One Question To Use When Processing Sand Trays

Once all the figures are placed in the tray, what next? What do you say? How do you go deeper?
 
Whether the tray has three objects or feels like a crowded dance party with no empty space to fit anything else in the tray, deciding what to focus on and how to go deeper can feel overwhelming. 
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So, first I want to make sure it’s clear that sandtray isn’t a theoretical model of play therapy but can be integrated with many existing theories such as Alerian, Gestalt, and Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy. AND your specific theory will impact how you process the tray, if and what questions you ask, and if you use any prompts at all. And sandtrays are processed differently than the Jungian form of sandplay! 
 
Now, my two main theories are Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy and Child Centered Play Therapy wrapped with Adaptive Information Processing, polyvagal theory, and EMDR. So, it’s safe to say that my CCPT clients who use the sand tray have wildly different sessions than clients where I am using a Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy lens. 
 
I wanted to focus on one of my absolute favorite processing questions when using Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy with sandtray! 
 
The prompt is: 
 
“If this tray had a title, what would the title be?”
 
This processing question helps me understand the overall feel and theme in the tray in ways that often surprise me! Sometimes I feel like I have a good sense of what is going on in the tray and when I ask this question BAM the client has a title that takes the tray and my perceptions of it in a completely different direction.
 
Asking a client the title to the tray also helps the client to reflect and process the overall feel of the world.  A title for a movie, TV show, or book often captures the most essential part and sets the stage of what’s to come.  
 
A title can paint new promises, control and craft the narrative of the world, honor what is lost, and come to new levels of meaning all in a couple of words.  
 
So, if you don’t already I would encourage you to add this question to your sandtray practice! And… if you HAVE to know the title to the tray in the picture it is “Behind The Door”.  
 
Oh… and the tray is totally mine (not a clients).  No PHI exposed here! 


If you are interested in getting trained in sandtray you HAVE to check out my training Creating Worlds: An Introduction To Sandtray Play Therapy! This training will prepare you from start to finish to start using Sandtray in your practice with kids and teens.  Say hello to your step-by-step guide to sandtray HERE! ​
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