ABSTRACT
The therapeutic distance, which is automatically provided as clients' project intrapsychic and interpersonal issues of pain and chaos into the sand tray, is an invaluable tool when doing trauma work. There are both psychological and neurobiological benefits in the use of sandtray therapy as an intervention with clients of all ages dealing with the aftermath of a trauma event(s). This chapter explores on trauma interventions, but is more of a brief rationale for the use of sandtray therapy with traumatized clients. Schaefer suggested properties that provide the sense of therapeutic distance and resultant safety that traumatized clients can experience in sandtray therapy: Symbolization; As if' quality; Projection; and displacement. The goal in treating traumatized clients through sandtray therapy is to provide clients with a safe, reparative, and relational experience. Sandtray therapy begins with the basic materials of sand and miniature figures before moving on to cognitive and relational interactions through the processing of sandtray creations.
