Howdy!

It was two years ago during my graduate work at Texas State University that I was introduced to sand tray. It didn't take long before I discovered its history, its utility, and its power. But despite my new understanding, there was one aspect that still didn't feel right about it. The University counseling clinics had a few rooms dedicated to sand tray- some seemed geared for children, and a couple seemed more tailored to adults. As innocuous and inconspicuous as the sand trays themselves were meant to be, they stood out. According to our textbook, the tray was supposed to blend in with the room, not distract. They were to be plain and simple. The trays we used were indeed plain and simple, but so simple that they did not match the rest of the furniture in the room. Furthermore, having had a little experience with carpentry and basic woodworking, it was evident to me that the trays were poorly designed and prone to break. When I found out from a professor how much the University had paid for them, I made the decision to make my own. I knew I could make better trays for less. Now that I've graduated, I have a little more time to spend on avocation. This blog is my story of making better, less expensive sand trays in hopes that the therapeutic technique can be more available to clinicians and clients. The sand tray rooms were kind of magical, but this was my favorite nook of the University.