Hyacinth Morgan, LMHC - Heart and Mind Connections

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Hyacinth Morgan, LMHC - Heart and Mind Connections Here to support you creating the life you want and deserve for yourself.

Sometimes One Charon Isn't Enough...Sometimes I come across an image of a figure already represented in my sandtray coll...
10/12/2026

Sometimes One Charon Isn't Enough...

Sometimes I come across an image of a figure already represented in my sandtray collection, but something about it is different. Perhaps it is particularly beautiful, or perhaps, despite depicting the same character, it captures another aspect of the myth.

I recently shared a post about Charon, the ferryman who carries the souls of the dead across the river into the underworld in Greek mythology.

When I found this new figure, I was captivated by the detail of the souls surrounding him. There is something particularly evocative about the way the artist has represented the journey.

Both figures depict Charon, yet each offers a different experience of the same myth. One emphasizes the crossing itself, while the other draws our attention to the souls making the journey.

This is one of the reasons I value having multiple representations of important symbolic figures in a sandtray collection. Even when the subject is the same, the images can evoke very different responses.

And sometimes, of course, a figure is simply too beautiful to pass up!

*All sandtray images are created for educational purposes and are not the work of clients.

Figure made by Yabo ひ

“When I cannot clearly see the future, illuminate my path with your wisdom.”Meet Orula (Orunmila), the Orisha of wisdom,...
10/11/2026

“When I cannot clearly see the future, illuminate my path with your wisdom.”

Meet Orula (Orunmila), the Orisha of wisdom, knowledge, destiny, prophecy, and divination in Yoruba and Ifá spiritual traditions.

According to these traditions, Orula was present at the creation of the Universe and possesses knowledge of each person's destiny and life path. He is a sacred figure in living spiritual traditions, revered for his wisdom and guidance in understanding the paths we travel.

In the sandtray, his image may invite exploration of wisdom, uncertainty, guidance, and the search for clarity. As with all symbols, however, we do not assume what his presence means to the builder. His personal, cultural, and spiritual significance deserves to be approached with respect and curiosity.

Sometimes we seek answers. Sometimes we seek the wisdom to recognize the path before us.

*All sandtray images are created for educational purposes and are not the work of clients.

Created by the talented

Making Room for JoyIn a first session, I always ask clients: What renews you? What brings you joy? And perhaps most impo...
10/10/2026

Making Room for Joy

In a first session, I always ask clients: What renews you? What brings you joy? And perhaps most importantly, how long has it been since you experienced those things?

Trauma therapy can involve difficult and painful work. Having ways to experience rest, renewal, pleasure, and joy is not a luxury. It is an essential part of the healing process.

Sometimes people have spent so long surviving that they have forgotten what brings them pleasure. Others know exactly what they love but have stopped making room for it in their lives.

Healing is not only about processing painful experiences. It is also about rediscovering what makes life worth living, reconnecting with what restores us, and creating space for joy.

Sometimes the most important question isn't what happened to you, but what helps you feel alive again.

*All sandtray images are created for educational purposes and are not the work of clients.

Finding Our Way Back to CommunitySo many people have lost their sense of community. Long work hours, complicated family ...
10/09/2026

Finding Our Way Back to Community

So many people have lost their sense of community. Long work hours, complicated family relationships, remote work, relocation, and the demands of everyday life can gradually leave us feeling disconnected from others.

Sometimes the communities we once belonged to have changed or disappeared. Sometimes we have withdrawn during difficult periods in our lives and discover that finding our way back is harder than we expected.

We all need connection, a sense of belonging, and people with whom we can share our lives. Yet building community as an adult can be surprisingly difficult, particularly when time and energy are limited.

I love the image of people gathered around a circle, but I am equally drawn to those approaching it. They remind me that community is not just about the connections we already have. It is also about the possibility of finding connection again.

After periods of isolation, grief, trauma, or major life changes, approaching that circle can require courage. We may wonder whether we will be welcomed, whether we still belong, or whether we even remember how to connect.

Sometimes rebuilding community begins with something small: showing up, reaching out, returning to an old interest, or finding a place where we can begin to feel part of something again.

What has helped you find your way back to community, or build a new one?

*All sandtray images are created for educational purposes and are not the work of clients.

Sometimes the collection builds itself…An unfortunate ATM accident left this money unusable for its original purpose, so...
10/05/2026

Sometimes the collection builds itself…
An unfortunate ATM accident left this money unusable for its original purpose, so like any good sandtray therapist/squirrel, off to the collection it went. 😂
What surprised me was the difference between having real money in the collection rather than play money. The emotional responses to it can be remarkably strong.
Money and finances are powerfully charged subjects. They can carry associations with security, survival, freedom, power, success, scarcity, dependence, conflict, and loss. Sometimes the actual object carries an emotional weight that a representation of it simply doesn't.
And now my broken $20 has a new purpose.
Sand therapists: What accidental figures or objects have made their way into your collection?

*All sandtray images are created for educational purposes and are not the work of clients.

Working your fingers to the boneI saw a post from a sand therapist looking for an image of a skeleton looking overworked...
09/30/2026

Working your fingers to the bone

I saw a post from a sand therapist looking for an image of a skeleton looking overworked. I love a challenge when it comes to an image I don't have in my collection. Couldn't find one so a little glue, a dollhouse computer station, and a Halloween decoration and this one is ready to add to the shelf. Some of my favorite images I have made myself to address a need. Others took years of searching. What figure have you had trouble finding?

