The therapeutic method of Sandplay, also known as sandplay therapy, is a creative and symbolic approach that allows clients to express their feelings, explore their thoughts, and process emotional experiences and internal or external conflicts arising from their life circumstances. The core of this method involves creating sand scenes, which clients construct using sand, water, and symbols like miniature objects within a confined sand tray. This way, clients can create „sand worlds“ that symbolize their inner world, emotional processes, and life situations.
In Sandplay therapy, clients are encouraged to immerse themselves in the creative process and discover their own deep conscious and unconscious thoughts and emotions. Symbols and images created in the sand can offer clients a new perspective on their life situations, conflict resolution, and opportunities for personal growth, among many other insights. Clients can explore and express their inner conflicts, dreams, fears, and desires, which they can then describe in words.
This therapeutic method was developed as a tool for processing trauma, emotional tension, stress, and other psychological difficulties. It is suitable for people of all ages and can be effective in promoting mental health and personal development. Sandplay enables clients to find inner strength and creativity for solving personal issues and seeking balance and harmony in their lives. This method creates a space for deep introspection and transformation, allowing clients to discover new perspectives and solutions for their life challenges. It's important to remember that each client is unique and has their own needs and goals in therapy. Sandplay is a method that adapts to individual needs and supports clients in their personal growth and transformation. It is primarily used in therapeutic and counseling practices and serves as a diagnostic method for assessing family relationships. It also plays a supportive role in the treatment of individuals with mental illnesses.
Our Sandplay therapist – Mgr. Bc. Šárka Veselková
Mgr. Bc. Šárka Veselková is an experienced therapist who specializes in several different methods in the field of psychotherapy and self-discovery. She strives for continuous growth and development, which she combines with her rich experiences and knowledge in psychology and therapy. Šárka uses the therapeutic method of Sandplay as one of the primary tools in her work.
Furthermore, she integrates art therapy methods with psychotherapeutic care, allowing clients to express their feelings and thoughts through artistic creation and working with clay. Art therapy can be a means of communication and self-discovery, helping clients better understand themselves. In addition, Šárka is involved in bioenergetics, biodynamics, and other therapeutic techniques. These methods involve working with the body and its energetic processes, which can help clients release tension, understand their emotions, and achieve deeper personal growth.
Šárka is also a graduate of several university studies, including social work at the Silesian University in Opava and Palacký University in Olomouc, as well as a master's degree in psychology in Prague. She has completed various courses and training in psychotherapy, trauma therapy, and work with families and children. Her goal is to support clients in their personal growth and help them overcome internal barriers and difficulties. With respect and trust, she works to help clients achieve a better understanding of themselves and experience their lives more fully and happily.
Interview with Šárka – Not Just About Sandplay Therapy
In the following interview with therapist Šárka, you will learn more about the Sandplay method, Šárka's work with clients, and how she got involved in this fascinating therapeutic practice. Šárka provides insight into the therapeutic world and shares her rich experiences with this effective method of self-discovery and transformation.
Šárka, thank you for the interview. Could you first tell us a bit about yourself and about Sandplay therapy? What is the basic principle of this method, how does it work, and why are you dedicated to it?
Thank you for the invitation. If I may introduce myself briefly... I work as a therapist, and as part of my work, I use, among other methods, Sandplay as an effective therapeutic technique suitable for both children and adults. In therapy, I help clients work with their inner resources, induce personality changes, and break through internal barriers. I combine psychotherapy with art therapy methods and also focus on body-oriented therapy.
Regarding your question about Sandplay therapy... The basic principle of this method is the use of sand and symbols, specifically miniatures or figurines, in a confined sand tray space for therapeutic purposes. Clients place symbols in the confined space, creating images and representations of their inner world. This "sandbox play," as it is also called, facilitates the gradual connection of unconscious content with conscious content, the interplay between the inner and outer worlds, and the opening and activation of the mind. This leads to greater self-understanding or understanding of the client's situation. The reasons I dedicate myself to this method include creating a safe and non-threatening space for the client, establishing insights or awareness of new problem-solving possibilities or life changes, and fostering positive corrective experiences.
What is the main goal of Sandplay therapy for clients?
In the therapeutic process, clients search for and discover new perspectives on their personal and life situations. This involves connecting emotional processes and thought processes, exploring their inner resources, and processing conflicting themes. This, in turn, opens the path to new solutions and offers a different perception of significant indicators in the client's life. These new insights enable the client to clarify their internal or relational themes, change their attitude, and process emotions.
How does Sandplay therapy differ from other forms of therapy, such as verbal therapy?
A fundamental difference is that Sandplay is a non-verbal method, combining elements of both verbal and expressive therapy. In Sandplay, the therapist does not impose interventions on the client's imagery but primarily focuses on the client's unconscious processes. The creation of a symbolic image through shaping sand and miniature objects brings about changes in deeper layers and, as a result, in the inner dynamics of the psyche. Play, or its elements, has been a part of us since childhood, making it a natural part of us, and it helps overcome internal resistance in the psyche. Often, the release of emotions, which are blocked in the body, accompanies the therapy. Sandplay therapy addresses not only our emotions but also our imagination, sensory perception through touching the sand, and insights that open new and additional inspirations for problem-solving, which may not be realized through rational thinking alone.
How do you decide if Sandplay therapy is suitable for a specific client? Are there specific cases where this method is particularly effective?
