Led by Jorge de la O, LMFT, JA

with moderator Elizabeth Gonzalez-Jaskulak, LCSW, RSP

Live - In-Person - Online Course

• Course Coordinators: David Capitolo, LMFT, CST-T and Ellen Searle LeBel, LMFT, CST-T

• Course Registration and Fees:  $90 for NCRSS members, $105 for non-members

• Continuing Education: 3 hours education credits for Sandplay Therapists of America

• Licensed CE credits pending through Spiritual Competency Academy for $30 fee.

• For information or questions contact norcalsandplay@gmail.com

Course Description

Sandplay therapy is an effective therapeutic modality for people who have suffered cultural trauma. This nonverbal, imaginative form of therapy activates a somatic, preverbal level of the psyche. Clients create a concrete manifestation of his or her inner and outer world in a tray of specific size by using sand, water, and miniature figures (Weinrib, 1983). This symbolic play allows the psyche to give form to whatever is held in the unconscious, both personal and collective, within a secure relationship.

 The presentation begins with the psychological impacts of the colonization and conquest of the Americas on Latinx individuals and communities, noting how profound violations over generations formed group complexes. Jungian Analyst Thomas Singer states: “Group complexes have to do with trauma, discrimination, feelings of oppression and inferiority…[they] litter the psychic landscape and are as easily detonated as the literal land mines that scatter the globe and threaten life - especially young life.” The Chingada complex is such a landmine. Sandplay therapy with culturally specific, archetypal figures offers an opportunity to bring consciousness to the sol y sombra of the Chicanx experience of “los Hijos de la Chingada”- the children of the violated. 

 Learning about cultural symbols helps therapists empathize and better understand their clients. Many sandplay therapists have figures called Homies in their collection without knowing much about their meaning or associations for their clients. Homies were first created by cartoonist David Gonzalez in the 1970s and over time expanded to 300 characters, stories, and miniatures. In an inner-city world of discrimination, Homies represent a unifying cultural support system.  Jorge de la O will lead an interactive introduction to Homies including stories about the characters, their archetypal qualities, examples of use in sandplay, and consideration of cross-cultural transference while Elizabeth offers commentary and moderates group discussion.

Course Objectives

1.  Describe the historical Latinx cultural trauma of colonization and conquest as it affects the therapeutic relationship and process.

2. Identify three symbols used in sandplay therapy related to cultural trauma.

3. Analyze and evaluate the use of the Chicano Homies miniatures in sandplay as personal and collective cultural expressions with positive and negative aspects.

Biographical Statements

 Jorge de la O, MA, LMFT, Presenter, is a professor in the M.A. Counseling Psychology Program at Pacifica Graduate Institute and is an IAAP-certified Jungian Analyst and sandplay therapist. Jorge has been in private practice since 2001. Jorge is also a senior analyst and instructor at the C.G. Jung Study Center of Southern California and a member of the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts. Jorge has published an article on the use of Homie action figures in sandplay in the Sandplay Therapist of America Journal (vol. 27, 2018), entitled, The Veterano in sandplay therapy. Jorge also published a chapter in The Routledge International Handbook of Sandplay Therapy (2017) entitled, Growing up with Andrew: A young boy’s discovery of Self in Sandplay, as well as a chapter in the book entitled, “Culturally Sensitive Supervision and Training.” This chapter is entitled, Image and Experience in Multicultural Training and Supervision, (Routledge, 2016). Most recently, Jorge published an article entitled,” Los Hijos de la Chingada: The Trauma of American Internalized Colonialism,” which was published in Psychological Perspectives, 2019. Jorge has presented nationally and internationally on cultural diversity and related Jungian topics.

Elizabeth Gonzalez-Jaskulak, LCSW, RSP, Moderator, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Registered Sandplay Therapist in private practice in Santa Cruz County. She is committed to supporting diversity and access to mental health care for marginalized individuals and communities and enthusiastic about sandplay therapy. She majored in Psychology and studied Chicanx courses at CSU Northridge and graduated from the MSW program at UCLA in 1996.  Elizabeth has extensive experience working with Latinx communities in California and Georgia. She worked for the LA County Department of Mental Health at Harbor-UCLA, where she helped found a Spanish-speakers DBT program. In Georgia, she helped establish the Spanish-speakers DBT program at CETPA, a community mental health and substance abuse program. Elizabeth became a Registered Sandplay Therapist this year and is also an EMDR certified therapist.

Information on Continuing Education Credit for Health Professionals

• CE credits for psychologists are provided by the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA) which is co-sponsoring this program. The Spiritual Competency Academy is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Spiritual Competency Academy maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

• The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE credits for LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFT license renewal for programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.

• LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFTs, and other mental health professionals from states other than California need to check with their state licensing board as to whether or not they accept programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.

• SCA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN Provider CEP16887) for licensed nurses in California. RNs must retain their certificate of attendance for 4 years after the course concludes.

For questions about receiving your Certificate of Attendance, contact NCRSS at norcalsandplay@gmail.com.

For questions about CE, contact Spiritual Competency Academy at info@spiritualcompetencyacademy.com.

NCRSS Annual Gathering and Board Meeting

Sunday, October 23, 2022 from 12:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Berkeley Yoga Studio

2121 Bonar Street Berkeley, Ca 94702

Cost: $30.00 members $40.00 non-members

Agenda: Sunday, October 23, 2022 from 12:00 pm – 3:30 pm

The NCRSS Board has chosen the theme of Afternoon Tea as way to acknowledge the value and importance of personal connection. We invite you to NCRSS Annual Gathering of community with this nurturing and simple structure. Our wish is to both honor tradition and provide a forum to meet anew for our first in-person NCRSS Gathering since 2019. Our theme was inspired by the “Soirees” that Dr. Kay Bradway, PhD. JA, ISST founding member, and first President of STA provided to convene the beginning STA community in Northern California.

Welcome: Linda Elaine Bath, NCRSS President

Opening Ceremony

Ellen LeBel, past NCRSS Board President will facilitate a ceremonial opening created by Dr. Hayao Kawai, PhD, JA, ISST founding member, and past ISST President. This interactive exchange will use randomly chosen sandplay figures to deepen the experience and meanings behind figure usage in sandplay. This process honors ISST founder Dora Kalff who reminded Sandplay practitioners to trust the process and to be “actively involved with exchange with other members of the experience you make with Sandplay.” 

