Sandbox technique: dig through your emotions until you find answers

Many times we go to the psychologist with an idea of ​​what is happening to us or with the cause of our discomfort somewhat identified. Many others find it difficult to find the problem, and the specialist must use various techniques to obtain and separate important information. Among them is the sandbox technique, a method often applied in child psychology, since children, due to their level of development, usually have difficulties expressing their feelings.

The sandbox technique, in its original name sandplaywas devised by the Swiss psychotherapist Dora M. Kalfflos based on the analytical psychology of Carl Gustav Jung and the work of the child psychiatrist Margarita Lowenfeld. It is mainly used to access information that the patient has not consciously noticed.

What is the sandbox technique?

To access these non-conscious contents, a box with a blue bottom is used (some are made of wood or plastic) filled with sand, in which the patient, in silence, places different figures. These represent elements or characters, real or fantastic, that the patient must place silently and based on his own preferences. Among these figures we can find people, animals and plants, constructions, means of transportation, signs or natural dividers (rocks, wood), fantastic elements, movie characters, accessories…

During the processthe therapist should limit himself to offering auxiliary help, leaving the interpretation of what has happened for after having listened to the patient/client. On the other hand, it is common for the psychologist to later take a photograph of the scene, for later interpretation, outside the context of the consultation.

The results are varied, and there are many possible interpretations for a sandbox. For example, if we find characters alone in the box, this can denote loneliness or a feeling of abandonment on the part of the patient. On the other hand, if violence predominates in the scene, that can mean a certain feeling of desolation.

With which patients to use this technique?

Despite being used primarily in child psychology, the sandbox technique can be applied to any age. It is very useful when we talk about people who have difficulty talking about their emotions. This technique is related precisely to patients who have suffered, for example, some type of trauma (abuse, mistreatment…). They are also useful for people who are grieving or have emotional or behavioral disorders.

Children have just begun their emotional life. They are in full development of complex emotions, and often they are not able to express what is happening to them. That is why they are the most frequent patients and this technique is used in school contexts for the evaluation of disorders related to language, self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, bullying or family problems.

How useful is the sandbox technique?

The sandbox brings back an important element in our childhood mental development: play. This creative play that occurs in the sand explores the ancient archetypal patterns that are part of the patient. It is the very action of the game in the arena (the visualization, the personal choice and the way in which the miniatures are placed in the arena) that activates that internal archetypal dimension.

Through the photographs that the therapist takes of the result of the box, various mental patterns can be analyzed in the patient’s unconsciousness. It is an interesting technique because it moves away from the linguistic plane. On many occasions, the patient is not able to verbalize what is happening to him, especially when we are talking about children. Thus, despite the impossibility of verbalization, the psychologist can have a sample of the problem.

These types of techniques are extremely useful, as they create a stress-free space in the consultation, where the patient feels comfortable. In addition, Creative play helps release tension and creates a place of respect and freedom in the consultation for the patient/client to express themselves.

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