Sandplay Therapy: Psychological Counselors' "Mental Playground"? Psychologists Reveal Why Playing with Sand Can Heal Hearts

The Magic of Sandplay Therapy

How do psychological counselors find inner peace amid busy work, and how do they remain calm when facing complex emotions? Today, let's talk about the interesting story of a group of intern psychological counselors playing with sand trays in hospitals.

Through a magical tool called "sandplay therapy," they not only had fun but also unconsciously completed self-growth and professional development. This article studied 10 intern psychological counselors participating in 10-week group sandplay supervision experiences in hospitals.

Sandplay therapy sounds like children building sandcastles on the beach, but actually it's a professional psychotherapy method. In this process, psychological counselors use various miniatures and props to build scenes in trays filled with fine sand. These scenes aren't just random toy placements—they reflect their inner worlds and emotional states.

Group Sandplay Supervision

In this study, 10 intern psychological counselors participated in a 10-week group sandplay supervision project. They gathered weekly, taking turns building their sand trays and sharing their feelings and experiences.

This collective activity not only gave them opportunities for self-expression but also provided feedback and support from peers. Participants also discovered that sandplay therapy not only helped them better understand themselves but also promoted teamwork and communication.

Self-Exploration and Emotional Release

In sandplay games, psychological counselors not only build scenes but also reflect on and analyze these scenes. They contemplate why they chose certain miniatures or props, why they arranged them that way. This reflective process helps them understand their inner worlds more deeply.

For example, some counselors might choose a miniature to represent their clients—through this figure, they can better understand clients' emotions and needs. Others might select animals or natural objects to represent their emotional states—like an injured bird possibly representing their inner vulnerability.

One of sandplay therapy's greatest charms is its emotional release effect. During sand tray construction, counselors often encounter scenes that touch their emotions. These scenes might trigger memories of past experiences or evoke strong feelings.

Challenges Faced

Although sandplay therapy brings many positive effects, counselors in this study also faced challenges. First, academic pressure is an unavoidable issue. Many counselors need to prepare various certification exams, creating significant stress.

Additionally, emotional burden is an important factor. When facing complex emotional scenarios, counselors must remain calm and professional—a challenge for them. However, through sandplay therapy, they learned to better handle these emotions and maintain balance at work.

Practical Growth Guide

**Self-Expression**: Sandplay therapy is a very effective self-expression method. When feeling confused or uneasy, try building a sand tray using miniatures and props to express your inner world.

**Teamwork**: Playing sandplay with others is also great team-building activity. Through sharing and discussing each other's creations, you can better understand others' thoughts and feelings.

**Emotional Release**: Sandplay therapy can help release emotional pressure. When feeling depressed or anxious, try building a sand tray reflecting your emotional state.

**Professional Growth**: If you're a psychological counselor, sandplay therapy can become an important tool for professional development. Through reflecting on and analyzing your sand tray creations, you can better understand yourself and your clients.

**Continuous Learning**: Psychology is an ever-developing field—continuous learning and practice are the best ways to enhance professional abilities.

In summary, sandplay therapy is not only an interesting expression method but also promotes psychological counselors' self-growth and professional development. Let's play with sand trays together and keep growing!