2022 NCRSS Annual Board Meeting of Members and Sandplay Community

• 2022 Annual Presidents report - Linda Elaine Bath

• 2022 Treasurer’s report - Donna Rodriguez 

• 2022 Education Chair’s report - David Capitolo 

•  2022 STA Regional Group - Diana Wood 

The last agenda item will be the announcement of openings on the board for the 2023-2025 term. 

Afternoon Tea

Beverages and light fare of sandwiches and pastries will be served on the balcony. We will have gluten free choices and will include a fruit option as well.

Afternoon Tea time is a time of celebration and an opportunity to socialize and learn more about the NCRSS community. Attendees will also have a chance to make final figure purchases in our fund raising activity. 

Announcements

Our closing ceremony will include an announcement period wherein community members will have an opportunity to share their accomplishments and any changes that they have undergone in their practices. Please bring your cards or announcements to share with others. 

Closing Ceremony

NCRSS BOARD

Linda Elaine Bath, PhD, LMFT, CST-T
Pronouns: she/her/hers
NCRSS Executive Board, President

Donna Rodriguez, LMFT, LPCC, RSP
Pronouns: she/her/hers
NCRSS Executive Board, Treasurer

David Capitolo, LMFT, CST-T
Pronouns: he/him/his
NCRSS Board, Education Chair & Member-at-Large

Sonia Lucana, PhD, LCSW, RSP
Pronouns: she/her/ella
NCRSS Board, Member-at-Large

Diana Wood, LCSW, RSP
Pronouns: she/her/hers
NCRSS Board, Member-at-Large
STA Regional Group Representative

Eloise LeBel
Pronouns: they/them/their
NCRSS Administrative Assistant

For more information, visit californiasandplay.org. If you have any questions, email norcalsandplay@gmail.com.

C.G. Jung devoted the last third of his life to the study of alchemy, recognizing that the work of the alchemists was a metaphor for the process of transformation and change in the human psyche.  In particular, he focused on the colors of alchemy as unique stages in the process of growth and development and stressed above all the process of integrating the archetypal masculine and feminine energies in the psyche. This class will focus on the sequential stages, the nature of these energies and how to balance them in ourselves and in our clinical practice.

 Learning Objectives:

1. Describe how Jung viewed alchemy as representing the process of change in the human psyche

2. Discuss the integration of archetypal masculine and feminine energies in the psyche

This class will take place via Zoom on Saturday, May 14th from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm PDT. The cost is $105 for NCRSS members and $125 for non-members. Attendees will receive 3 CE credits and 3 STA credits.

Information on Continuing Education Credit for Health Professionals

• CE credits for psychologists are provided by the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA) which is co-sponsoring this program. The Spiritual Competency Academy is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Spiritual Competency Academy maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

• The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE credits for LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFT license renewal for programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.

• LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFTs, and other mental health professionals from states other than California need to check with their state licensing board as to whether or not they accept programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.

• SCA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN Provider CEP16887) for licensed nurses in California. RNs must retain their certificate of attendance for 4 years after the course concludes.

• For questions about receiving your Certificate of Attendance, contact NCRSS at norcalsandplay@gmail.com.

 For questions about CE, contact Spiritual Competency Academy at info@spiritualcompetencyacademy.com.

His velvet wing sweeps through the night:

With magic of his wondrous sight

He oversees his vast domain,

And king supreme of night doth reign.

- What Sees the Owl by Elizabeth Sears Bates

In this salon Donna Rodriquez provides an hour long Salon on the Owl as a symbol in Sandplay. Participants will learn  about the Owl as a species of bird and its symbolism and meaning through different cultural lenses and historical perspectives. In her presentation Donna Rodriquez will share images of owls in the wild, art, and share examples from literature. Just as the images help clients find the words, Donna Rodriquez will share with participants a story that she created to express her own research of the owl as a symbolic figure. 

In our extraverted, media dominated culture there is little room for inner experience. Clients come to us looking for and listening to outer guidance.The capacity to listen to and relate to inner guidance is often handed over or unduly influenced by the theory and understanding of the therapist. 

Sandplay provides a safe externally unguided way to inner depths. When clients use concrete representations such as the owl in their trays, they are using the language of the unconscious- the image. Such images carry an immediacy, an inner guide that presents itself in a way that is unique to the client. When that image is shared in the co-transference, or deep encounter between client and therapist, it frees up the client's libido and releases psychic energy that releases the grip of the complex. Children learn by playing and manipulating figures such as the owl to express their inner conflict or joy is transformative and leads to psychological healing through the process of imagination.

One of the strengths of sandplay is that a concrete representation of a visual image is used that "carries an immediacy of shared experience between patient and therapists that worlds may dilute. the language of the unconscious, after all, is the image. The speed and depth at which sandplay operates in some (not all) patients is startling." Weinrib P.89

A live interactive Zoom Salon - free for all members. February 11th, 2022 from 1:00pm to 2:00pm. Sponsored by Linda Elaine Bath, Ph.D, CST-T.

(Book: Weinrib, E.L., The Sandplay Therapy Process: Images of the Self. Temenos Press, 2004)

INTERESTED IN SANDPLAY?
Fundamentals of Sandplay Therapy in Clinical Practice

 
Gail D. Gerbie, MS, LMFT, CST 
Sponsored by Adele Luttrell-CST-T
Sunday, February 9th, 10:00am to 5:00pm

The offices of Paul Lesnik, LCSW: #85141

1807 Robinson Ave, Suite 206, San Diego, CA 92103

619-780-7670

Would you like to learn about Sandplay? Participants will be introduced to Kalffian Sandplay and its key theoretical elements. The use of miniature figures in a tray of sand, providing a free and protected space, and appropriate ways to use sandplay in a clinical practice with diverse clients will be explored.

This EXPERIENTIAL training will include theory, discussion, and methodology. There will be breaks throughout the day. Light refreshments provided; please bring your own lunch. 

REGISTER HERE $150

During this 6-hour introductory course, attendees will learn the theory and history of Kalffian sandplay and how the psyche heals through this powerful non-verbal therapy. You will be introduced to symbolic imagery, story, and myth, plus how they express themselves in sandplay. Getting started, how to hold the free and protected space, and a variety of clinical applications will be discussed. You will gain a practical understanding of sandplay though clinical examples, photographs, and experiential activities. References and resources will be included. 

