water patterns in the sand that look like a treeSandplay Therapists of America® (STA) offers a variety of STA/ISST Certified Sandplay Training® opportunities. We sponsor a national conference in even-numbered years and host the STA Assembly in odd-numbered years, the latter co-hosted with a regional sandplay group. Training opportunities are updated on our website whenever new courses become available. Additional opportunities include sandplay intensives, regional workshops and groups, and case consultation groups throughout the United States.

Distance learning courses are identified as such on the event listing page; there are also online case consultation groups as well as Teaching Members who offer individual online consultations. Therapists are encouraged to consult the STA Handbook and review the maximum allowable hours of distance training that are accepted for RSP and CST applications.

International training opportunities listed here include courses taught by sandplay teaching members outside the US and conferences sponsored by The International Society for Sandplay Therapists (ISST). For additional international opportunities, see the ISST website.

We invite you to browse and explore trainings that best meet your needs, and to contact us with any questions.

STA Certification Requirements

For certification as Registered Sandplay Practitioner and Certified Sandplay Therapist, applicants must complete a specified number of hours in the following categories. See the STA Handbook for details.

Fundamentals/Introduction to Sandplay Therapy

  • History and origins of sandplay
  • Kalffian theory: the meaning of the “free and protected space,” the role of the therapist, co-transference, the healing nature of the sand itself
  • Overview of Jungian framework: structures of the psyche, archetypes, the unconscious, the individuation process, transcendent function, and the living reality of the psyche
  • Ethics, diversity, and professional standards of conduct (see STA standards and ISST Code of Ethics and Rules of Procedure)
  • Practical considerations: creating and maintaining the collection, record keeping, photography, tray specifications, sand and water
  • Introduction of sandplay to clients
  • What to look for in initial trays
  • Importance of symbols and the symbolic language of the unconscious
  • Introduction to exploration of symbols
  • Stages and themes of the sandplay process
  • Differentiation of Kalffian sandplay from other uses of sandplay and figures

Clinical Sandplay

  • In-depth sandplay case study
  • Co-transference
  • Work with children and parents
  • Work with adults
  • Trauma and the neuroscience of sandplay
  • Dimensions of diversity
  • Termination
  • Understanding sand trays
  • Review of trays with client
  • Expanded discussion of the unfolding sandplay process, including themes, transcendent function, relativization of the ego, tension of the opposites, manifestation of the Self
  • Appearance of the body and psychosomatic themes
  • Precautions, defenses, and resistances

Jungian Theory

  • Structure of the psyche: persona, ego, shadow, anima/animus, Self
  • Nature of the unconscious and the relation between ego and unconscious
  • Archetypes, symbols, and complexes
  • Transference and countertransference
  • Individuation process
  • Psychic energy (the principles of equilibrium and constancy, progression and regression, integration of inner feminine and masculine)
  • Extroversion and introversion (and typology)
  • Transcendent function
  • The living reality of the psyche

Symbolism

  • Religion
  • Fairy tales
  • Myths
  • Cultural traditions