I've talked a little bit about this before but with recent posts regarding play in therapy, I thought I'd share a description of the sand tray I did in t yesterday. Basically you create a little world in the sand that is a visual representation of how you are in your head at the time. Over simplified of course, but it's fascinating and I wish everyone could try it at least once with a t certified in sand play! I love it. Anyway here's what I did yesterday, my most artistic one yet:

I always use wet sand cuz it's moldable. (The sand tray/box is waterproof.) I made the base of a volcano crater in the center of the box, and put a shell in the bottom of the crater and filled the shell with water. I placed a bunch of little green plastic trees around the perimeter of the crater, like a circle-forest kind of thing. Then a big bird feather balanced over the tops of the trees, picture it waving in the breeze. Then there's a little wolf next to the water in the shell standing guard. I pictured myself floating in the water in the shell looking up at the trees and feeling and drawing strength from all the power and energy of the earth below the volcano crater. Oh yeah I also said that the feather swaying back and forth in the breeze is keeping the energy in the crater alive and moving. t was quite affected by this particular sand tray, we spent the last few minutes of my session standing there next to each other at the table eyes closed and imagining being in that world and sharing our imagined experiences there. It was very, very cool!!