210 | Sandtray Therapy: A Practical Intervention when Working with Traumatized Youth

Sandtray therapy offers traumatized youth a clinically safe and therapeutic environment to process and resolve trauma. This modality engages symbolism, where materials represent aspects of the trauma; projection, allowing intense emotions to be externalized onto the sandtray media; and sublimation, enabling the redirection of negative emotions onto the materials. According to van der Kolk (2014), neuroimaging studies reveal that trauma impacts brain function by reducing activity in the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for executive functioning, and Broca’s area, which is associated with language, while increasing activation in the limbic system. This dynamic often leaves individuals with PTSD in a state of “speechless terror,” impeding their ability to articulate traumatic experiences. For youth, these neurological and psychological barriers further complicate verbal expression of their pain. Sandtray therapy emerges as a powerful intervention with strong potential for both psychotherapeutic and neurotherapeutic benefits, allowing youth to express and process their trauma nonverbally. This workshop tailored to psychologists  and licensed mental health professionals emphasizes ethical and clinical recommendations for further training in sandtray therapy while introducing its foundational techniques and applications for addressing trauma in youth.