*All sandtray images are created for educational purposes and are not the work of clients

Things in my office that just make sense…A Timeqube so I can keep track of session time without constantly looking at a ...
09/28/2026

Things in my office that just make sense…
A Timeqube so I can keep track of session time without constantly looking at a clock.
Snacks, juice, water, and ice packs because sometimes people need practical care too.
An espresso machine because sometimes the therapist needs practical care. 😂
Neuropeep trauma dolls, a Dammit Doll, a weighted dragon, a weighted leaf blanket, and a feelings wheel for when words aren’t quite enough.
Sand rakes and a water pitcher for working in the sand. A singing bowl for meditation. Affirmation and meditation cards for reflection.
Art supplies and games because therapy doesn’t always have to happen through conversation.
Baby toys because parents shouldn't have to choose between bringing their infant and coming to therapy.
Acoustic panels for additional privacy.
Faux windows because a windowless office does not have to feel like a windowless office.
And art, lots of art, because the environment we do therapy in matters too.
Some things have a clear clinical purpose. Some make clients more comfortable. Some support creativity and regulation. And some simply make the space feel more human.
Over time, my office has become a collection of things that help people feel comfortable, express themselves, regulate, play, create, and do the work they came here to do.
And espresso. Definitely espresso. ☕😂
What is something in your therapy office that just makes sense?

Closing and Photographing a SessionPhotographing a sandtray World becomes an important part of honoring and preserving t...
09/25/2026

Closing and Photographing a Session

Photographing a sandtray World becomes an important part of honoring and preserving the story of the World.

I always include an overview of the entire tray, but close-up photographs are equally important. It can capture how overwhelming a dragon was experienced, the emotion on a figure’s face, or the relationship between characters in a way that an overview cannot.

If the World has changed significantly during the session, after photographing how it ended, I may ask the builder to recreate where things began and any major shifts that occurred along the way. Photographing these different stages can help with processing how they arrived at their current experience of the World.

Initially, I often take photographs for clients using their own phone. As they see how I photograph the World, they become better at taking their own images and visually recognizing what feels important for them to remember.

These photographs can become part of the continuing work. Clients may use them to track changes over time, journal between sessions, or even as a phone background to remind themselves of something important they are working on. I have had children slip photographs into school notebooks as a discreet reminder of something they wanted to focus on.

I also invite clients to leave their World intact when they leave. We are socialized to clean up after ourselves, but there can be value in walking away while the World remains complete. I will put it away afterward. Occasionally, I will cover a tray and preserve the World so the builder can return to it in the next session. If dismantling the World is important to the builder’s sense of closure, however, they are welcome to do that themselves. With permission, I may help when there are many figures to return.

The photographs are not simply e of miniatures in sand. They are a record of a deeply personal expression of the builder’s consciousness and should be treated accordingly. They are never shared publicly without the builder’s consent.

*All sandtray images are created for educational purposes and are not the work of clients

Following up on yesterday’s post, after the builder’s initial introduction of their World, I begin to ask questions.I ge...
09/23/2026

Following up on yesterday’s post, after the builder’s initial introduction of their World, I begin to ask questions.

I generally explore the World in the order it was created. Returning to the figures and events in sequence allows the builder to re-experience the creative process at a new level of awareness.

It is important not to assume that a chosen symbol carries its conventional meaning. A firefighter, for example, may have been chosen to represent a police officer. The meaning belongs to the builder. I encourage them to elaborate on their own associations with the scene—feelings, colors, memories, history, physiological sensations, spiritual associations, and whatever else emerges.

I may ask what it was like when something happened in the tray: when a figure was moved to a distant corner, something was buried, or the landscape changed. We can explore groupings or different areas of the tray and the relationships between characters. I may also invite the builder to walk around the World and experience it from different perspectives.

Throughout this process, I allow as much space as possible for personal and spontaneous sharing. After a few sessions, builders often begin to notice and speak spontaneously about things they have learned I might ask.

I avoid asking, “Which figure are you?” Ultimately, everything within the World is part of the builder’s consciousness. I also notice what is ignored or not spoken about. There is no need to push. If it is important, it will come up again.

With the builder’s permission, when the time feels right, I move from sitting opposite them to sitting beside them. From there, I can join with them in seeing the World from their perspective.

*All sandtray images are created for educational purposes and are not the work of clients.

Witnessing the WorldWhile the World is being created, I am taking notes for the builder. I make a quick sketch of the tr...
09/22/2026

Witnessing the World

While the World is being created, I am taking notes for the builder. I make a quick sketch of the tray, record the type of tray and sand being used, note which figures enter the World and in what order, and record significant movement or changes in the sand.

Once the initial World is complete, I encourage the builder to take a moment and allow everything present to come to life. Even seemingly inanimate objects may have their own thoughts, experiences, relationships, or knowledge about this place.

I give them permission to simply notice. They may become aware of things they are not ready to speak about, and that is okay. They can begin speaking whenever they are ready.

When they do, my goal is not yet to ask questions, interpret, or direct. It is to help them move more deeply into their own experience. I may repeat their exact words back to them, while slowing and softening my own speech to invite them to slow down and remain with what is emerging.

There are no questions yet.

I continue taking notes throughout this process and give them to the client afterward. I encourage clients who work regularly in sandtray to keep a notebook for these notes so they have a record of their Worlds and can continue reflecting on their experiences between sessions.

All sandtray images are created for educational purposes and are not the work of clients.

Address

800 E. Cypress Creek Road #2406
Fort Lauderdale, FL
333334

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 7pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+19542714797

Website

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