101 Sand Tray Therapy Prompts for Targeted Sessions (In-Person or Online)

By Jennie Bedsworth, MSW, LCSW

Published May 6, 2026 · 8 min read · Category: Sand Tray

Sand tray therapy is traditionally a more abstract approach, integrating principles from Carl Jung and Buddhism. Some modalities have a strict policy of limiting interaction during the creation process. This can be very valuable for clients, however I find sand tray can be a targeted tool for other therapies as well.

For example, if you're working through thoughts in CBT, your prompt could be about the evidence for and against a belief. With ACT you could ask a client (child or adult) to create a tray that shows what's most important to them in life. A simple sand tray therapy prompt gives clients the freedom of unlimited exploration towards a purpose.

Here are 101 sand tray prompts you can consider for your next session, depending on your client's needs and goals. They're broken down by potential modalities and other categories, but I recommend reading through them all and making them your own.

Tip: When I use therapy prompts I don't hold the client to the premise. If they go in a different direction than I had in mind, I consider their interpretation more valuable than my intention. If we're working on a specific goal that I feel we need to come back to, I cover it with a later follow-up prompt or during a different part of the session.

General & Rapport Building

1. Choose 3 to 5 miniatures representing things you like or enjoy.
2. Create a world you'd like to visit (realistic or fantasy).
3. Choose miniatures that represent important people in your life.
4. Create a world that shows what a "good day" looks like.
5. Build a scene that represents your personality, without using people.
6. Create a tray about the best place you ever visited.
7. Build a scene that shows what you did today.
8. Choose objects that represent things you're good at.
9. Create a tray that shows your family or best friends.
10. Build a scene that shows how you feel today.

Assessment & Exploration

11. Create a tray that shows what life feels like lately.
12. Build a scene showing something stressful in your life.
13. Create a tray showing emotions you feel often.
14. Build a scene that represents school, work, or daily responsibilities.
15. Create a tray that shows a challenge you are facing.
16. Build a tray showing how you react when upset.
17. Create a scene representing your inner world on one side and outer world on the other.
18. Build a tray showing your relationships with difficult people in your life.
19. Create a scene showing something you try to avoid.
20. Build a tray that represents what people may not understand about you.

Regulation & Coping Skills

21. Create a calming environment using miniatures and colors.
22. Build a scene showing tools that help you cope.
23. Create a tray that represents emotional calm balance.
24. Build a "safe retreat" for difficult moments.
25. Create a scene showing how stress affects you physically.
26. Build a tray showing ways to recharge your energy.
27. Create a scene that represents grounding and stability.
28. Build a tray showing how you calm your mind or body.
29. Create a tray showing healthy ways to handle anger or frustration.
30. Choose miniatures that make you feel safe or calm.

"When I use therapy prompts I don't hold the client to the premise. If they go in a different direction than I had in mind, I consider their interpretation more valuable than my intention."

CBT Prompts

31. Create a tray showing a negative thought you have about yourself
32. Build a scene that challenges a negative thought you have about yourself (a different way to look at things)
33. Create a tray showing how thoughts affect feelings and behaviors.
34. Build a scene representing a common thought that causes you to ruminate/spiral.
35. Create a tray showing evidence for and against a difficult belief.
36. Build a scene showing how a problem could be viewed from different angles.
37. Create a tray representing your inner critic next to your inner hero.
38. Build a scene showing a healthy thought you'd like to have about yourself.
39. Create a tray showing a recent emotional reaction and what led to it.
40. Build a scene representing progress rather than perfection.

TF-CBT & Trauma Processing

41. Create a tray showing what safety means to you.
42. Build a scene representing a difficult memory using symbols.
43. Create a tray showing life before, during, and after a stressful event.
44. Build a scene representing where you can go for support during hard times.
45. Create a tray showing what helps you feel strong after challenges.
46. Build a tray showing a safe place you can imagine visiting.
47. Create a scene showing what PTSD/effects of trauma feel like for you.
48. Build a tray representing healing and recovery.
49. Create a scene showing what resilience looks like.
50. Build a tray showing how you've overcome something difficult or challenging.

