Sandplay: Silent Workshop of the Psyche

This is a book that can be read cover to cover or used as a reference resource. Through an alchemical mix of word and image, the authors communicate to the reader layer upon layer of meaning which can be gleaned with each reading of the book. Each time I return to any given chapter, I discover something new. The first part, "Background and Reflections," includes a review of the history of sandplay, a comparison of another three authors' perspectives, an explanation of co-transference, a discussion of the differences between sandplay and sandtray, and helpful answers to questions that frequently come up about the theory and practice of sandplay therapy. In the second part, "Symbol Studies," the authors remind us that in human development, the image comes before the word. Clinical material in the form of sandplay images illustrate this section of the book with color plates and black and white photographs of sandplay scenes. The third and final part of the book, "Individual Cases," consists of detailed studies of ten complete sandplay processes with accompanying photos. In both "Symbol Studies" and "Individual Cases," the reader witnesses through word and image the journey of healing and growth with the therapist and with the sandplayer who attains the treasure.