Trainings are conducted by Certified Sandplay Therapist Teaching Members of the Sandplay Therapists of America and hours count toward STA certification requirements

For more information, please contact
Gail D. Gerbie, LMFT
gail.gerbie@gmail.com
760-807-1300
or
Paul Lesnik, LCSW
paul.lesnik@gmail.com
619-780-7670

Gail D. Gerbie, LMFT, CST is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Certified member of the Sandplay Therapists of America (STA). Gail is STA's San Diego's Regional Coordinator and facilitates San Diego North County Chapter of CAMFT's Sandplay Special Interest Group which meets monthly. She has facilitated and presented at numerous professional and student groups, participated in national sandplay conferences, and has been published in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy. Gail is passionate about the power of sandplay as a non-verbal modality of therapy for those who are healing from significant loss, grief, change, and trauma. She has a private practice in Escondido, California where she works with adults, teens, and groups. Gail can be reached at gail.gerbie@gmail.com OR 760-807-1300 OR http://www.gailgerbie.com

Adele Marie Luttrell, LMFT, CST-T is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Teaching Member of Sandplay Therapists of America. Adele maintains a private practice in Torrance, California working with adults and children. Adele has over 12 years of experience providing clinical supervision and trainings for therapists in Community Mental Health. Adele has been a valued presenter at Sandplay Conferences around the country and has used sandplay therapy in international, community mental health, and school settings. Recently, (January 2018 & 2020) Adele traveled to Cambodia, working in an orphanage with HIV positive children who have complex trauma using sandplay to provide a healing experience. Her passion is to take sandplay therapy to vulnerable and underserved populations to promote healing and growth.

Adele will be presenting upcoming Sandplay Therapists of America National Conference, Redondo Beach, CA June 4-7, 2020. Adele can be reached at AdeleLuttrell1@verizon.net OR 310-528-8139

Elaine Bath, PhD, MFT, CST-T, will offer a Sandplay Salon on Saturday, January 25th at 1003 Court Street, Woodland CA 95695, from 1 to 4 pm. RSVP directly to Elaine at elainebath@me.com. Salons are open to current NCRSS members and center on a topic or presentation with discussion.

In this Sandplay Salon we will begin to explore this broad topic by focusing on liminal space as it relates to insight and integration around gender as seen in sand pictures. Together we will discuss how Sandplay Therapy provides a way to hold different aspects of the person in their psychological journey to wholeness and to becoming more conscious and integrated.

Kalffian sandplay is a depth therapeutic process designed to help facilitate access to  the client’s core Self. As a non-binary, non-linear process, sandplay can be an important modality for a client to explore a more personally relevant view about gender and sexuality. 

You are invited to the NCRSS 5th Annual Gathering, October 19th!

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin
240 Channing Way San Rafael

Presentation by Sonia Lucana, Ph.D., LCSW, RPT-S, SP 

             
The 2019 NCRSS Annual Gathering focuses on therapy with multicultural children. Presenter Sonia Lucana introduces a practical and experiential integration of sandplay and play therapy techniques that promote optimal growth and integrate cultural awareness. She incorporates indigenous practices of the sacred medicine from Latin American countries in the context of Kalffian/Jungian sandplay and play therapy perspectives. Sandplay and play therapy are used together effectively in multicultural settings in response to a child’s social and emotional state, held by the clinician in the sacred space without interpretation. The power of therapeutic play using sand, water and non-verbal symbolic language offers a safe and nurturing environment where children become active witnesses in their healing journey as they express and make sense of implicit memories and early trauma. Case vignettes illustrate how traumatic experiences are processed non-verbally and lead to behavioral and emotional changes. Participants will learn to incorporate best practices for validating and supporting cross-cultural diversity in play therapy and sandplay. Hands-on symbol making and discussion follows the presentation.
 
 
Learning Objectives

• Discuss clinical benefits of using both sandplay and play therapy with children who have suffered sexual, physical, emotional abuse and severe neglect from various ethnic groups.

• Identify multicultural symbols used during sandplay and play therapy serving diverse populations.

• Explore clinical case material to increase knowledge of non-verbal symbolic language using sand, water, symbols, colors and play therapy.

 
Sonia Lucana, PhD, LCSW, RPT-S, SP is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor and Sandplay Practitioner. Sonia is experienced in Jungian sandplay therapy in addition to Gestalt and Filial play therapy.  Since 2004 she has worked as a psychiatric social worker who specializes in serving victims of sexual abuse and severe neglect from multicultural backgrounds. She has presented at national conferences and mental health agencies on various topics including play therapy, creative arts, sandplay therapy and trauma. Her writings include Pachamama: Images of the Great Mother, Cultural and Clinical Perspectives in Sandplay Therapy in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy, 2016 and doctoral dissertation, The Sacred Medicine Holder: Indigenous healing traditions and modern mental health, 2019.
 
3.0 CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS: NCRSS is approved by the California Psychological Association (CPA) to provide continuing professional education for licensed Psychologists (Provider # NOR021). The California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) recognizes CPA continuing education credits for LMFTs, LCSWs and LPCCs.  NCRSS maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 3.0 hours of instruction are eligible for CE credits. One credit equals 60 minutes of instruction. No partial attendance to receive credits.
3.0 APT CREDITS:  Sonia Lucana is Approved Provider #14-392 for the Association for Play Therapy and maintains responsibility for the presentation. There is no extra charge for APT CEs. Partial credit cannot be offered. NCRSS and this presenter have no conflict of interest in presenting this workshop, nor is there any commercial support.
STA/ISST: Sonia Lucana, Sandplay Practitioner, is sponsored by Ellen Searle LeBel, Certified Sandplay Therapist Teacher for this presentation. The presentation qualifies for 3.0 hours toward certification as a sandplay therapist.
 
FEES and REGISTRATION: $65 NCRSS members, $75 non-members. www.californiasandplay.org   Includes morning refreshments, lunch, and art materials. No charge for CE’s.  We welcome prelicensed as well as licensed professionals in clinics, schools and private practice. Contact norcalsandplay@gmail.com

Spring has sprung and brought a flowering abundance of miniature figures, sand trays, books and surprises for collecting and using with sandplay and play therapy. This is a great chance to acquire one-of-a-kind treasures from around the world as well as basics for your figure collection. Everything is priced to sell and you can bid on special items in a fun auction.

The sale is from 12:00 to 3:00 pm in Davis. Come early and stay for the afternoon festivities. One highlight will be a presentation about how to create your unique Kalffian sandplay collection and learn how the symbols in the sand can be healing and transforming for clients.

Refreshments, free gifts and a DIY figure making project are included with the admission fee of $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Advance registration is strongly encouraged. Please come with cash or checks for purchases.

