Sand Play Therapy

Based on the principles of Expressive Play Therapy_®, this 4-day in-person seminar will focus on using the healing medium of Sand Play Therapy to safely facilitate symbolic expression and transformation of painful experiences, and provide children, youth, and adults, with ways of facing the daily challenges of their lives.

In the first two days, topics of discussion will include the therapeutic properties of Sand Play Therapy, setting up a Sand Play area, and the many ways Sand Play Therapy can be used to help children, youth, and adults heal. In the latter two days, we will further explore witnessing and facilitating the making of spontaneous Sand Play images, what to take note of during this process, and consider the use of structured interventions when needed.

In the afternoons, participants will be given the opportunity to make, witness, and debrief sand play images. Children’s and adult’s processes and imagery will also be addressed through viewing and discussing case examples and a video taped session.

At the end of this seminar, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the theoretical principles of Expressive Play Therapy_® as related to Sand Play Therapy.
2. Describe the history and development of Sand Play Therapy within the context of Holistic Expressive Play Therapy.
3. Describe Sand Play Therapy’s place in the larger context of the major components of Holistic Expressive Therapy and the other Expressive Play Therapy methods which may support it.
4. Apply Sand Play Therapy methodology in structuring and conducting a session through beginning, middle, and end stages.
5. Identify the unique and specific gifts of Sand Play Therapy as one of the many expressive therapies available in play sessions.
6. Integrate Sand Play Therapy practices while considering setting, accessibility, age groups, and demographics.
7. Prepare a Sand Play Therapy area while taking into consideration various materials and symbols and the multimedia character of dry sand, wet sand, and water tables.
8. Assess the appropriate and most beneficial media – water, dry sand, or wet sand – for children to process their trauma in a safe way during a play therapy session.
9. Facilitate the image making process during spontaneous play in dry sand, wet sand, and water.
10. Identify what to take note of while witnessing the image making process in a Sand Play Therapy session.
11. Identify and track critical developments in the imagery and story created by children in a recorded Sand Play Therapy case study.
12. Design appropriate structured interventions unique to the needs of each child, youth, or adult during the Sand Play Therapy process.
13. Conduct Sand Play Therapy sessions with children, youth, adults, and families.

Fee includes use of materials and certificate of attendance for the purposes of continuing education programs. Meals and accommodations are not provided.

For participants wishing to count credits towards certification with CAPT, a successful student evaluation by Marie Jose in the form of an essay will be required. There will be an additional charge of $75 for this service.