About Inner World Building

What is Inner World Building?

Inner World Building is part art, part psychology, and part play. It’s an expressive arts activity rooted in depth psychology—but don’t let the jargon scare you. Think of it as using creativity to better understand yourself.

In practice, it looks like building small “worlds” in a tray of sand using miniatures. The process draws from Buddhist principles (being present with thoughts and feelings as they rise and pass) and Jungian psychology (integrating different parts of ourselves—memories, instincts, emotions, even what we’re less aware of). Originally designed for children as a way to “play through” challenges, it’s now just as powerful for adults—helping you get unstuck, reconnect with hidden parts of yourself, and feel more alive.

Does Inner World Building Help?

Many people describe it as reaching a part of themselves they couldn’t access through talking alone. Even a single session can feel powerful, while a series allows insights to build over time.

Research shows that Sandplay—the foundation of this work—promotes healing and emotional well-being. While it’s hard to explain exactly why it works, Jungian psychology suggests that, given the right conditions, the psyche knows how to heal itself—just as the skin heals a cut.

Because the process is self-directed, you set the pace. No one tells you what to do. That safety and freedom allow your psyche to use its own creativity to find resolution—often leading to a deep sense of agency, confidence, and possibility.

What Do I Do as a Client?

You’ll begin simply: touching the sand, moving it around, and noticing how it feels. From there, you may choose objects from the room and place them in the tray. A scene, image, or even a whole world takes shape—an expression of your inner world, which gives this practice its name.

At the end of a session:

• You may share a few words about what you created.

• Some people write reflections afterward or explore the meaning of a symbol between sessions.

• The figures remain in the tray after you leave, symbolizing an ongoing connection between your conscious self and deeper layers of your psyche.

You can do a single session for a one-off experience. But with a series, the impact deepens. For clients completing 10 or more sessions, I also offer a series review: printed images of your worlds laid out over time, creating a visual map of your inner journey.