The sale benefits programs of the Northern California Regional Sandplay Society, a non-profit offering sandplay education and community events.  Information about sandplay training and NCRSS membership will be available and can be found at www.californiasandplay.org.

Volunteers needed! Volunteers receive first pick of selected figures in exchange for their service. If you wish to volunteer, contact Diana Wood at dcwlcsw@mac.com, Sandi Peters at sandi4eldercare@gmail.com or norcalsandplay@gmail.com for general information.

What, Why and How: Sandplay Certification and Writing Papers

We know the story: you are a dedicated sandplay therapist wondering how to climb the mountain of certification. From the bottom, the peak is hidden in the clouds. The way appears rough. You feel flickers of doubt, confusion, overwhelmed - just when do you even find the time, energy or the resources to pursue certification? And who is there to help and guide?

This Sandplay Salon is sponsored by the NCRSS Board of Directors to offer members practical information, suggestions and community support for those wishing to become a CST. Who should attend?

·       You may be working toward your Practitioner certification.

·       You may be a Practitioner wondering whether to go further to CST.

·       You may have been practicing sandplay for years and now want to become certified.

·       You may be writing your symbol paper.

·       You may already be a candidate, having one or two papers approved and preparing your Case Study. 

·       You may want to submit a paper for publication in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy.

Ellen Searle LeBel, CST-T and Jill Kaplan, CST-T will facilitate the Salon. There will be refreshments included and there is no fee. THE SALON IS OPEN TO NCRSS MEMBERS ONLY. Contact  ellen@temenostherapy.com if you have questions about attending.

REGISTRATION: Please reply to norcalsandplay@gmail.com to register. The Salon is limited to 14 people and will be filled in order of reply. NCRSS does welcome your tax deductible donation to cover expenses. If you wish to donate and support this Salon, go to our website www.californiasandplay.org.

This class is now full and registration is closed.

This Intermediate II course takes place at the Redwood Room, 1001 Anderson Blvd., Davis, CA.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This introductory sandplay course focuses on Dora Kalff’s concept of the “free and protected space" as it applies to sandplay and play therapy with children. Developmental stages and themes will be reviewed in sandplay cases, intertwining with child development theories, neurobiology and trauma research (Badenoch and Kalsched) relevant to play therapy and sandplay. Learn and discuss how to effectively present sandplay and play therapy to parents and form an alliance with them around treatment issues such as beginning therapy, parenting styles and termination. We will view sandplay scenes created by a girl who had been traumatized as an in-depth example of a child sandplay case with focus on containment and other challenges presented in play therapy. Practical and theoretical handouts are provided.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: This workshop is designed to help you:

1. Work with children and parents in a sandplay and play therapy practice, while creating a therapeutic alliance with parents.

2. Describe how sandplay and play therapy is effective treatment for childhood trauma to parents.

3. Identify developmental stages and themes in sandplay (Kalff, Neumann and Erikson) and apply these concepts to play therapy practice.

4. Define the therapeutic function of the “free and protected space” in sandplay and play therapy.

5. Explain the necessity of confidentiality to parents and children in terms of the “free and protected space” in sandplay and play therapy.

6. Observe and analyze a sandplay case’s initial assessment, progress and consolidation.

Olivia Heathcote, Ed.D, MFT is a teaching member of the Sandplay Therapists of America and the International Society of Sandplay Therapy. She is an analytically-oriented psychotherapist with a particular interest in how early life trauma affects psychological development. Olivia lectures and teaches sandplay nationally and internationally. She has served on the STA board and is a member of STA’s Education Committee. She is a contributing author of Pearls: Defining Moments in Our Lives (2014) and of Living the Tides of Uncertainty, 2006 and was published in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy, 2009 and 2016. Dr. Heathcote maintains a private practice in Los Gatos, California where she works with children, adolescents and adults.

240 Channing Way, San Rafael, CA 94903

COURSE DESCRIPTION: The Self is the central archetype of the psyche, holding the power to inspire awe, terror and ecstasy. According to C.G. Jung, Dora Kalff and others, the Self is the reconciler of opposites: between yin and yang, above and below, masculine and feminine, conscious and unconscious, light and dark, body and soul, spirit and matter. Resolving the tension of the opposites, it gives rise to the transcendent function, with the power to heal and to transform. In this workshop, we will show examples of manifestations of self in different cultural contexts as well as in sandplay process. We will explore and experience one particular symbol which represents the Self, the Mandala, and learn the significance of the appearance of symbols representing the Self in Sandplay therapy with adults and children as well as in dream and personal process work.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: This workshop is designed to help you:

1. Define the meaning of the "Self" according to Jung.

2. List three people who had life-changing experiences of the Self.

3. Demonstrate the relationship between Ego and Self according to Edinger.

4. Define the transcendent function as it relates to Sandplay therapy.

5. Give two examples of configurations or figures in a sand tray that may represent an appearance of the Self.

6. Define the meaning of "mandala" and describe its potential significance in clinical work.

LYNNE L. EHLERS, Ph.D. CST-T, is a licensed Clinical Psychologist in private practice in Albany and San Francisco. She is a Teaching Member (CST-T) of Sandplay Therapists of America (STA) and the International Society for Sandplay Therapy (ISST) and an active member of the Northern California Regional Sandplay Society (NCRSS). She has worked with sandplay since 1977. In 2003 she began teaching classes on sandplay and dream symbolism. She has also presented papers at sandplay conferences both nationally and internationally since 2009 and her many articles appear in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy.

JILL KAPLAN, MFT, CST-T, is a psychotherapist in private practice in San Jose. She is a Teaching Member (CST-T) of Sandplay Therapists of America (STA) and the International Society for Sandplay Therapy (ISST). Since 2007 she has taught classes on sandplay, including the following topics: trauma and sandplay; containment and child therapy; sandplay and symbol formation; the role of silence in sandplay. She has also presented papers at national Sandplay conferences since 2010. Her articles on sandplay have appeared in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy. She is a founding member and past president of Northern California Regional Sandplay Society and a STA board member since 2008, currently serving as Past President

Fire on the Mountain: Archetypes of Transformation

Destruction & Creation Observed in Myth and Sandplay

Presenter: Judy Zappacosta LMFT, CST-T

   Catered lunch, figure making supplies and 3 CE credits for $60

9:00-9:15am: Opening ritual

9:15-10:30 am: NCRSS Annual Members Meeting is open to all attending

10:45am-12:15pm: Fire on the Mountain: Archetypes of Transformation

12:15-1:15 pm: LUNCH hosted by the NCRSS board members

1:15-2:15 pm: Make miniature figures related to the myths and deities of fire

2:15-2:45 pm: Discuss clinical and personal relevance of these archetypal energies

2:45-3:00 pm: Closing circle

To register and learn more about NCRSS go to www.californiasandplay.org

Contact: norcalsandplay@gmail.com

Keep reading for full program description, biography and CE info

Fire on the Mountain: Archetypes of Transformation

Destruction & Creation Observed in Myth and Sandplay

Judy Zappacosta LMFT, CST-T

“My barn having burned down, I can now see the moon.” 

