Sandplay Therapy

 Sandplay was idealized by the talented Jungian child analyst  Dora Kalf. The inspiration came from her contact with “the world technique” developed at that time by Dr. Margareth Lowenfeld.

The method helps children and adults to express themselves non verbally, thus allowing images from the unconscious  to emerge in the construction of scenarios with miniatures of all kinds inside a blue bottom box filled with sand.

The rectangular shape of the box and its specific dimensions are meant to be at the range of the patient’s sight when building the scene.  The possibility of water simulation is given by the blue bottom when sand is cleared away. Miniatures of human figures, objects, animals, vehicles, heroes, religious, mythic and fantastic figures – as well as any other thing belonging to the real or imaginary world – should be at disposal for the free choice of the patient.

Images in Sandplay should not be interpreted on the occasion of their production. At first, the therapist elicits the patient’s associations, prioritizing his emotional relationship to the image. This proceeding aims at opening space for the physical, emotional and animic changes to occur before their intellectual comprehension takes place. In his work: “Symbols of Transformation”, Jung suggests the sacrifice of consciousness as a necessary element in psychological transformation (P. 432). Psychological cure is an emotional phenomenon.  That is the reason why the interpretation of those images are postponed to the point where the therapist feels a cycle is completed.  Then he presents the patient with pictures of his series of images and verbalizes his understanding of the process.

According to Weinrib, Sandplay is a silent and essentially unconscious method of psychic cure, complementary to verbal analysis. Experience has shown that the simple fact of producing a scenario is enough to create healing effects on the individual, due to the autonomous cure tendency of the psyche. In Sandplay, the individual is thrown back to his imagination and internal resources.

To this method is attributed the capacity of reaching profound layers of the non verbal psyche. It is believed that, in cases of disturbances in the primal relationship, the wounded archetypal image can be reconstituted. Sandplay works as a maternal space, a psychological uterus that facilitates the encounter with the inner child and all its potentiality, creativity and renovation. Making a bridge between the inner and outer world, this method allows integration of unconscious material.

The psyche creates and expresses itself through feeling toned images in an impulse for self realization. The work with Sandplay favors the expression of those internal images filled with emotion. It shapes and permits unconscious material to be recognized, allowing the individual to dialogue with those contents. However, most importantly, are the connection and the relationship the patient establishes with the image and the inner content it represents, for it is in this respectful attitude of trust that resides the healing effect of the method.