Welcome!
The Colorado Sandplay Therapy Association (CSTA) was founded in April 1995 to nurture and expand Dora Kalff’s vision of Sandplay Therapy and to support the Sandplay Therapists of America (STA). The practice of sandplay is grounded in Jungian psychology, Margaret Lowenfeld’s World Technique, and Tibetan Buddhist wisdom. CSTA’s mission is realized through educational programs and professional support.
Board of Directors
Nina Danhorn MS, LPC Board President, Technology Support
Brenda Jacklin LMFT, CST-T Regional Representative, Hospitality Coordinator
Linda Daly MSW, ACSW, RSP, RPT Outreach and Development Coordinator
Susan Smith MA, LPC Membership Coordinator, Registrations and Technology Support
Shannon Yockey, LCSW, JA, CST-T (CSTA Advisor)
Check out our Fall 2022 offerings and opportunities!
Now open for registration!
All of our workshops are ISST/STA Certified Sandplay Trainings!
PLEASE NOTE: You have to attend the live, interactive webinar for the educational requirements for ISST/STA credentialing.
Upcoming 2023 Trainings
“Introduction to Sandplay” FULL
(a live, in-person training; not being streamed or recorded)
Teacher: Shannon Yockey, LCSW, JA, CST-T
Date: Saturday, 1/14/2023
(Rescheduled from 09/17/2022)
Time: 9AM – 4:30 PM MST
Cost: $130 for members, $150 for non-members
OPEN TO 15 ATTENDEES ONLY. FULL. WAITLIST AVAILABLE
Scholarships may available. Please email cstaconnect@gmail.com to inquire.
Location: 7 Vista Road, Cherry Hills Village, CO 80113
For more information call 970-402-7030 or email ShannonYockey@gmail.com
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Are you interested in learning about this wonderfully healing and deeply symbolic way of working with adults, teens and children?
Do you use Sandplay in your practice, but aren’t
sure about the basics? If so, this training is just right for you!
Learn how to integrate Sandplay into your practice and join us for a fun day learning about Sandplay theory and practical applications in clinical practice.
We will explore:
> The history of Sandplay and Sand tray, and their differences
> View and discuss Sandplay case material
> Engage in personal symbolic and Sandplay experiences
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:
> Set up your own sandplay collection
> Begin using sandplay in your practice
> Understand the importance of Symbols
> Understand some basic concepts in Jungian sandplay theory
> Explain the clinical process in sandplay
About the Presenter:
Shannon Yockey, LCSW, is a Jungian analyst with the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts and a teaching member with ISST/STA. She is a consultant and certified EMDR therapist. She has been in private practice for over twenty-five years working with children, teens, and adults. She specializes in early attachment, relational trauma, and anxiety. She has presented both nationally and internationally on healing trauma through EMDR & Sandplay. Her current area of exploration and writing is healing and transformation through relationship in nature through direct experiences, Sandplay, dreams, and active imagination.
FREE Member Training!
‘Life Journey’
Presenter: Brenda Jacklin, LMFT, CST-T
Time: 9AM – 12:30 PM
Date: Saturday February 25th
Location: 7 Vista Road, Cherry Hills Village, CO 80113
Investment: FREE – Members ONLY, register HERE
For our free membership training, we will each be taking an inner journey. We will have an opportunity to revisit some of the stages of our life, with the hope of seeing our journeys with fresh eyes. We will have time for contemplation and reflection. Unique Sandplay miniatures will be available to help you capture the flavor of the various phases of your journey. At the end of our time together you will each have a symbolic representation of your individual journey, as you see it at this point in your life.
In this workshop we will explore:
- The neuroscience showing the power of metaphor
- An image and multiplicity of meanings.
- A symbol’s magical quality and its capacity to speak to many levels of experience at once.
- Symbols as a way to tolerate paradox and a way to combine contradictory ideas.
- Create an Individualized Symbolic Journey
Masks are required unless we are provided with Proof of vaccination. Please do not come to the meeting if ill, have recently been exposed to someone or tested positive for COVID in the last seven days prior.
