Beneath the Surface: Humanistic Sandtray Therapy for Depression and Anxiety in the Clinical and Play Therapy Setting – Kansas City/Live Webinar
Workshop Description:
Depression and anxiety can present unique challenges in play therapy, particularly when children and adolescents struggle to express or understand their internal experiences. Grounded in humanistic theory, this experiential workshop explores the application of Rogerian (person-centered) and Gestalt principles in sandtray play therapy. Participants will examine how these approaches support emotional expression, self-awareness, and personal growth while considering the Therapeutic Powers of Play in working with depression and anxiety. Through hands-on sandtray experiences, participants will practice building and witnessing from both theoretical perspectives, exploring the differences between person-centered therapeutic responses and Gestalt-informed experiential facilitation. Clinical applications and case examples will highlight ways to integrate humanistic sandtray play therapy into work with children and adolescents experiencing depression and anxiety.
Workshop Objectives:
1. Identify the foundational principles of Rogerian and Gestalt theories and their application to humanistic sandtray play therapy.
2. Examine depression and anxiety through a humanistic theoretical lens and identify implications for the play therapy process.
3. Identify Therapeutic Powers of Play relevant to emotional expression, self-awareness, and psychological growth in humanistic sandtray play therapy.
4. Demonstrate person-centered sandtray play therapy witnessing skills that reflect empathic understanding, unconditional positive regard, and respect for client autonomy.
5. Demonstrate Gestalt-informed sandtray play therapy facilitation skills that support present-moment awareness, exploration of polarities, and emotional integration.
6. Apply humanistic sandtray play therapy principles to clinical scenarios involving children and adolescents experiencing depression and anxiety.
To be eligible for this workshop, participants need to have completed at least 6 hours of introductory Sandtray training.
Instructor: Lori Peterson, LSCSW, LCSW, RPT-S™, RST-C
Workshop Schedule:
10:30-10:45 Morning Break
10:45-12:15 Training Continues
1:00-2:30 Training Resumes
2:30-2:45 Afternoon Break
2:45-4:15 Training Continues with Workshop Conclusion
Live Webinar Policy:
For a successful Live Webinar that ensures full CE credit, you will need:
- A device (computer or tablet preferred) with a working camera and microphone.
- A strong and reliable internet connection.
- A designated safe space of your choosing free from disruption.
- A reliable childcare plan (if applicable).
- A commitment to keep your webcam on the entire workshop.
- The workshop supplies nearby that have either been requested in the workshop email or provided in the supply shipment (if applicable).
Workshop Cancellation:
- Cancellation requests should be submitted by email to Heartlandpti@gmail.com no later than 7 calendar days prior to the scheduled workshop date in order to receive a full refund of the paid workshop fee. Cancellation and/or rescheduled requests that are submitted after 7 calendar days prior to the scheduled workshop date will result in a refund of the paid workshop fee – with the exception of a $25 administrative fee for a half-day workshop, a $50 administrative fee for a full-day workshop a $75 administrative fee for 2-day workshop.
- Heartland Play reserves the right to cancel a workshop due to insufficient enrollment. Heartland Play will email workshop students at least 5 calendar days in advance of the scheduled workshop date to notify students of the cancellation. Notice will be provided with the option to reschedule for a future course date or to receive a full refund of paid workshop fees.
- Heartland Play reserves the right to cancel a workshop due to inclement weather, instructor illness or instructor family emergency. If a workshop is canceled, students will be notified via e-mail prior to the workshop start time. Heartland Play will notify the students of a reschedule date for the workshop within 10 calendar days of the cancelled workshop. Notice will be provided with the option to reschedule for the future course date or to receive a full refund of the paid workshop fee.