'This is an exciting, beautifully written, and heartfelt book about sandtray therapy that includes the fascinating history of its origins and the sacred healing journeys that sandtray therapy offers to children and adults alike.'
David A. Crenshaw, PhD, ABPP, RPT-S, author and board-certified clinical psychologist
'There are times that words seem insufficient to communicate an experience. Reading this inviting, grounding, and thought-provoking book was a learning experience unlike many others I’ve had. The book has intimacy, heart, logic, and contemporary knowledge and conveys a sacred respect for allowing our clients (and ourselves) to let our hands, bodies, hearts, and minds engage in the depth and richness that is sand therapy. The words that most resonate are integration and assimilation and as readers we become receptive to synchronous, seamless repetition that supports conceptual learning. Although the book is primarily based on Lowenfeld’s sand tray therapy approaches, it also values the work and contribution of Kalff’s sandplay work. Beyond honoring these two amazing pioneers and creative thinkers, the book accentuates the neuroscientific reasons that sand and play therapy are so valuable and relevant to the treatment of trauma, as well as attachment ruptures, dysregulation, and many other challenging conditions. Brava to editors Grayson and Fraser for this labor of love and deep honoring of the traditional, the innovative, and most especially, the client’s paced journey.'
Eliana Gil, PhD, LMFT, RPT-S, ATR, founder and partner, Gil Institute for Trauma Recovery and Education
'What an important addition to the sand therapy field! Each chapter illuminates the author’s work with clients telling their stories with care. Primarily psychodynamic in content, this book provides the reader with insight into the interaction and therapeutic purpose of each author’s unique contribution and informs and encourages all of us who are honored to do this work.'
Linda. E. Homeyer, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S, coauthor of Sandtray Therapy: A Practical Manual and Advanced Sandtray Therapy
Reviewer: Ileana Ungureanu, MD, PhD, LMFT, CFTP (Adler School of Professional Psychology)
Description: This book explores the neurobiological foundations of sandtray therapy, how the brain heals, and how the body is used through the sensory process of playing in the sand. It also highlights aspects of the field's history and how it has it has evolved to its current form of practice.
Purpose: The authors aim to refocus the field of sandtray and sandplay therapies to the sacred dimension of therapeutic experience, as they usually seem to get lost as just another play therapy technique. It also addresses important aspects of neurofunctions activated during these therapies.
Audience: The book is primarily written for but not limited to practitioners of sandtray therapy. All mental health practitioners interested in the history of this specific field and how it is practiced today, plus its power and neuroscientific aspects, especially in working with trauma, will also benefit from this book. The main authors are internationally recognized therapists in the sandtray field who have co-opted a respected group of contributors who share their depth of knowledge and experience throughout the book in excellently written chapters.
Features: The authors detail the history of the field, honoring both Lowenfeld's sandtray approach and Kalf's sandplay therapy. Numerous authors address topics such as trauma, grief, life transitions, or multicultural aspects through case studies narrated with empathy, respect, and profound knowledge. They also provide very instructive pictures of sandtray created during the therapeutic process.
Assessment: This book is a needed addition to the bookshelves of those interested in sandtray therapy. The return to basics and most important aspects of the therapeutic relationship is refreshing, especially when nuanced by the contemporary neuroscience flair.