Brenda Jacklin is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has been in private practice since 1997 and has been licensed in California, Alabama, and Colorado. She has over 25 years of experience using Jungian Sandplay Therapy with children and adults. She is a teaching member with ISST/STA and she has presented several workshops on Sandplay. She has also presented workshops on The Archetype of the Divine Feminine and the History of the Imagery of the Divine Feminine from Paleolithic until the Present. She has organized and led pilgrimages to France to experience and explore the many sites associated with this powerful imagery.
Hakoniwa Group Sandplay
Presenter: Ellen Searle LeBel, LMFT, BC-DMT, CST-T
Time: 9AM – 4PM
Date: Saturday, April 1, 2023
Location: 7 Vista Road, Cherry Hills Village, CO 80113
Investment: $130 for members, $150 for non-members
OPEN TO 15 ATTENDEES ONLY
Masks are required unless we are provided with Proof of vaccination. Please do not come to the meeting if ill, have recently been exposed to someone or tested positive for COVID in the last seven days prior.
Dora M. Kalff developed sandplay in a context of individual therapy based on Jungian analysis and child therapy approaches of her time. Although Kalff did not have the opportunity to explore the possibility of sandplay with groups in her lifetime, other trained sandplay therapists since Kalff have explored how “the free and protected space” allows the collective unconscious to support healing.
This experientially based presentation introduces the use of group sandplay with community groups following collective trauma, in therapist training programs and sandplay group supervision. Hakoniwa group sandplay is a form of multi-sensory, interactive play with 4-6 people using symbolic figures to create a scene together in a sand tray.
In this form of group sandplay, the trained facilitator and the circular procedure create the temenos and promote a cohesive working relationship between the participants that develops in a very short time. The arranged symbols interact and resonate in a multi-dimensional relational field, forming a tangible co-creation where wholeness is seen and held archetypally in the psyche. When the play cycle is complete, participants share their associations, insights, interactions, synchronicities and emotions.
Theory, practice and research of group sandplay are reviewed and discussed. We will practice methods of embodied witnessing, inner tracking of associations to symbols and interactions between the group members.
The Hakoniwa process was developed by Dr. Yasunoba Okada, ISST and practiced with educators, professionals and in communities following disaster in Japan. Sachiko Taki-Reece’s recent research using Hakoniwa in candidate training groups reveals the development of collective interaction over time. We will conclude with group discussion.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Identify how Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious is evident in group sandplay therapy.
- Describe Okada’s procedure for Hakoniwa..
- Discuss the use and potential of group sandplay in communities affected by collective trauma such as disaster, war and terrorism.
- Define the facilitator’s role as witness in Hakoniwa.
- Articulate the differences between use of Hakoniwa in training/supervision and for general public.
- Contrast the Hakoniwa method with other approaches to group sandtray process.
PRESENTER
Ellen Searle LeBel, LMFT, BC-DMT, CST-T, is a Jungian oriented therapist in private practice in Eureka, California. Her therapeutic approach integrates verbal therapy with 
sandplay, dance/movement therapy and active imagination.
She co-presented Hakoniwa Group Sandplay with Sachiko Taki-Reece at the 2019 IAAP Congress, 2018 STA Conference and 2017 ISST Congress. Ellen teaches and presents nationally and internationally, most recently as Plenary speaker for the 2022 STA conference.
As clinical faculty member at Cal Poly Humboldt, she developed integrative trauma therapy groups for students and process groups for clinicians to manage secondary traumatization. She is past President of the Northern California Regional Sandplay Society (NCRSS) and served on the Ethics Committee of STA. Ellen has written articles for the Journal of Sandplay Therapy and other publications.
REGISTRATION
This course is sponsored by the Colorado Sandplay Therapy Association. 6 training hours count toward STA/ISST certification. Registration is available at www.sandplaytherapy.org or contact ColoradoSandplayAssoc@gmail.com.
SANDPLAY CONSULTATION with Ellen Searle LeBel will be available to individuals and groups on Friday March 31 in the same location. If interested, please contact her at ellen@temenostherapy.com or call 707-826-7900.
