Sand Tray Therapy Class Assignment: Dream Sand Tray Therapy Analysis - J., Graduate Student

by Sand Tray Therapy Graduate Student
(Lawrenceville, GA)

For my dream analysis for sand tray therapy sand tray I chose to depict a dream that had been a recurring one for me in the recent past. It is, perhaps, not the most original dream, as many people have experienced similar ones, but it is one that I had a number of times a few months ago and that was always quite vivid. I would wake and it would always take a few seconds for actual reality to replace the reality of the dream in my mind. In the dream, I learn that I did not graduate from high school and therefore I have to go back. I go back and as I near the end of the year I realize that I have completely forgotten to go to one of my classes and that I am going to fail it and will once again be unable to graduate from high school. In the tray I created a “classroom” by drawing the walls in the sand, leaving a small space for the door. Many of the miniatures in the scene are ones that I have used before. The elephant represents me here, and I have used it to represent me in the past. When I started building the tray, I used the bearded man, who now appears in the classroom, to represent myself, but this did not feel right to me. I therefore replaced him with the elephant. There are a number of interesting possible interpretations of the elephant symbol. I find I am drawn to one in particular, that the elephant can symbolize needing to express my views or opinions. Given that I am a reserved individual, or, more to the point, a shy individual, this is something that I would like to be better at, expressing myself. The millipede is also an interesting symbol, and a threatening image that I have used more than once. It can symbolize with letting fears stop me from achieving my goals. That interpretation resonates with me and seems to relate very much to the interpretation of the elephant. Repeating high school can symbolize doubting the accomplishments and goals that I have already completed. The native american who is acting as the teacher of the class also fits into this theme as he can symbolize a need to be more self-reliant and to exercise my personal power. The fish have appeared in my trays before as well. They can symbolize insights from the subconscious, though I’m not sure what those insights might be. Finally I also feel I should not the frogs, which I have also used previously. The frog can symbolize the potential for change. Given much of the imagery here seems to involve insecurity and anxiety, I take these two frogs to be symbols of hope.