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Therapists who seek new skills and insights using symbols in sand registered for this program which began February 12, 2024. The cost was just $1,499 and includes:
- 6 Workshops – Six, 3-hour virtual, live workshops on February 12, 19, and 26 and March 4, 11, and 18, 2024. Read workshop descriptions.
- 5 Case Consultations – Five, two-hour small group consultations with sand scenes from your clients, past or current, or personal examples of scene you created.
- 2 Private Individual Consultations – Two 90-minute individual consultations are scheduled individually, either virtually or in person according to preference.
- 30+ CEs for APA and APT.
The Level One Certificate program introduces clinicians to an approach to therapy with symbols in sand that is grounded in existential psychotherapy and narrative psychology.
The instructor for this course is Dee Preston-Dillon, M.A., Ph.D.. With a master’s in humanistic counseling, and a doctorate in psychology, her life’s work has focused on innovating projective therapies and clinical training. Dr. Dee is especially interested in extending the therapist’s imagination, deepening therapeutic process through metaphor and symbol activation.
Process is centered on reclaiming voice, on being, connection, and meaning. The therapist is an artist-practitioner, one who practices heightened presence, hones sensibilities to resonate with the creative process, provides protection for grief and deep work, practices active imagination, cautiously trusts in intuitive spontaneity, is adept with metaphor, and fine tunes empowering validation through collaborative engagement.
Clinical Competencies for Narrative Sand Therapy
Clinical competencies for Narrative Sand Therapy include a foundation in process hypnosis, attuned pacing, wonderment instead of interpretation, protective boundaries for exploration, sensitive process with silence and stillness, adept with innovation-in-the moment, to skillfully transpose projections from co-transference, and honor the creative clinician within.
The Level One Certificate prepares therapists to:
- Develop scientific and aesthetic attitude and abilities for symbol/story therapeutic process
- Fine-tune the therapist’s perceptual sensibilities – for presence, resonance, and to shift awareness
- Practice integrating mind-body-creative process
- Foster collaborative practices, the use of silence, voice, gestalt, and I-Thou dialogues
- Discernment with permission, protection, empowerment, validation, and respectful privacy while in active imagination
- Enhance heightened presence with listening-attending-witnessing, and responding skills
- Distinguish among approaches to sand therapy and use what is the best fit for each client
- Practice projective exercises and immersion
- Engage the flow between cultural worlds and individual imagination
More than 30 APA and APT CEs are awarded for attendance at the Level One Certificate Program.
The Sand Therapy Training Institute (TSTTI) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. TSTTI maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
We are also approved to offer play therapy credit to mental health professionals by the Association for Play Therapy. APT Approved Provider 05-161.