Sandtray & Experiential Therapy

Sometimes the most important things we carry are the hardest to say because they do not yet have words. They live as feelings, body sensations, images, or a quiet inner knowing. They are silent, and yet deeply felt.

Other times, the deeper material is not obvious at all. It does not feel like “something inside.” Instead, it shows up as patterns. You might feel stuck, notice emotional blocks, have unexpected reactions, struggle in relationships, or experience anxiety or symptoms that do not fully make sense. You may feel like you are somehow in your own way, without knowing why.

Sandtray is a depth oriented, experiential approach that helps these less conscious layers of experience emerge in a gentle, symbolic, and relational way.

Often, the experiences that shape us most happened early, subtly, or emotionally, before we had language, or in environments where emotions felt confusing, overwhelming, or unsafe. These experiences do not just disappear. They continue operating in the background, living in the nervous system and in relational patterns, even when we cannot consciously point to them.

Sandtray gives those inner layers a place to take form.

Using miniature figures and a tray of sand, you create scenes that reflect your inner world. Sometimes what emerges feels immediately meaningful. Other times it is more subtle, a mood, a sense, or a dynamic that is hard to define. Together, we stay with what is unfolding emotionally, physically, and relationally, allowing meaning to arise from your lived experience rather than from outside interpretation.

This approach can be especially powerful for people who feel emotionally numb, blocked, or disconnected, feel stuck in identity questions or life transitions, suspect early attachment wounds or preverbal trauma, notice repeating patterns they cannot think their way out of, or live in their heads and want to feel more connected to their inner world.

What to Expect

It is not about being creative or “good at it.” There are no gold stars in sandtray therapy.

You choose figures that draw your attention, and a scene begins to take shape. Sometimes it is clear, and sometimes it is more atmospheric or hard to describe.

My role is to help you stay in contact with what is emerging. We might slow down, notice body sensations, explore emotions, or give different parts of the scene a voice. The tray becomes a space where internal experiences can be seen, felt, and related to more directly.

As the process unfolds, connections often arise naturally. Things that once felt random, “just the way I am,” or disconnected can begin to make sense within your larger story.

The work moves at your pace, with care for emotional safety and nervous system support.