Sandplay: the Image Speaks for Itself

Every sandtray is filled with symbolic meaning – the key is learning what there is to read and how to read it.

This book emphasizes the importance of visual imagery and meticulous observation to interpret sandplays, allowing practitioners to find the authentic meanings in clients’ sandplay expression before applying theory or referring to a patient’s history. It also explores the impact of the environment on creative work, both in the therapist’s studio and externally. Detailed case studies exemplify the themes of each chapter, from practical considerations such as restricted budgets, the sand trays and the physical objects in the sand tray, to the conceptual interactions between developmental play, myth, human experience, art and nature, and the symbolic representations that form sandplay journeys.

Whether you’re an experienced sandplay therapist or just starting your training, this book will guide you in reading the symbolic elements of your clients’ work that support their therapeutic journey.