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Sand Play Therapy, A Healing Journey for All Ages (Part 2)

Overview

Date: July 16-18, 2025

Time: 9:00am – 4:30pm PST

Participants: Max of 8

Cost: CAD$950 + GST

CEU Credits: 18

Participants must have registered for or completed part one before registering for part two.

Recommended Prerequisite: Expressive Play Therapy, A Holistic and Integrative Approach or equivalent

This three-day course will explore further the sand play therapy process introduced in part one, and will go into more depth into the use of this approach to sand play with adults, children, and their families. 

We will discuss and explore further witnessing and facilitating the making of a spontaneous sand play image, what to take note of during this process, and consider the use of structured interventions when needed. 

Children’s process and imagery will be addressed through viewing and discussing slides of case examples and a video taped session; adult imagery and process will be addressed through viewing slides of case examples and exploration and debriefing of participant’s imagery in the afternoons. There will be time for questions to address the individual needs of participants.

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Content

Learning Objectives:

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

  1. Facilitate the image making process during spontaneous play in dry sand, wet sand, and water.
  2. Structure the beginning, middle, and end of a Sand Play Therapy session, ensuring that there is adequate closure and safety for the child.
  3. Identify what to take note of while witnessing the image making process in a Sand Play Therapy session.
  4. Identify and track critical developments in the imagery and story created by children in a recorded Sand Play Therapy case study.
  5. Identify and track the evolution of key imagery in a case history for an individual child and adult over several Play Therapy sessions.
  6. Design appropriate structured interventions unique to the needs of each child, youth, or adult during the Sand Play Therapy process.
  7. Conduct Sand Play Therapy sessions with children and families, centered on a process of following and guiding and interaction with dry sand, wet sand, and water.
  8. Conduct Sand Play Therapy sessions with youth and adults, centered on witnessing and exploring the creation of imagery with sand play and figurines.

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.

* For those seeking certification with CAPT – this course will go towards 12 hours of theory / approach and 12 hours techniques.

Sand Play Therapy

The approach to sand play therapy in these seminars was developed by Marie José Dhaese, as one of the many expressive play therapy methods used in the context of Expressive Play Therapy®. It has now been shared and taught for 40 years. The content of each Sand Play Therapy seminar builds on the other; it is recommended they be taken in order.

Children’s process and imagery will be addressed through viewing and discussing slides and/or video taped sessions in the mornings. Adult imagery and process will be addressed through viewing slides but mostly through demonstrations and/or debriefing of participant’s imagery during the experiential in the afternoons. These seminars take place in Marie José’s well equipped playroom; participants will thus have the opportunity to experience and use her collection of sand play therapy figurines as well as the sand trays and storage units she has designed.

The Centre for Expressive Therapy is an APT Approved Provider #95-010, a BC Play Therapy Association Approved Provider #18-01, and a Canadian Association for Play Therapy Approved Provider #09-102. Please visit their websites to learn more about their specific requirements.

Please visit their websites to learn more about their specific requirements.

Questions about Holistic Expressive Therapy?

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