To reserve your space for this FULL DAY workshop, you will need to register at least two weeks prior to the workshop date!
Complete an online registration form for this work: CLICK HERE
COMPLETED TRAININGS
Session 1- Webinar via Zoom
The History & Evolution of Sandplay Therapy
Teacher: Betty Jackson, LMSW, CST-T Date: Saturday, 9/11/2021
=== LIVE, INTERACTIVE WEBINAR COMPLETED ===
This session traces the history and evolution of Sandplay therapy from the pioneering work of British physician Dr. Margaret Lowenfeld to the brilliant work of Swiss child analyst Dora Kalff, who developed ‘Sandspiel’ and introduced this unique modality worldwide. Later permutations of this unique therapeutic modality through the art and play therapy communities will be explained and terms defined for applications of the modality for use with dyads, families, and groups.
If you would like to purchase and
watch the Zoom recording, please click HERE.
Session 2 – Webinar via Zoom
Sandplay with Children – A Developmental View
Teacher: Betty Jackson, LMSW, CST-T
Date: Saturday, 10/09/2021
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM, MST with a 1 hour lunch break
Cost: Member $115 Non-member $135
=== LIVE, INTERACTIVE WEBINAR COMPLETED ===
This session introduces the core precepts of Sandplay practice with children and will address special considerations including educating parents about Sandplay, introducing children to Sandplay, tracking dynamic play, handling requests to play with them in the sandtray and responding to requests to show parents what they made. It will also include and overview of developmental. stages of play, explaining how Sandplay fits into this schema.
PLEASE NOTE: You have to attend the live, interactive webinar for educational requirements towards ISST/STA credentialing.
Click HERE to register for Webinar Session #2
Session 3 – Webinar via Zoom
Sandplay Practice with Adults
Teacher: Betty Jackson, LMSW, CST-T
Date: Saturday, 11/06/2021
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:15 PM, MST
Cost: Member $90 Non-member $100
=== LIVE, INTERACTIVE WEBINAR COMPLETED ===
This session covers the basic fundamentals of and unique challenges regarding the practice of Sandplay with adults, including introducing Sandplay to adult clients, working with resistance to “just playing”, supporting surrender to an unconscious creative process, and responding to adult requests for interpretation. The practicalities of note-taking, photography, and arranging a review of the Sandplay process will be addressed.
PLEASE NOTE: You have to attend the live, interactive webinar for educational requirements towards ISST/STA credentialing.
Click HERE to register for Webinar Session #3
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Topic: Sand & Water – Encountering the Elements in Sandplay
Date: Saturday, 04/02/2022
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:15 PM MST, Zoom Webinar
Teacher: Betty Jackson, LMSW, CST-T
Cost: Member $90 Non-member $100
This session explores the practical aspects, clinical meaning, and symbolic significance of the elements of sand and water in Sandplay therapy. Sand as a liminal substance associated with transition and change will be emphasized. Water as a fluid element associated with feeling, especially the more watery, emotions of sadness and grief, will be highlighted.
PLEASE NOTE: You have to attend the live, interactive webinar for educational requirements towards ISST/STA credentialing.
Click HERE to read more about this Zoom Webinar
Click HERE to register for Zoom Webinar
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Topic: Miniature, Myth, & Meaning: On the Therapeutic Potency of Tiny Things
Date: Saturday, 05/07/2022
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:15 PM MST, Zoom Webinar
Teacher: Betty Jackson, LMSW, CST-T
Cost: Member $90 Non-member $100
Of all the tools used in Sandplay therapy, the miniature collection is by far the most compelling. But what exactly accounts for the appeal and therapeutic potency of such tiny, diminutive figures? Why are we so captivated by all these little things? For insight into these questions, this workshop turns to myth and fairy tales across time and culture to investigate the theme of miniature and the universal archetype of the tiny hero, creature, or talisman lending aid to the protagonist in need. The potency of miniatures to evoke affect will be illustrated through several experiential exercises.
