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Competencies in Sand
Level 1: Principles, Practice, Presence
An Online Course with Dr. Dee Preston-Dillon
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“The core principles for all competencies include a clear vision of expertise, well-defined skills and aptitudes, awareness of problems and ways to correct them, and established steps for learning.” – Dr. Dee Preston-Dillon
A Comprehensive Guide Toward the Safe, Effective and Ethical Use of Sand Therapy
Problems in Sand Therapy occur when we fail to establish a firm foundation in clinical competency. As in any profession we make errors, we rush, we sabotage ourselves and our clients trying to meet professional and social expectations; inflated ego may substitute for rigor while unconscious misuse of power can mislead and manipulate clients and colleagues. Blind determination, financial concerns, ignorance and lack of interest (it’s not my problem) set up ethical problems which block client healing or lead even to reinjury.
What you will learn
This level one course presents an overview of the core principles and practices for safe, ethical, and empowering Sand Therapy. Each presentation includes relevant research, case examples, core concepts, and suggestions for practice. The three levels of this course build each other to develop specific aptitudes for proficiency with Sand Therapy. Course content emerged from decades of Dr. Preston-Dillon’s research, training and case consultations with therapists, interns and clinical supervisors (in social work, counseling, psychology, marriage & family therapy).
Every session will present theory, the relevance of culture, case material, suggestions for practice, ethics, and the exam.
You will learn essential practical skills such as:
Enjoy the Course at Your Own Pace
SESSION 1
Guiding Principles for Sand Therapy
Defining clinical competency for use of symbols in sand, theory-as-a-lens*, relevance of culture, ethics, sand scene analysis, suggested activity to build knowledge and skills
*Examples: Roger’s Child-Centered, Jungian Archetypal, May/Yalom Existential, Developmental, Family Systems, Social Constructionist, Milton Erickson, Eric Bern, Neo-Freudians
SESSION 2
Culture & Theory: Conceptualization of Sand Scenes
Focus on specific competencies to conceptualize a sand scene, Jungian archetypal theory, relevance of culture, sand scene analysis, activity
SESSION 3
Clients & Sand Scenes: Ethical Concerns
Specific competencies to understand and engage, use of therapeutic metaphor, relevance of theory and culture for engagement, sand scene analysis, activity
SESSION 4
Facilitating Process: Projection & Countertransference
Understanding projection and countertransference, existential theory, ethics, culture, sand scene analysis, activity
SESSION 5
The Literature: Narrative Theory & Social Construction
Published psychology literature as well as mythology, global fairy tales, science.
Relevance of cultural stories, memes, themes, sand scene analysis, activity
SESSION 6
Groups, Family, Schools & Supervision
Sand Therapy with unique or marginalized populations and in specialized settings (e.g. couples, parent-child, refugees, LGBTQ+, clinical training and supervision), sand scene analysis, course wrap-up
Full Course Description
In Sand Therapy . . .
Symbols, neurological experience & story merge to bridge images and meaning for healing
Sand Therapy engages our capacity to imagine, to represent, to give voice & connect,
We are witnessed, validated, empowered
As others resonate with our experience . . .
We Exist
Dee Preston-Dillon, M.A., Ph.D
.
What You Get
Competencies in Sand Therapy Level 1 Course in six sessions
9 hours of powerful teaching
Dr. Dee’s handouts, teaching exam, selected articles and bibliography
Streamable video of each session for unlimited viewing/reviewing of course material
9 Continuing Education credit hours (Psychologists, LPCs/LMHCs, Social Workers, LMFTs)*
*Approved through Commonwealth Educational Seminars (see course
Policy
for more information)
Course Price:
Limited Time Online Offer: $199*
Purchase Now
Register Now
*Click here to contact us for information on discounted group/practice pricing
Dr. Dee Preston-Dillon is the founder and director of The Sand Therapy Training Institute and the Center for Culture and Sandplay.
A researcher and clinician educator for over 40 years, she is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Maryland, Global Campus, and has been an affiliate faculty for Johns Hopkins master’s counseling program, Loyola’s pastoral counseling, George Washington University’s Art Therapy program, and Argosy’s PsyD program.
In addition to her extensive graduate-level teaching, Dr. Dee has presented at over 40 national and international conferences on the use of Sand Therapy. For two decades her focus has been on case consultation for clinics and individual clinicians who use symbols in sand.
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Course Price:
Limited Time Online Offer: $199*
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*Click here to contact us for information on discounted group/practice pricing
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Dr. Dee Preston-Dillon is the founder and director of The Sand Therapy Training Institute and the Center for Culture and Sandplay.
A researcher and clinician educator for over 40 years, she is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Maryland, Global Campus, and has been an affiliate faculty for Johns Hopkins master’s counseling program, Loyola’s pastoral counseling, George Washington University’s Art Therapy program, and Argosy’s PsyD program.
In addition to her extensive graduate-level teaching, Dr. Dee has presented at over 40 national and international conferences on the use of Sand Therapy. For two decades her focus has been on case consultation for clinics and individual clinicians who use symbols in sand.
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