the aluminum lasagna baking pans, the bamboo charger plates, the decorative metal tray. In lieu of containers with sand,  I've also used the lazy Susan as well as place mats and pieces of construction paper.

Want a bigger list of sand tray essentials? Purchase Karen's 30-page e-book Sand Tray Essentials for Adults by clicking here.

About Karen

Karen Carnabucci, LCSW, TEP, is a nationally board-certified practitioner of psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy and the founder and director of the Lancaster School of Psychodrama and Experiential Psychotherapies in Lancaster, Pa., which offers online and in-person classes with CE credits. You may keep updated on her schedule and subscribe to Karen's e-letter here.