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Expressive Arts in Play Therapy: The Sandtray Therapy Process
Expressive Arts in Play Therapy: The Sandtray Therapy Process
Date: Friday, May 22, 2026
Time: 9 am to 4:30 pm
Cost:
$180 for 6 CEs in Play Therapy
Format Delivery: Face-to-face
2 CEs – Play Therapy Seminal or Historically Significant Theories
4 CEs – Play Therapy Skills and Methods
Content Description:
Grounded in the humanistic tenants of Carl Rogers and Estelle L. Weinrib, this workshop examines the integration of sandplay and sandtray therapy within play therapy practice. Participants will explore symbolic expression, sensory engagement, and nonverbal communication as therapeutic processes in play therapy. Emphasis is placed on play therapy conceptualization, therapeutic relationship development, and the therapeutic powers of play. Experiential activities will provide participants with hands-on sandtray experiences to deepen clinical understanding and application.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of the workshop, the participant will be able to:
1. Identify the core concepts of sandtray therapy and the application of play therapy practice through a humanistic approach and therapeutic powers of play.
2. Describe the foundational concepts, symbols, and processes utilized in sandplay and sandtray therapy within play therapy practice.
3. Analyze the clinical rationale for integrating sandtray into play therapy.
4. Explain the role of the therapeutic relationship in facilitating expression and meaning-making during sandtray therapy.
5. Evaluate the therapeutic benefits and limitations of sandtray therapy when utilized within play therapy lens.
6. Create personal sandtray to strengthen conceptual understanding and application of sandtray therapy.
7. Discuss other possible applications of sandtray therapy.
Schedule:
9:00 am – 10:30 am Overview of Training
Review of APT Play Therapy Competencies
Review of Therapeutic Powers of Play Definitions
10:30 am to 10:45 am Break
10:45 am to 12:15 pm Basic Tenets of Sandplay vs Sandtray
12:15 pm to 1:00 pm Lunch
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Experiential
3:00 pm to 3:15 pm Break
3:15 pm to 4:30 pm Analyze personal trays, other possible applications, and questions
Facility:
Institute for Counseling Development
1600 Medical Center – Suite B-1
El Paso, Texas 79912
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Expressive Arts in Play Therapy: The Sandtray Therapy Process
Cancellation and Refund Policy: This workshop is nonrefundable.
About the presenter:
Leah Fowlkes Miller, PhD, LPC-S, LMFT-S, RPT-S™ is the owner and founder of the Counseling Center of Expressive Arts in El Paso, Texas. She has worked with families, couples, adolescents, and children for over 25 years. She completed her masters in counseling at Webster University and did a post-graduate study at the University of Oklahoma in art therapy. Leah received her PhD from the University of North Texas in Counseling and Higher Education with a specialty in play therapy.
APT Approved provider # 14-368
Play therapy credit is available to mental health professionals and graduate students in a mental health program
