On the first day of our weekend workshop, our tutor introduced us to Sandtray therapy. In front of us were trays filled about halfway with sand, and a large table full of objects. The idea was to choose some objects and then just see what happens when they are in the sand.
I can see how using the objects as symbols can help break down language barriers that may exist between counsellor and client. Sometimes multidimensional experiences that clients may not even fully understand can be hard to put into words, let alone then trying to convey that experience to another person. Sandtray therapy removes that one layer of communication, the one that is often the hardest to construct. I must admit, I felt much easier when describing my objects as “hippo”, “lady” and “buddha” rather than referring to them as the actual aspects of my life they related to.
The three items I chose were a kind looking lady, a fat, happy buddha, and a large hippo with an open mouth. The lady and the buddha were happy being with each other, but the hippo kept trying to get between them. When the lady and the hippo were together, the hippo told the lady of all the bad things that the hippo thought the buddha had done, and tried to convince the lady that she should not be friends with the buddha. The buddha couldn’t understand why the hippo never talked to the buddha about her issues, because as far as he knew, things were ok between him and the hippo.
The buddha always felt that the hippo had a presence in the relationship between him and the lady, even when the hippo was not present. The buddha once overheard the hippo say that the lady was only with the buddha because it “better the devil you know”, and that really hurt the buddha’s feelings. This came out in the sandtray therapy, and made the buddha want to bury the hippo in the sand. The hippo was buried, and its grave was marked symbolically with another item chosen from the collection on the table.
Sandtray therapy appeals to me because of its abstract nature, as well as its links to Jungian theory. The objects are solid and tangible, whereas the meanings, motives and movements of those objects can be interpreted in many, many different ways. It’s also quite therapeutic in itself; the act of handling the sand is very satisfying and kinetically rewarding. Choosing the objects from the ones our tutor had brought in was thought provoking, they all seemed to jump out at me, like they chose me instead of me picking them. Some were obvious choices, others seemed more random, but I let my unconscious mind pick them, and didn’t argue or refuse if they didn’t fit my conscious ideas.
Overall, it was a very interesting day. I found it quite fun to interpret Percy’s sandtray, and help him explore some of the deeper meanings in the objects he chose, the places he decided to put them, and where and how he moved them around. Interpreting some of the things he did was pure guesswork on my part, but I paid attention to the meaning he attributed to the items and how they interacted with the other objects, and let my intuition take the lead. I expect it would be possible to become very skilled at understanding common patterns, in a similar way to interpreting dreams.
It was also rewarding to have Percy peer into the world I created in my sandtray. He highlighted some dynamics I had not considered because of my position in the scenario, and has legitimately made me reconsider some things. Thumbs up, I enjoyed the day!
