Institute of Playful Healing
108 Robin Rd, Suite 2006
Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
PH: 407-831-2880
Fax: 407-831-2881
Helping navigate life's journey

Institute of Playful Healing Continuing Education Trainings
​GOALS (Levels 1 through 10):
The workshops will assist participants to:
• develop skills in facilitating sand tray within play therapy.
• learn how to organize a sand tray therapy center.
• learn observational skills for sand tray play therapy.
• develop skills in recording methods for sand tray therapy.
• identify theoretical issues and standards of training.
Play Therapy Sandtray Trainings
Training Reciprocity

The Institute of Playful Healing has a reciprocal training agreement with The Sand Tray Institute of New Mexico. Levels of training completed at either institute will be honored by each other if needed as prerequisites for additional trainings.  

The Sand Tray Institute of New Mexico was founded by Theresa Kestly, Ph.D., RPT-S. Dr. Kestly is a psychologist, educator, consultant, international presenter, and registered play therapist / supervisor with the Association for Play Therapy. She maintains a private practice that specializes in play therapy and sand tray therapy for children, adults, families and couples. Dr. Kestly is a past president of the New Mexico Association for Play Therapy and the founder and director of The Sand Tray Institute of New Mexico.
Continuing Education Credit

The Institute of Playful Healing is approved by the following to offer continuing education credits: Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling (CE Provider Number #:50-19000 - Exp.3/2023); In addition, we are approved by the Association for Play Therapy, APT Approved Provider #15-434, to offer continuing education specific to play therapy. The Institute of Playful Healing follows all CE guidelines and maintains responsibility for the program. 
Six (6) continuing education credits per workshop day will be awarded to participants who attend the entire time of each workshops. Partial credit cannot be given. No exceptions can be made to this policy. Please contact us regarding CE questions.
Welcome to our 'PLAYshops'
why 'work' at CE's when you can play!
Level 1 - Basic Tools and Methods​ of Sandtray Play Therapy

This 'PLAYshop' introduces the basic tools and methods of sand tray play therapy for both children and adults. Participants explore the various elements of the sand tray process through hands-on exercises with miniature figurines and sand trays. In the workshop, therapists use individual sand trays to practice and refine basic skills. Prerequisite: Prior knowledge or experience with the sand tray process is helpful but not necessary. 12 contact hours over 2 days.
Level 2 - Sandtray Play Therapy: Symbolic Integration and Theory

In this 'PLAYshop', participants discuss and work with symbolic meaning and basic theoretical ideas. There are opportunities to create sand trays in the presence of an observer (workshop partner) and to practice skills using the symbolic language of play. Participants also explore the core issues of play in sand tray play therapy. 12 contact hours over 2 days.
Prerequisites: Level 1
Level 3 - Basic Clinical Skills and Theory​ for Sandtray Play Therapy

In this 'PLAYshop', participants have numerous opportunities to develop skills in working with the language of Sand Tray Play Therapy. Therapists use exercises to learn when and how to translate play language into verbal language. Each participant has an individual sand tray for practice exercises and for creating individual sand tray worlds. 12 contact hours over 2 days.
Prerequisites: Levels 1 & 2
Level 4 - Advanced Clinical Skills

This 'PLAYshop' includes discussion of professional issues related to diagnosis, treatment planning, transference, and ethical issues of sand tray play therapy. Participants refine and integrate therapeutic skills through hands-on practice with workshop partners. 12 contact hours over 2 days
Prerequisites: Levels 1 - 3

Level 5 - Sandtray Play Therapy with Couples, Family, & Group

This 'PLAYshop' focuses on using the sand tray modality with couples, families, and groups. Instruction will use didactic and experiential formats to convey the integration of systems and group theory with sand tray play therapy. Skills learned in levels 1 through 4 will be reinforced and expanded upon during partnering with individual sand trays and the use of a large group sand tray to highlight the group process. 12 contact hours over 2 days. 
Prerequisites: Levels 1 - 4

Level 6 - Sandtray Play Therapy & Expressive Arts Intensive

This 'PLAYshop' focuses on integrating various play modalities, including: sand tray play, costume play, puppets, games, art, and story telling. Didactic and experiential methods of instruction will be used to express how various modalities of play therapy can be integrated with both children and adults. Particular emphasis will be placed on the integration of sand tray play therapy with verbal therapy. 24 contact hours over 4 days. 
Prerequisites: Level 1

Level 7 - Grief & Trauma in Sandtray Play Therapy

This 'PLAYshop' focuses on exploring grief and trauma issues and how these issues manifest in sand tray play therapy. Participants explore and discuss case vignettes and theoretical issues. The 'Playshop' also includes skill practice with workshop partners. Didactic and experiential methods of instruction will be used to explore how grief and trauma can be addressed with both children and adults.12 contact hours over 2 days.  
Prerequisites: Levels 1 - 4

Level 8 - Sandtray Play Therapy: Developmental Considerations with Children (early childhood & latency)

This 'PLAYshop' focuses on exploring how early childhood patterns of sand tray play appear not only in the very young but also in older children and even adults. This 'Playshop' includes patterns of play of latency-age children. Didactic, experiential methods, and discussion will be used to help participants learn how to identify and support the growing edge of young children. It also provides a focus for how sand tray play therapy collaborates with the brain in its push toward integration throughout the lifespan. Participants identify and discuss these patterns of play therapy in terms of the developmental life span. The training also includes skill practice with workshop partners. 
Prerequisites: Levels 1-4

Level 9 - Sandtray Play Therapy: Developmental Considerations with Adolescents & Adults

This 'PLAYshop' focuses on developmental considerations specific to adolescence and adulthood. Didactic, experiential methods, and discussion will be used to help participants learn how to identify and support the growing edge of adolescents and adults through a developmental lens. The 'PLAYshop' will continue to include neuroscience theory and its connection to sand tray therapy and integration throughout the lifespan. The training also includes skill practice with workshop partners. 
Prerequisites: Levels 1 - 4

Level 10 - Capstone for Certification - Integrating all Levels of Sand Tray Therapy

This 'PLAYshop' is intended for participants who are ready for certification in Sand Tray Therapy. More description to come soon.  
Prerequisites: Levels 1-9

Refunds: Registration fees are refundable (less $50.00 administrative fee) if written notice is post-marked no later than 30 days before the 'PLAYshop' begins. Refunds require a minimum 6-week processing time. Registrants may transfer/sell their enrollment to another qualified person at any time.
Ayurveda & Expressive Arts Experience

This 'PLAYshop' focuses on Ayurveda basics and the connection to psychotherapy. Mind, body, and spirit connections will be explored through yoga, sand tray, and other expressive arts techniques. The purpose of the 'PLAYshop' is to gain more knowledge of expressive arts techniques and how they can used with clients, as well a deeper understanding of the 'therapist's self'. 

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided by an Ayurveda Chef. She will also provide one lecture a day about the basic of concepts of Ayurveda. The 'PLAYshop' will begin each morning with a yoga session and expressive arts techniques will be utilized throughout the day to deepen the connection to the material. 12 contact hours over 2 days. 

Yoga sessions start at 8:00am!!! Please be at office by 7:55 to walk together to yoga studio and dressed appropriately for yoga! Breakfast will follow.

Prerequisites: None required - open to everyone!