DBT Prompts

51. Create a tray representing wise mind, emotion mind, and reasonable mind.
52. Build a scene showing distress tolerance skills in action.
53. Create a tray representing emotional waves/ups and downs.
54. Build a scene showing how you feel when self-soothing.
55. Create a tray showing boundaries in relationships.
56. Build a scene representing radical acceptance.
57. Create a tray showing urges versus values.
58. Build a scene representing effective communication with others.
59. Create a tray showing what emotional vulnerability looks like.
60. Build a scene showing how emotions influence decisions.

"A simple sand tray therapy prompt gives clients the freedom of unlimited exploration towards a purpose."

ACT Prompts

61. Create a tray representing one or more of your values.
62. Build a scene showing what pulls you away from your goals.
63. Create a tray showing acceptance versus avoidance.
64. Build a scene representing thoughts as separate from identity.
65. Create a tray showing what matters most to you.
66. Build a scene showing psychological flexibility.
67. Create a tray representing committed action.
68. Build a scene showing how you make room for uncomfortable emotions.
69. Create a tray showing the difference between control and acceptance.
70. Build a scene representing the life you want to move toward.

IFS / Parts Work

71. Create a tray representing different "parts" of yourself.
72. Build a scene showing a protective part at work.
73. Create a tray representing a vulnerable or hurt part.
74. Build a scene showing conflict between different parts.
75. Create a tray showing what a specific part needs.
76. Build a scene representing your inner helper or compassionate self.
77. Create a tray showing how different parts interact.
78. Build a scene representing balance between parts.
79. Create a tray showing a part that feels misunderstood.
80. Build a scene showing what healing looks like for one of your parts.

EMDR-Inspired & Bilateral Processing

81. Create a tray representing your inner ally or protective person.
82. Build a scene showing a trigger and what it connects to emotionally.
83. Create a tray representing a calm or grounded state.
84. Build a scene showing movement from distress toward relief.
85. Create a tray representing a positive belief you want to strengthen.
86. Build a scene showing resources that support healing.
87. Create a tray showing emotional intensity changing over time.
88. Build a scene representing what "letting go" looks like.
89. Create a tray showing a container for difficult thoughts or memories.
90. Build a scene representing present safety versus past danger.

Relationships & Attachment

91. Create a tray showing what it feels like to be close versus distant in a relationship.
92. Build a scene showing your ideal romantic relationship.
93. Create a tray showing what healthy communication looks like.
94. Build a scene representing loneliness or connection.
95. Create a tray showing your own relationship boundaries.
96. Build a scene representing support and care.
97. Create a tray showing family roles or dynamics.
98. Build a scene representing conflict and repair.
99. Create a tray showing what you need from others emotionally.
100. Build a scene representing belonging.

Goal Setting & Future Growth

101. Create a tray representing the life you hope to build moving forward.

"I find sand tray can be a targeted tool for other therapies as well. Whether you're working with CBT, ACT, DBT, or trauma-focused modalities, targeted prompts can guide meaningful therapeutic work."

Using These Prompts in Your Practice

These prompts are designed to be flexible and adaptable to your therapeutic approach. You can use them as written, modify them to fit your client's specific needs, or use them as inspiration for creating your own prompts. Remember that the goal is to facilitate exploration and expression, not to constrain the client's creative process. For more background on sand tray therapy theory and practice, check out our comprehensive guide.

Whether you're using a physical sand tray in your office or a virtual sand tray for telehealth sessions, these prompts can help guide meaningful therapeutic work across a wide range of modalities and client presentations.

About the Author

Jennie Lannette Bedsworth, LCSW is a licensed therapist and the creator of The Counseling Palette, a trusted source for therapy games, group therapy activities, and printables. With two decades of experience in the mental health field, Jennie designs printable and online resources that make therapy engaging, effective, and accessible for all ages. Ready to transform your sessions? Explore our collection of therapy tools at The Counseling Palette and OnlineTherapyTools.com.