Sand Tray
Sand tray therapy is a type of play therapy that uses a sand tray to help people, both children and adults, to communicate and express themselves. A therapist who specializes in sand tray therapy will be equipped with a tray filled with sand and, often, a large collection of small things (like toys or figurines) that can be arranged in the sand. The client is encouraged to organize the sand tray however they want, positioning objects or simply creating patterns in the sand. Sand tray therapy provides a safe space for individuals to act out their fantasies and express their feelings and thoughts, without having to rely on words.
Local experts in Sand Tray
Alicia Pasik (She/They)
Licensed Professional Counselor
MS, CRC, LPC
I am trained in the Sand Play method from the Sandplay Training Worldwide institute.
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Margaret King (She/her)
Licensed Professional Counselor
LPC, NCC
Sand Tray is offered in-person only (Mondays and Wednesdays) and can be very helpful for processing dreams, feelings, family issues, pre-verbal memories, and more.
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Jamie Krahulec (she/they)
Professional Counselor Associate
MA, BA, #R7573
Incorporating sensory experiences into therapy is a great way to access and integrate languages that are not available with words.
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MereAnn Reid
Licensed Professional Counselor
Registered Play Therapist, Certified Adoption Therapist
Sand tray therapy offers a sensory experience, along with miniature figures from every category—wild animals to wizards, fairies to family members—inviting expression beyond words. Using play and the same parts of the brain that help us dream, we can use the tray to explore wishes, share worries, and try out new strategies for problem-solving. Sand tray is an accessible medium for all ages, offering an interactive, creative, open-ended approach beyond talk therapy.
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Hannah Green (she/her)
Licensed Professional Counselor
MA, LPC
Sand Tray therapy is an experiential intervention using miniatures and a big tray of sand. I have used it with ages 10-78, and I find that it helps people to get out of their heads and creatively explore the problem from different perspectives.
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