 A 17th century Japanese poet and samurai named Mizuta Masahide left this enigmatic poem that challenges us to see beyond what appears first as destruction, but then invites a larger of holding of possibility, a growing new image, even beauty.  

In many cultures, there is consideration and respect for archetypal images of goddesses that are fierce, fiery, and demanding of sacrifice.  She, in her many forms, can command death, but also carries authority and love in service to new life. During this day together, we will explore myths of fire from several cultures that feature goddesses and observe one sandplay process where fires of destruction, desire, and passion make way for creation and new growth, offering transformation in consciousness.

Learning Objectives

1. Discuss archetypal images of feminine deities in diverse cultures that reflect both destruction and creation.

2. Observe a sandplay process of a client who moves through stages of destruction, death, sacrifice, and discovers new life as new consciousness emerges within the inner process.

3. Discuss and critique the attributes of goddess images in myth and folktales.

4. Explore the meaning of both masculine and feminine energies, and the concept of “both/and” within the goddess archetype as presented by Marion Woodman.

5. Elucidate, explore, and apply C.G. Jung’s concept regarding the nature of the psyche as seen in clinical work through sandplay examples and discussion.

JUDY ZAPPACOSTA, LMFT, CST-T, is a past president of Sandplay Therapists of America (STA) and past board member of the International Society for Sandplay Therapy (ISST). She maintains a practice in Monterey, CA, consults and supervises therapists using sandplay, and has published and teaches both nationally and internationally.  She is Editor of the book, Pearls: Defining Moments in our Lives. She is co-founder of Caring for the Soul, offering international trainings, and is Associate Editor of the Journal of Sandplay Therapy. Judy trained with Dora Kalff and Marion Woodman.           

Fee is $60. REGISTER AT www.californiasandplay.org

3 hours Continuing Education credits, CPA Accredited: NCRSS is approved by the California Psychological Association (# NOR021) to provide continuing professional education for psychologists. The California Board of Behavioral Sciences recognizes CPA for continuing education credit for LCSW’s, LMFT’s and LPCC’s. NCRSS is responsible for maintaining this program and its contents. One credit equal 60 minutes of instruction. Approved for 3 hrs. toward STA sandplay therapist certification.  

This Fundamentals III training will take place in Davis, CA.

This course on symbolic process and symbols is based on Dora Kalff’s Introduction to Sandplay Therapy. Kalff developed a Jungian based play therapy with children and adolescents.  This form of imaginal play invites access to contents of the unconscious in the “free and protected space” of the therapeutic relationship. Learn how the sandplay process expresses itself in a symbolic language in sandplay and play therapy practice and is often related to religions, myths, fairytales, literature, and art. Figures in the therapist’s sandplay collection selected by the client represent archetypes or unconscious materials that are specific to their therapeutic process, reflecting issues or themes that will assist in their healing and path towards individuation. Participants will experientially learn to amplify symbolic meaning they will see in a sandplay case presentation and use research source materials for symbolic meaning.   

Learning Objectives: This workshop is designed to help you:

1. Define and differentiate both symbols and signs you encounter in sandplay and play therapy.
2. Place sandplay in a context of play; culturally, historically and therapeutically.
3. Identify symbols that represent archetypes and key unconscious material specific to the patient.
4. Describe the basic concept of transcendent function in resolving opposites as seen in the case material.
5. Understand the Jung’s theory of individuation and how it applies to sandplay and play therapy.
6. Amplify and research symbols and their meaning found in sandplay and play therapy cases.

DAVID CAPITOLO, MFT, CST-T is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with offices in San Rafael and San Francisco. He is a Teaching Member (CST-T) of Sandplay Therapists of America and the International Society for Sandplay Therapy. He teaches sandplay and the language of symbols, presents at sandplay conferences nationally and internationally, and has published several articles in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy. He is interested in fathering and initiation into manhood rituals and sharing stories, myths, and legends applicable to sandplay.

Please join the Northern California Regional Sandplay Society and STA/ISST teaching member Judy Zappacosta for a special day with Jean Parkinson, an internationally certified sandplay therapist who lives and works in Auckland, New Zealand. Come for the full day or either event separately. 

Morning Presentation 10:00-12:30: Sandplay Therapy in the Shaky Isles of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Jean’s presentation introduces Maori culture and traditions. See how the inner worlds created during sandplay therapy intersects with mythical and real landscapes in the sandplay process of a boy.

Lunch 12:30-1:30: bring a picnic lunch or find a nearby restaurant

Afternoon Sandplay Group Supervision 1:30-4:00 with Jean Parkinson, CST and Judy Zappacosta, CST-T.

Sandplay cases are welcome for presentation and discussion, particularly those with emphasis on clients who use the sand sculpted as landscape, with or without symbols. Group is limited to 10 students.  Contact Judy Zappacosta, MFT at zappaj@sbcglobal.net to sign up to present a case for supervision.

REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION

FEE: Presentation: $50 NCRSS or STA members, $55 non-members. Register on-line at www.californiasandplay.org. Contact norcalsandplay@gmail.com for questions or more information.

FEE: Supervision: $25     Register directly with Judy Zappacosta at zappaj@sbcglobal.net or 831-427- 5326.

LATE REGISTRATION FEE: If registering less than 6 days before the event, add $10. CANCELLATION POLICY: Full refund if cancelled up to 7 days before the event. EDUCATION CREDITS: NCRSS offers 3 hrs. for the presentation toward certification as a sandplay therapist, approved by Sandplay Therapists of America. Judy Zappacosta provides 2.5 hrs. of STA group supervision hours. No other continuing education credits are available for this event.

Image from http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/2444/tawhirimatea

PRESENTATION:  The Shaky Isles of Aotearoa New Zealand with Jean Parkinson

Sandplay Therapy is a recognized modality used worldwide and appreciated by clinicians from many different countries. Continued training experiences through the International Society for Sandplay Therapy are offered now on most continents. There is a rich cross pollination in the work as both the universality of sandplay therapy as well as its uniqueness in different cultural settings.

