AN EXPLORATORY INVESTIGATION OF USING SANDTRAY IN COUPLES THERAPY

Abstract

"Sandtray therapy is a form of expressive therapy that allows a person to construct their own microcosm using miniature toys and sand. The scene created acts as a reflection of the person's own life and allows them the opportunity to resolve conflicts, remove obstacles, and gain acceptance of self. This non-verbal method of therapy is often used with children, but can be applied to adults, teens, couples, families, and groups as well. Couples may find the sandtray a good way to let out feelings, share inner thoughts and fears, and work through conflict. When couples enter therapy together, it is often precisely because they are having difficulty communicating with one another. They may have feelings that they feel are not appropriate to share with their partner, or they may feel like they don't have the support from their partner to be safe when expressing their feelings. Primarily, sandtray therapy aids in communication. Because communication is a cornerstone of relationships, any therapy that can help people understand each other more clearly is beneficial to couples and other family relationships. This paper shares qualitative results from an exploratory investigation of the use of sandtray as an intervention within regular couples talk-therapy, and the experiences of three couples participating in the intervention. How sandtray was utilized within sessions is discussed as well as qualitative feedback from couples participating in the therapy over a 3-month period. Further research opportunities using sandtray with couples are also identified."