Sandplay therapy is suitable for children, adolescents, and adults. The age limit for working with children is typically around 4 years old. Professional sources suggest that it can be used with even younger children. Sandplay therapy is particularly suitable for children with ADHD, for working with anger, aggressive behavior, crying, fear, anxiety, panic, trauma therapy, and as support in family crises, and more. During Sandplay therapy, children with ADHD often use what is called „wet sand“ with the addition of water. This approach has its specifics. With young children, it's essential to consider that their knowledge and use of words may not be fully developed, and it's necessary to focus on recognizing nonverbal signals and observing the created image in the sand. It's appropriate to use silence as a means of communication, not to remain silent throughout the therapy but to intertwine it sensitively with spoken words. With children, immersion in play can often be so intense that verbal accompaniment is unnecessary at that moment, or they may provide their own comments. For adults, Sandplay therapy can be helpful in times of crisis or difficulty, in relationship problems, as a tool for self-discovery and personal growth, and more. In these cases, the therapist incorporates elements of silence to provide the client with space for intense emotional experiences, realization of significant thought processes, and more.
What are the most common challenges you face when conducting Sandplay therapy, and how do you work with them?
I wouldn't call it a challenge, but rather a meaningful aspect for the client and, in this context, the therapist, is the "breakthrough" in therapy. In Sandplay therapy, individual symbols can represent people, objects, or situations for the client. They give a specific meaning that may not be initially clear to the therapist. One symbol can also encompass multiple meanings. The therapist and the client establish an intimate relationship in which they share the meanings of individual symbols and the overall image. In the process, associations with the client's problem start to emerge, and the client seeks answers within these associations. Discovering the meaning for the client, understanding the problem or situation, and recognizing and becoming aware of their emotional and bodily expressions are what I consider a pivotal moment in therapy.
Can you provide an example of a specific case where Sandplay therapy played a key role in achieving the client's therapeutic goals?
As an effective therapeutic tool, Sandplay is beneficial in addressing behavioral and learning disorders in children, clients with communication disorders or other impairments, trauma work, internal conflicts, interpersonal conflicts, challenging life situations, family issues, self-discovery, personal development, and much more. This method can be utilized in counseling practice, occasionally as a crisis intervention, as a diagnostic method for assessing family relationships, and as a supportive tool for individuals with mental illnesses.
What is the relationship between the client and the therapist during Sandplay therapy? How do clients engage in the process?
The foundation of any therapeutic relationship between a client and a therapist always involves trust and the therapist's respect for the expressions and content that the client brings into therapy. The therapist's role is to create a safe framework that provides the client with enough space and time to analyze the meaning of the symbolic material, the ability to interpret the created image (scene) and individual symbols, and to guide the client with sensitive questioning toward developing their experience, understanding it, seeking answers, associating it with their problem or situation, and more. When working with young children, the therapist observes the play process and essentially acts as an observer of the action. The child spontaneously creates an image and enacts their needs, joy, and troubles. Children, in particular, require a sensitive approach from the therapist, especially when establishing a relationship.
How often should Sandplay therapy sessions occur to achieve optimal results?
Our center recommends six Sandplay therapy sessions, each of which takes place within a two to three-week interval, with each consultation lasting 90 minutes. Sessions can also be held monthly after completing therapy or even every six months as an integrative therapeutic consultation. Our clients often use the integration of Sandplay therapy with Holotropic Breathwork, either before or after Holotropic Breathwork, or by gradually alternating between the Holotropic Breathwork process and Sandplay therapy. Sandplay can be applied as individual psychotherapy but can also have its place in group therapy.
How long does it take for clients to start noticing changes or improvements due to Sandplay therapy?
This is an individual matter. Each Sandplay therapy session can be dedicated to a different problem, perspective on the client's life situation, emotional experience, or physical state. Each Sandplay therapy brings awareness to the client's life and, consequently, changes or improvements in the situation.
What skills or qualities should a therapist specializing in Sandplay therapy have to be successful and effective in working with clients?
When answering this question, I would first focus on the qualification prerequisites. First and foremost, one must complete a Sandplay course or training, and since it's a therapeutic and diagnostic method, having training or education in psychotherapy or psychology is advantageous. Sandplay therapy is a method used in counseling, and it can be utilized not only by psychotherapists, psychologists, psychiatrists but also by social and special educators, social workers, and others. The required competencies for working with this method include personality, interpersonal, cognitive, and more. I would emphasize the skill of active listening, appropriate questioning, as well as using silence. The ability to be sensitive to key topics that the client offers on an unconscious level and cannot express verbally is crucial. Additionally, the ability to accept without judgment or pressure is important.
Thank you very much, Šárka, for the interview and valuable information not only about you but also about Sandplay therapy. I look forward to further discussions about other types of therapy.
Conclusion
Sandplay therapy is a psychotherapeutic method with wide applications in working with clients dealing with trauma, psychological issues, stress, personal development, and self-discovery. It allows clients to express emotions, explore thoughts, process inner blocks, gain new perspectives, and help in resolving life situations using sand, water, and symbolic figures. This therapy is suitable for people of all age groups and can assist with emotional and psychological issues. Key to success is openness, trust in the therapist, and a willingness to explore one's inner processes. Sandplay therapy under the guidance of a qualified therapist like Mgr. Bc. Šárka Veselková can be a path to personal growth and addressing life challenges. You can find more information on our website.
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