Not everything that requires expression may be vocalized… C.G.Jung considers that our psyche creates the perception of the world in symbols firstly and only then words appear to vocalize them.
“Images contain symbols and human beings have ability to create symbols. Where the rational language completely gives up, the human being can create cryptograms with artistic methods – messages from the soul that are still not formulated into concepts. Like dreams, sandplay with its symbols reveals the pre-verbal and non-verbal experience and content to the person, and carefully verbalized by the therapist, increases the levels of his/her consciousness and action.” Linde von Keyserlingh.

Sandplay enables the person to reflect on their own feelings and experiences by using a collection of the therapist’s miniature figurines, thus expressing the contents of the psyche which cannot be verbalized at that moment. The application of this play in therapy makes it possible for adults to express themselves creatively, spontaneously and non-verbally, maybe for the first time since childhood, in the grown-ups’ life. While relaxing in the play the cognitively logical thinking is put aside temporarily and gives place to primary, less differentiated and unconscious psychological aspects. Therefore sandplay, like dreams, are considered to be one of the most direct mediums in subconscious communication. Thus the unconscious aspects of the psyche become more accessible and activate the self-healing mechanisms of the psyche, enabling a change of attitude towards problems and finding new compromises and/or solutions.
In the course of this process less conscious and unrealised aspects of the client’s personality are also unveiled, which can become conscious and incorporated, thus expanding the perception of “the Self” and enhancing the sense of inner balance and perfection.