Transformation Hidden in the Sand; a Pluralistic Theoretical Framework Using Sand-Tray with Adult Clients

ABSTRACT

Jungian sandplay predominates the existing literature on sand-tray therapy. Although there is a small volume of literature on alternative approaches of using sand-tray with adults, most primarily focuses on children and adolescents. The study aimed to establish a sand-tray therapy framework to be utilized by practitioners who are not Jungian trained and intend to use this intervention with adult clients. The grounded theory multiple case study involved six client-participants receiving six sand-tray therapy sessions. The pluralistic model established incorporates inter-relational and intra-psychic dimensions. Concepts include phenomenological shift and two sand-tray specific mechanisms of phenomenological anchor and phenomenological hook, aiding ‘edge of awareness’ and unconscious processing. In this study, pluralistic sand-tray therapy was deemed successful based on improved CORE-10 clinical scores and the various participant feedback collected.

KEYWORDS:

• Sand-tray therapy
• phenomenological process
• dialogical
• grounded theory
• pluralistic
• case study
• creativity in counseling
• adult therapy

Acknowledgments

The first author would like to thank all the participants involved in the study that gave their consent to share the sand-tray images, excerpts from their sand-tray therapy sessions, and valuable feedback.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.