ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the materials which are necessary for sandtray therapy: sand and a sand tray; miniature figures and a therapeutic space. Sand is the basic medium for this engrossing and effective treatment modality. It is a basic elemental compound, one of the most simple and common on Earth. The "internal deformation" of a grain of sand speaks metaphorically of the intrapsychic pain that many of our clients bring to us. Therapeutic connection and processing of rooted emotional turmoil are not merely assisted by the use of sand. Like sand, water has a unique sensory and kinesthetic quality that touches the psyche at a deep level. It is universally accepted that the inside of the tray should be blue on the bottom, to simulate water, and on the sides, to simulate sky. Steinhardt, an art therapist and sandplay therapist in Israel, challenges us to look at and think further about a blue interior to the tray.