This presentation explores symbolic language as it appears in the collective cultural unconscious in a sandplay process of a young boy. Many clients who come to sandplay therapy in New Zealand have lived in the same geographic areas for four and five generations.  These clients carry bi-cultural influences that also interplay with culture and family history of their forebears. Follow the sandplay process of a boy who is able to reconnect with his roots and cultural origins, using the sand and symbols as the container and co-transference in his journey. Through a personal bi-cultural lens, you are invited to reflect on how cultural, mythological, historical and geographical energies embedded in our psyche may manifest in sculpted sandplay landscapes.  Particular attention will be given to Maori traditions and symbols.

For it is the body, the feeling, the instincts which connect us with the soil. If you give up the past, you naturally detach from the past; you lose your roots in the soil, your connection to the totem ancestors that dwell in your soil.

(Jung, 1989, in Sabini, p.73. The Earth has a soul.)

Aotearoa, New Zealand presents unique geological, cultural and mythological landscapes that appear in sandplay process.  Situated in the Southern Hemisphere, New Zealand comprises two main islands, the North Island, the South Island and the smaller Stewart Island. Shaky Isles or Shaky Islands is a contemporary nickname for these geologically restless landscapes characterized by extensive shorelines and waterways, rugged mountains, dense bush, active volcanoes and frequent earth tremors.  

Maori were the first permanent inhabitants to make Aotearoa, New Zealand their home between approximately 900-1,000AD (Orbell, 1996).  A second wave of immigrants, manuhire, (non-Maori) also arrived by sea. Arrival is an important transitional phase of the archetypal journey of immigrants. Maori culture, historic events, beliefs and legends are preserved through strong oral traditions, carving, weaving, dance, and various art forms. A respectful introduction from oral creation myths of Tangatwhenua (the first Maori inhabitants) will attempt to set a context for how geography and topography was personified and mythologized in legend.

Jean Parkinson, MAAT; AThR ANZATA), CST; Registered Art Psychotherapist, Certified Sandplay Therapist and Educator. Jean is an experienced therapist working with children, families and adults in private practice (Auckland).  Through privileged exposure to bi-cultural Maori-Pakeha perspectives in her teaching career and now in therapeutic work, Jean has developed a reflective practice that honours the cultural unconscious.  She specialises in loss and change, trauma, relational attachment. Her work is informed by Kalffian Sandplay Therapy, psychodymanic Art Therapy, Reality Therapy, and Neuropsychotherapy. http://www.sandplayaotearoa.co.nz/

Join Dr. Elaine Bath, PhD, LMFT, CST-T and the Northern California Regional Sandplay Society for a free Sandplay Salon. We will meet at 1003 Court St. in Woodland for an afternoon of symbolic exploration. In Jungian sandplay as developed by Dora Kalff, the cave may appear as a symbol of the deep unconscious, indicating both the level of psychological issues and the sheltered therapeutic container.  In this 3 hour presentation, the healing nature of caves will be experienced from historical, theoretical, and clinical perspectives and by making figures of caves for use in your sandplay collection.

Due to space limitations, registration is limited to 12 participants. All must pre-register by contacting Elaine Bath at elainebath@me.com .  Register early to reserve your place. This class does not offer continuing education credits but will provide certificates of attendance toward certification as a sandplay therapist.

Linda Elaine Bath, Ph.D, LMFT, CST-T, is a psychologist, licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Teaching member of Sandplay Therapists of America and the International Society of Sandplay Therapy. Her practice is located in Woodland California. Dr. Bath is a founding member of STA and former board member and now teaches Sandplay in the USA, Canada and internationally.   She has published research on Sandplay and mindfulness practices.  

NCRSS is a non-profit organization dedicated to sandplay therapy education and community in Northern California. Introductory courses in sandplay therapy will be announced soon for 2018-2019 in the greater Sacramento region.  Learn more about our training programs and events, how to become a member and sign up for our email list at www.californiasandplay.org or contact us at norcalsandplay@gmail.com

This intermediate level course presents past and current research related to the healing of trauma through sandplay and play therapy with children. Studying the impact of trauma on the brain through the research of Donald Kalsched, Bonnie Badenoch and others, reveals the importance of body-oriented, physical modalities in treating trauma. The healing power of sandplay with trauma will be demonstrated in the case of a five to nine-year old boy.  His birth two months premature and multiple surgeries in the first year of life led to trauma and early disruption.The case shows how sandplay and play therapy helped the boy recover a sense of autonomy and embodiment.  An experiential activity using clay will help students appreciate the value of a physical modality in treating trauma in a play therapy session.

Olivia Heathcote, Ed.D, MFT, CST-T, is a teaching member of the Sandplay Therapists of America and the International Society of Sandplay Therapy. She is an analytically-oriented psychotherapist with a particular interest in how early life trauma affects psychological development. Olivia lectures and teaches sandplay nationally and internationally. She serves on the STA board and is the current chair of STA’s Education Committee.  Dr. Heathcote is a contributing author of Pearls: Defining Moments in Our Lives (2014) and of Living the Tides of Uncertainty, 2006 and was published in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy, 2009.  She maintains a private practice in Los Gatos, California where she works with children, adolescents and adults.

THIS CLASS IS NOW FULL. Please contact us at norcalsandplay@gmail.com if you are interested in information about future class opportunities.

Join us for an immersive introduction to sandplay therapy, developed by Dora Kalff.  Learn the history and origins of sandplay that are based in Jungian theory, Lowenfeld’s World Technique of play therapy and Buddhist spirituality. The differences between sandplay and other forms of play therapy will be described, as will practical considerations in the creation and maintenance of a sandplay collection and the therapist’s role in sandplay therapy.  Using case material, we will discuss twenty ways to “read” a tray and examine a sandplay therapy case in depth, paying particular attention to Michael Fordham’s concept of Integration, De-integration and Re-Integration, and Donald Kalsched’s Protective Self-Care System and its healing through sandplay.   

Linda Elaine Bath, Ph.D, LMFT, CST-T, is a psychologist, licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Teaching member of Sandplay Therapists of America and the International Society of Sandplay Therapy. Her practice is located in Woodland California. Dr. Bath is a founding member of STA and former board member and now teaches Sandplay in the USA, Canada and internationally.   Dr. Bath has published research on Sandplay and mindful practices.  

