Sandplay therapy is a creative and effective way of working with children, young people, adults and families. Sand therapy basically uses miniature figures in a box of sand. This helps clients tell their story and process feelings. Learn how to become a certified sandplay therapist as part of our small and friendly groups. Creative arts therapy is widely used in schools, as well as counselling and mental health settings.
How to Become a Certified Sandplay Therapist
What is Sandplay Therapy?
Why use Sandplay Therapy in your work?
Feel confident using evidence-based sandplay therapy techniques with primary school-aged children, teenagers and adults.
- Sand play is ideal for clients who struggle with words. Children in particular will be able to express emotions, process traumatic memories and improve their behaviour quite quickly.
- Sandplay can also help adolescent and adult clients express feelings in a safe, non-verbal way. All of our sandplay therapy courses are therefore based on recent research and our own clinical case studies.
- School counsellors and other mental health professionals can become a Certified Sandplay Therapist after successfully completing our one year’s Certificate course
- The Introduction is a good place to start if you are new to sandplay therapy or want to see if you like our way of working.
- Our teaching is online at the moment. We will soon be offering both online and face to face courses
How does Sandplay Therapy work?
Dora Kalff initially developed Jungian Sandplay Therapy in the mid-20th century as a way of doing Jungian analysis with children. Her work is therefore the basis of all of our courses. However, we also integrate skills from Gestalt sand tray therapy. Also, object relations’, transpersonal and person-centred sandplay work.
This creates a very flexible and adaptable non-verbal therapy ideal for working with children. It is also great for teenage clients. Adult clients may also be more suited to non-verbal play therapy, especially people with Autism or Dementia.
Why do these sandplay courses and creative training courses with us?
Our courses are designed to fit around your life, including family commitments:
- Join a small, friendly and interactive group.
- Explore your own personal sandplay process in a small, supportive group environment.
- Use creative arts therapies such as art, music and meditation to create an expressive, healing space.
- Learn practical, research-based skills based on research-based models that work.
- Enjoy space for group and individual consultation sandplay sessions during our course of training.
- Join a community of students who have already completed our courses.
- Feel supported by our team of creative supervisors.
- Become a well-rounded, confident certified sandplay therapist able to use sand with clients, in supervision and as a way of looking after yourself.
- All our certified sandplay training courses are suitable for BACP and UKCP counselling and psychotherapy Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
Our tutors:
- Jill Carter, Lindsey Toogood, Helen Hawkins and Bekki Watson have been teaching arts therapy training and sand therapy courses for many years.
We also draw on our work as:
- Child, adolescent, family and adult psychotherapists (Jill and Helen)
- Play therapists and counsellors (Lindsey)
- Drama therapists (Bekki)
- EMDR therapists (Jill and Lindsey)
Expert, friendly, supportive training
“I was impressed and inspired by Jill’s professionalism. Her handouts are excellent and she has encyclopaedic knowledge. Above all, I loved the personal qualities that she brings. She has such generosity of spirit and warmth of heart. Therefore the pace is gentle yet firm and her holding of the space exceptional. After experiencing psychotherapy training in other institutions, I would rate Jill’s arts therapy training as masterful and highly competent. In conclusion, the handouts are eloquent and erudite. Also, the symbol collection is second to none. In fact, the experiental expressive therapy courses were deeply effective and in my case, life-changing“.
Kate
Course Requirements
There is no written work. Instead, you are assessed in group or individual supervision.
Certificate and Diploma courses:
- You will present a case study to the group during a teaching weekend.
- Require 50 sessions each of client work. However, there is no deadline on completing these hours.
- You can call yourself a Sandplay Therapist after completing the Certificate weekends, client hours and supervision requirements.
- You must have a counselling qualification (or similar) to be awarded the full Certificate. Your supervisor and sandplay teacher will also assess you.
- You need to have 8 hours of supervision with one of our Training Supervisors at an additional cost.
We work to the BACP Ethical Framework (2018)
We recommend that you are in personal therapy and we may be able to suggest a sandplay therapist.
FAQs
We suggest you also read our Frequently Asked Questions.
We offer three levels of Sandplay Therapy Training
1. Introduction to Sandplay weekend
In general, the best place to start if you are new to sandplay therapy is the online introduction weekend. This is perfect if you are curious about sandplay therapy. The online courses take place from 10am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Next dates: 8/9th October 2022 or 18/19th March 2023
Fees: £250 payable on booking
2. Certificate in Integrative Sandplay
This is our main key skills sandplay training. Our online Certificate level is perfect if you’re looking for a qualification in sandplay therapy. Complete the certificate in one year. It takes 5 weekends and the timings are family friendly. You must have a counselling qualification (or similar) to be awarded the full Certificate.
How to book:
1. Complete the application form
2. Schedule a call to confirm your place
3. Pay your deposit and choose your payment plan
Next dates: starts 12th/13th November 2022
Fees: £250 deposit, payable on booking. From £1800 in total, with affordable monthly payment plans available
3. Diploma in Integrative Sandplay
The online Diploma in Integrative Sandplay is perfect once you have completed our Certificate course. The Diploma takes place over 5 weekends and builds on and expands the skills of the previous courses.. You must have a counselling qualification (or similar) to join.
How to book:
1. Complete the application form
2. Schedule a call to confirm your place
3. Pay your deposit and choose your payment plan
Next dates: starts 8th/9th October 2022
Fees: £250 deposit, payable on booking. From £1800 in total, with affordable monthly payment plans available