Five Myths about Sand Tray Work Busted in Five Weeks!
Five Myths about Sand Tray Work Busted in Five Weeks
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Anyone who knows me and talks to me for more than five minutes about my work will hear the topic of sand tray. In fact, I have a good therapist friend who refers to it as the \”Sand Tray Monologue.\” I love this method of work with both adults and children and have seen its power repeatedly across various types of clients and issues. In this series of blog posts, I will debunk five different myths about sand tray work. Here goes the first one!
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- Its not real therapy, its just playing with toys in sand.
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This is absolutely FALSE! Sand tray work is brain-informed and research-based. Much of sand tray work is non-directive play therapy work, which has been repeatedly been proven to be evidenced based.  Child-Centered Play Therapy Research: The Evidence Based for Effective Practice outlines some of his research very well. To be more specific, Bonnie Badenoch\’s Being a Brain-Wise Therapist: A Practical Guide to Interpersonal Neurobiologyalso has a separate chapter devoted just to the power of sand tray work.  Â
Some of the examples of how the brain is improved with sand tray work are
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- Sand tray work uses all of the senses which promotes the brain to be more integrated and form more neurons. More neurons= better brain function= higher level skills such as the development empathy and insight.Â
- Sand tray work also allows for the left and right sides of the brain to be better connected, which again aids in the development a better, integrated brain.Â
- Sand tray work is a RICH experience and often goes through the \”back door\” of the mind, escaping the blocks many people put up with their words. Â
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These are just a few of the many benefits of sand tray work. Â
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What do you think? Does this myth keep you from learning about or practicing sand tray work orexplaining why its so effective toothers who are not familiar?