Lynne L. Ehlers, Ph.D., CST-T, is a licensed Clinical Psychologist in private practice with adults in Albany and San Francisco, California.  She is a Teaching Member) of Sandplay Therapists of America and the International Society for Sandplay Therapy. Dr. Ehlers has worked with sandplay since 1977, teaches sandplay and dream symbolism, presents at sandplay conferences nationally and internationally, and has published several articles in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy and other publications.

Transference, Countertransference and Co-Transference

Understanding the concepts of transference further deepens the therapist’s self-awareness of somatic, emotional, relational, symbolic and spiritual connections with the client. Theoretical material will help sandplay practitioners to better understand transference, countertransference and how they relate to co-transference and the relational field. Special attention will be given to how the experience of co-transference may manifest in our bodies or feeling states, and we will apply this knowledge to our work with clients.  In-depth analysis of sand trays and processes will demonstrate how sandplay enables clients to symbolize and express their deepest emotions related to preverbal trauma. We will discuss the impact of the co-transference upon the therapist and client as it affects healing and transformation.

Linda Cunningham, Ph.D, LMFT, CST-T, is a teaching member of STA/ ISST and the author of Sandplay and The Clinical Relationship (2013). She has written many articles for the Journal of Sandplay Therapy on the topic of the therapeutic relationship in sandplay, and has presented at both national and international conferences. Linda has taught sandplay as well as contemporary relational theory in graduate and postgraduate settings and currently gives trainings in Depth Psychotherapy and Sandplay in San Francisco. She was core faculty in Sonoma State University’s Depth Psychology Graduate Program and adjunct faculty at California Institute of Integral Studies. She is in private practice in San Francisco and Marin.

Sandplay and Play Therapy with Children: Creating the Free and Protected Space

This introductory course will focus on the “free and protected space, conceived by Dora Kalff, as it applies to sandplay and play therapy with children.  Developmental stages and themes in sandplay process of children will be identified and discussed as well as child development theories and neurobiology findings which are relevant to sandplay in play therapy. Participants will learn and discuss how to present sandplay and play therapy to parents and to form an alliance with parents around treatment issues such as beginning therapy, parenting styles, and termination. We will also focus on containment issues and challenges presented in child therapy through the analysis of an in-depth case example.

Jill Kaplan, LMFT, CST-T, specializes in child therapy and also works with adults.  She has authored articles in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy and has taught nationally and internationally. She is especially interested in trauma and in the complementary teachings of Buddhism and Sandplay.  She is current President of Sandplay Therapists of America.  Jill has practiced Zen meditation for over 20 years and is a teacher in the lineage of Suzuki-roshi.

In this intermediate course, we begin by discussing the aims of depth psychotherapy from a Jungian perspective, because Sandplay, as practiced by Dora Kalff, is grounded in Jungian theory. We will learn that for Jungians, the aim and the path towards healing is always individual, and arises from the inner world of symbols and images of the client. The therapist’s focus must be on the client and what the unconscious presents in sandplay, dreams, and in the body of the client, but also to what is arising in the therapist. The therapist must learn to engage and contain the image so that it becomes a living symbol, speaking to the therapist and the client of the numinosity and reality of the psyche which ultimately holds the potential for healing and transformation. This is the essence of the work. In this class, we will look at images and symbols and how they move and transform in dreams, sandplay, the body and within the therapeutic relationship.

Maria Ellen Chiaia, Ph.D, JA, LMFT, CST-T, is a certified adult and child Jungian Analyst in private practice in Berkeley and Marin. She works with adults, children and adolescents and their families. She is a teaching member of the International Society for Sandplay Therapy and has lectured and taught internationally and at many universities and institutes. She is co-author of Sandplay in Three Voices: Images, Relationship, the Numinous and has authored many articles and book chapters.

Join us for an immersive introduction to sandplay therapy, developed by Dora Kalff.  Learn the history and origins of sandplay that are based in Jungian theory, Lowenfeld’s World Technique of play therapy and Buddhist spirituality. The differences between sandplay and other forms of play therapy will be described, as will practical considerations in the creation and maintenance of a sandplay collection and the therapist’s role in sandplay therapy.  The efficacy of treating trauma with sandplay is related to research and the concepts of Kalsched, Fordham and Porges. Using case material and interactive discussion, we will discuss twenty ways to “read” a tray and examine two sandplay therapy cases, one of a child in play therapy and a second with an adult, that reveal the integrative, symbolic healing process.

Ellen Searle LeBel, LMFT, BC-DMT, CST-T is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist and Teaching Member of Sandplay Therapists of America and the International Society of Sandplay Therapy. Her practice is located in Arcata, California. She isPresident of the Northern California Regional Sandplay Society and teaches nationally and internationally. Ellen is a member of the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Dance Therapy and has published articles in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy, and the Journal of Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy. www.temenostherapy.com.

Caroline Isaacs, LMFT, RPT-S, SP is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Registered Play Therapist and Sandplay Practitioner. Through her practice in Eureka, California, Caroline offers developmentally and spiritually based psychotherapy, as well as spiritual direction, for individual adults, children and families. She has taught Sandplay, play therapy, parenting and clinical supervision for 25 years. Currently, she offers clinical consultation for professionals in these areas.

The Northern California Regional Sandplay Society invites you to enjoy personal and professional time with colleagues and friends in our sandplay community. All are welcome to our annual event: NCRSS and STA members, students, interns and mental health professionals interested in learning and practicing sandplay therapy. We begin with a greeting ritual and meeting, followed by Story Tales in Sandplay, a presentation by David Capitolo, LMFT, CST-T and Laura Soble, LMFT, CST-T, exploring masculine and feminine archetypes in myth and story. Receive 2.5 hrs. of Continuing Education credits for attending. A delicious lunch is provided and our fabulous fundraiser will offer figures and other items for sale. The day culminates in a figure making workshop and closing ritual.

See below for full presentation and CE information. 

We meet at the Unitarian Congregation of Marin, 240 Channing Way, San Rafael, a beautiful location with views of Mt. Tamalpais and the Bay, easily reached from Hwy. 101 with ample, free parking. Refreshments, lunch, art materials and 2.5 hours of CE credits are included. Cost is $40.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS: NCRSS is approved by the California Psychological Association (CPA) to provide continuing professional education for licensed Psychologists (Provider # NOR021). The California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) recognizes CPA continuing education credits for LMFTs, LCSWs and LPCCs.  NCRSS maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 2.5 hours of instruction are eligible for CE credits. One credit equals 60 minutes of instruction.

STA/ISST: The presentation also qualifies for 2.5 hours toward certification as a sandplay therapist.           

