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Going Deeper in Sand Play Therapy:  Expanding Skills for Effective Client Change 

Play therapists continue to expand their use of sand therapy, especially across the lifespan. This seminar will begin with a brief review of setting up the sand therapy experience and a model of the therapeutic powers of play within the sand tray. The seminar will focus on several ways to deepen the client’s experience while processing the completed sandtrays. This includes integrating the play therapist’s clinical theory with a deeper use of theory in the processing stage. Also, how the play therapist develops insight through the skill of eyes-on-trays. The participant will experience how to engage the client in processing the tray with more depth, including inviting add-ons and figure-play. There will be time to play and practice – hands-in-sand! 

Details: 

  • 6 CE hour seminar 
  • Format: lecture, case examples, small group discussion/practice, experiential activities 
  • Participants are asked to bring 15-20 miniature figures 
  • CPT will provide paper plates to use as sand trays, sand, paper, and markers 

Days/Times

Friday, June 27, 2025, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM CT

Objectives:

  1. List the materials needed for a sand play therapy room, 
  2. List the 6-Step Protocol for a sand play session, 
  3. Identify the Therapeutic Powers of Play as applied to sand therapy, including those key for the client and the play therapist, 
  4. Discuss the skill of eyes-on-trays, 
  5. Identify at least three (3) ‘add-ons’ to deepen client work, 
  6. Identify ways to integrate your play therapy clinical theory into the processing stage of the sand play therapy session.

Meet the Speaker

Linda E. Homeyer, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-STM semi-retired after over 30 years of work as a play therapist, sandtray therapist, and university professor. She continues to write, provide professional consultations and trainings, and plays in the clay in Canyon Lake, Texas.  

In addition to keynotes and conference presentations in the United States, Linda continues to enjoy traveling the globe and teaching play therapy, sandtray therapy, and clinical supervision. She has worked  in Slovakia, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, South Africa, Australia, Mexico, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Taiwan, Denmark, China, Italy, and even on a cruise ship! Her co-authored books include her recent ones of The Guide to Play Therapy Documentation and Parent Consultations (with Mary Bennett); Sandtray Therapy: A Practical Manual (4th ed.) (with Daniel Sweeney); Advanced Sandtray Therapy: Digging Deeper into Clinical Practice (with Marshall Lyles); and others; also, numerous book chapters and journal articles. Her work is translated into Turkish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, and Spanish.  

She currently represents APT as their representative on the Board of Directors of the International Consortium of Play Therapy Associations (IC-PTA). She is also the Editor of the World Journal for Sand Therapy Practice®. 

Linda is a Distinguished Professor Emerita of Professional Counseling at Texas State University. The Association for Play Therapy named Linda as a Director Emerita and awarded her their Lifetime Achievement Award. 

References

*Foster, R. (2024). Humanistic sandtray therapy: The definitive guide to philosophy, therapeutic conditions, and the real relationship. Routledge. 

*Gil, E. (2023). Clinical work with sandtrays: Suggestions for deepening the sand therapist’s understanding of client metaphors in the sand. (2023). World Journal for Sand Therapy Practice®, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.58997/wjstp.v1i2.6 

*Goodyear-Brown, P., & Yasenik, L. (Eds.). (in press/2025). Polyvagal power in the playroom. Routledge. 

*Homeyer, L. (2024). Eyes-on-Trays: Developing visual literacy in sand therapists. World Journal for Sand Therapy Practice®, 2(3). https://doi.org/10.58997/wjstp.v2i3.93 

Homeyer, L. & Lyles, M. (2022). Advance sandtray therapy: Digging deeper into clinical practice. Routledge. 

Homeyer, L. & Sweeney, D. (2023). Sandtray therapy: A practical manual (4th ed.). Routledge. 

Pearson, M., & Wilson, H. (2001). Sandplay & symbol work: Emotional healing & development with children, adolescents and adults. Australian Council for Educational Research Ltd. 

*Stewart, A., Crenshaw, D., & Ray, D. (Eds.) (2024). Play therapy: A comprehensive guide to theory and practice (2nd ed). Guilford.  

Yasenik, L., & Gardner, K. (Eds). (2019). Turning points in play therapy and the emergence of self: Applications of the play therapy dimensions model. Jessica Kingsley. 

(* denotes references within the past 5 years.)