To be added to our email list for notifications of training dates, complete our Interested in Play Therapy Training form.

Play Therapy Training

APT Approved Provider 15-439

APT Approved Provider 15-439

The World Association of Sand Therapy Professionals has shared research-based Sand Therapy Competencies. We will cover the following competencies at an introductory level:

Knowledge Competencies

• Sand therapy process – Practitioners have knowledge of how to conduct a session including setting up, facilitating, ending, and documenting the session.

• Theories – Practitioners have knowledge of various clinical theories that can be used to facilitate sand therapy. Practitioners identify with a primary theoretical orientation and have knowledge of how to apply that approach using sand therapy with clients.

• Approaches – Practitioners understand different approaches to sand therapy, including sandplay, sandtray, sand therapy, SandStory, and sand-based play therapy.

• Neurobiological impacts of sandtray – Practitioners understand the neurobiological basis and impacts of sandtray including access to implicitly held memories, arousal patterns, regulation, and sensory experience of sand.

• Trauma – Practitioners recognize that sand therapy can access embedded trauma, trauma stored in images and senses, and attachment and trauma wounds. Practitioners have knowledge of states of regulation and dysregulation, mind-body integration, and facilitating trauma work with trauma-informed care.

• Sand therapy basics – Practitioners understand the basics of sand therapy including different types of sand and trays used in this modality. Practitioners have knowledge about figures, symbols, images, and miniatures used in sand therapy work. Practitioners can identify categories for grouping these figures and symbols.
• Limitations of sand therapy – Practitioners acknowledge and respect the limitations, contraindications, and boundaries of sand therapy.
• Diversity – Practitioners have knowledge and respect for diverse clients with respect to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, disability, spirituality, and socioeconomic status.
• Directive and nondirective uses – Practitioners have knowledge of both directive and nondirective uses of sand therapy.
• Metaphor – Practitioners recognize the use of metaphor and symbolic meaning to elicit insight and awareness.
• Healing power of play – Practitioners understand that sand therapy is an expressive and creative approach. Practitioners recognize the healing nature of play and the therapeutic powers of play inherent in sand therapy.
• Person of the sand therapist – Practitioners recognize the influence of the person of the therapist in the sand therapy process. This involves practitioners’ understanding, awareness, and acceptance of their own personal issues, qualities, and culture and how this influences clients and their work in sand therapy.

Skills Competencies

• Therapeutic presence – Practitioners demonstrate therapeutic presence through unconditional witnessing and nonverbal communication, including facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, and physical proximity. 
• Application of theory – Practitioners demonstrate clinical skills through the application of a primary theoretical orientation, including an understanding of key concepts, techniques, and the role of the therapist. 
• Basic skills – Practitioners demonstrate a mastery of basic counseling skills. These include attending, silence, authenticity, reflection of content, feeling, and behavior, empathy, summarizing, and challenging skills. 
• Questions – Practitioners demonstrate intentional and appropriate use of open-ended and close-ended questions to facilitate sand therapy processing. Practitioners exhibit skills for responding to client questions in sand therapy sessions.

Attitudes Competencies

• Trust/respect client – Practitioners demonstrate trust and respect of the client and what they bring to the sand therapy session. 
• Trust/respect process – Practitioners demonstrate trust and respect of the client’s process and how they engage and respond in the sand therapy session. 
• Openness – Practitioners demonstrate openness, curiosity, patience, and flexibility in the sand therapy process. 
• Humility – Practitioners demonstrate humility by reducing the emphasis of the therapist as all-knowing and increasing the emphasis on the clients as expert in their own lives and experiences.
• Unconditional positive regard – Practitioners value unconditional acceptance and respect for the client without evaluation or judgment. 
• Powerful work – Practitioners acknowledge that sand therapy is powerful work that can uncover deeply held beliefs, values, memories, and experiences.

Kjellstrand Hartwig, E., Homeyer, L., & Stone, J. (2023). Sand therapy competencies: A qualitative investigation of competencies for sand therapy practitioners. World Journal for Sand Therapy Practice®, 1(5). Retrieved from https://wjstp-ojs-txstate.tdl.org/wjstp/article/view/3