Story Tales in Sandplay

Masculine and feminine energies and characters are present in folktales, myths and fairytales.  Jung also explored the archetypes of Anima and Animus.  “Anima and Animus are the archetypes of what for either sex is the totally other.  Each represents a world that is at first quite incomprehensive to its opposite, a world that can never be directly known.”  Anima, “the archetype of the man’s Yin, the feminine within him” and Animus, “the woman’s maleness, her Yang.”  (Whitmont, p. 185) Beginning with re-exploring the role of Hades in the Demeter/Persephone myth, this program will revisit several story tales, considering both masculine and feminine perspectives, to deepen the symbolic narrative, to stimulate discussion, and to explore new possibilities and viewpoints. Participants will create their own sandplay figures to amplify personal, cultural, and archetypal associations to the material presented.

Objectives:

1. Discuss the use of archetypal stories and images in sandplay as a means to assist clinician in contextualizing the deeper elements of the client’s issues and process.
2. Increase awareness of the role of masculine and feminine characters in myth, folktales, and fairytales.
3. Discover deeper, underlying client issues and dynamics through the understanding of archetypal stories.
4. Observe and discuss examples in sandplay and imagery that amplify masculine and feminine archetypes.
5. Elucidate, explore and apply the Jungian concepts of Anima and Animus to clinical work through sandplay examples and discussion.                                              

David Capitolo, MFT, CST-T, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and certified with Sandplay Therapists of America.  His clients include adults, children, adolescents and GLBT.  He co-founded the Child Therapy Institute of Marin and a founding member of the Northern California Regional Sandplay Society.  David is interested in fathering and Initiation into manhood rituals and has published in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy.

Laura Soble, LMFT, REAT, CST-T is a teaching member of Sandplay Therapists of America,  the International Society for Sandplay Therapy and is an Advanced Analytic Candidate at the C.G. Jung Institute of San Francisco. Her articles have been published in the Arts in Psychotherapy Journal and the Journal of Sandplay Therapy. Laura is a founding member and former board officer of the Northern California Regional Sandplay Society. She presents nationally and internationally on sandplay and the integration of the arts in therapy and has a depth therapy practice in Oakland, CA. www.laurasoble.net

Thanks to NCRSS member Liana Kornfield for permission to use her art work, “Hades and Persephone.”

This workshop is designed for anyone who has taken the minimum of a Fundamentals of Sandplay therapy course. These two interactive presentations focus on learning sandplay in the Kalffian tradition through mindfulness and observing the sandplay process in clinical cases. Register for the full day or either morning or afternoon classes separately.

WITNESSING IN THE SILENCE: 9:00 am-12:00 pm

Jill Kaplan will describe the therapeutic use of silence as it relates to Kalff’s “free and protected space” and demonstrate how mindfulness practices develop the ability to be a “therapeutic witness” in sandplay therapy. This 3 hour class is approved for STA education hours toward certification.

Jill Kaplan, MFT, CST-T, specializes in child therapy, but also works with adults.  She has authored articles in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy and has taught nationally and internationally. She is especially interested in trauma and in the complementary teachings of Buddhism and Sandplay.  She is current President of Sandplay Therapists of America.  She has practiced Zen meditation for over 20 years, and is a teacher in the lineage of Suzuki-roshi.

RECONNECTING WITH MOTHER IN SANDPLAY:

CASE PRESENTATION AND CONSULTATION GROUP

1:30 pm-4:30 pm

LaVon Bobo will present “Sandplay: Reconnecting with Mother” about a 4 year-old girl who suffered trauma through medical procedures during the pre-eo stage that Dora Kalff called “relationship of child to mother.” She will also provide group consultation using cases presented by participants. This 3 hour class includes STA approved hours for education and group consultation.

LaVon Bobo, LMFT, CST-T, is a retired school psychologist who introduced sandplay in local schools in 1982 after training with Dora Kalff.  She also supervised MFT interns for twenty years. Her private practice is located in Mountain View and she conducts a monthly consultation group there. She teaches sandplay nationally and internationally and has published in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy.

There is a limit of 10 attendees to the afternoon course.

This introductory sandplay course will cover the history and origins of sandplay therapy, Jungian theory and Buddhist spirituality, Kalffian theory and its differentiation from other uses of sandplay therapy; practical considerations in the creation and maintenance of a sandplay collection and the therapist’s role in sandplay therapy.  Using case material of both children and adults, we will discuss twenty ways to “read” a tray and examine a sandplay therapy case in depth.

 Earn 6 hours of continuing education credits, APT hours, and/or STA certification hours.

DAVID CAPITOLO, MFT, CST-T, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and certified with Sandplay Therapists of America.  His clients include adults, children, adolescents and GLBT.  He co-founded the Child Therapy Institute of Marin and is a founding member of the Northern California Regional Sandplay Society.  David is interested in fathering and Initiation into manhood rituals and has published in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy.

LYNNE L. EHLERS, Ph.D., CST-T, is a licensed Clinical Psychologist in private practice with adults in Albany and San Francisco, California.  She is a Teaching Member (CST-T) of Sandplay Therapists of America and the International Society for Sandplay Therapy. She has worked with sandplay since 1977, teaches sandplay and dream symbolism, presents at sandplay conferences nationally and internationally, and has published several articles in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy and other publications.

Sandplay is a multisensory and symbolic activity that engages body and imagination in play. This course focuses on the non-verbal, somatic aspects of a sandplay process and the therapeutic relationship. The concept of somatic transference will be related to neurobiological research and the archetypal affects. Jung’s concept of the transcendent function and the practice of active imagination will be presented in relation to Kalff’s developmental theory of psychic totality. This course instructs participants to observe body movement as well as the embodied symbols of a client while they create a sand world. With case examples, participants will observe how formations in the sand may reveal physical conditions, represent traumatic experiences and tell the story of transformation. Participants will practice selfwitnessing embodied responses to understand the co-transference. The presentation concludes experientially to illustrate how sandplay can be integrated with movement, play therapy, art and dream work.

Ellen Searle LeBel, LMFT, BC-DMT, CST-T is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist and Teaching member of Sandplay Therapists of America and the International Society of Sandplay Therapy. Her practice is located in Arcata, California. She is currently the President of the Northern California Regional Sandplay Society and on the Ethics Review Committee of STA. Ellen teaches nationally and internationally, is a member of the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Dance Therapy and has published articles in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy, the journal of Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy, and the Psychotherapy Institute Journal.