The workshop will further address topics related to acquiring and growing a Sandplay collection including recommended categories of miniatures, sources, “must haves”, “don’t haves”, care & tending, issues of quantity, quality, aesthetics, and more. Also included will be discussion about the psychology of collecting, what it means for the therapist, and when the collection is offered for use, how this “lending of self” impacts the therapeutic transference.
PLEASE NOTE: You have to attend the live, interactive webinar for educational requirements towards ISST/STA credentialing.
Click HERE to read more about this Zoom Webinar
Click HERE to register for this Zoom Webinar
An Important Message from Shannon Yockey:
September 26, 2020
Dear Sandplay Community Members and Colleagues,
It has come to our attention that there is an email with the subject line “PRESIDENT REQUEST” asking for donations for Veteran’s affected by COVID using my name and office as president of CSTA.The email did not originate from either my email nor CSTA; and, as with any scam email, we recommend you DO NOT OPEN this “President Request” email.
CSTA will NEVER solicit donations or monetary requests through email or phone calls.
This scam has been circulating during COVID and there are several warnings from government officials regarding this. Please be aware and careful.
We apologize for the inconvenience and please
contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely,
Shannon Yockey
“Into the Woods We Must Go: Sandplay & Fairy Tales”
(a live, in-person training; not being streamed or recorded)
Date: Saturday October 29th
Time: 9:00a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: 7 Vista Road, Cherry Hills Village, CO 80113
Cost: $130 for members, $150 for non-members
OPEN TO 15 ATTENDEES ONLY. Registration Closed.
Presenters: Brenda Jacklin, LMFT, CST-T and Shannon Yockey, LCSW, JA, CST-T
Morning Session: Fairy Tales, a window into archetypal patterns
Our morning session with Shannon will be an introduction to working with fairy tales in clinical practice. “Fairy tales are the purest and simplest expressions of collective unconscious psychic processes. They represent the archetypes in their simplest, barest, most concise form (Von Franz, 1973, p1).” Fairy Tales have a universal core secret, and each tale has a secret that is trying to be known by the unconscious. We will be working with the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel and engage in both didactic and experiential learning to help bring the tale alive.
Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss purpose of studying fairy tales and their usefulness in clinical practice. This will
be demonstrated through case studies.
2. Learn method of Interpretation of Fairy Tales.
3. Experiential learning through active imagination with fairy tale figures.
Afternoon Session: Exploration of the Hansel & Gretel fairy tale symbols in Sandplay process
Learning Objectives:
1. Explore symbolic language expressed in the fairy tale Hansel & Gretel which furthers our understanding and relationship with archetypal patterns.
2. Identify symbols and archetypes through images in Sandplay process.
3. Examine Sandplay themes of both a child and adult woman which parallel themes found in the fairy tale.
About the Presenters:
Shannon Yockey, LCSW, is a Jungian analyst with the Inter-Regional Society of Jungian Analysts and a teaching member with ISST/STA. She is a consultant and certified EMDR therapist. She has been in private practice for over twenty-five years working with children, teens, and adults. She specializes in early attachment, relational trauma, and anxiety. She has presented both nationally and internationally on healing trauma through EMDR & Sandplay. Her current area of exploration and writing is healing and transformation through relationship in nature through direct experiences, Sandplay, dreams, and active imagination.
Brenda Jacklin is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has been in private practice since 1997 and has been licensed in California, Alabama, and Colorado. She has over 25 years of experience using Jungian Sandplay Therapy with children and adults. She is a teaching member with ISST/STA and she has presented several workshops on Sandplay. She has also presented workshops on The Archetype of the Divine Feminine and the History of the Imagery of the Divine Feminine from Paleolithic until the Present. She has organized and led pilgrimages to France to experience and explore the many sites associated with this powerful imagery.
To reserve your space for this FULL DAY workshop, you will need to register at least two weeks prior to the workshop date!
For more information and registration, please click HERE.
Resources to consider as we navigate health and well-being through the pandemic.
STA Tips for SAFE PRACTICE in Relation to COVID-19
We understand that as many sandplay therapists re-open their offices to see clients in person, many questions may arise about how to do this as safely as possible. There are excellent guidelines for counselors offered by the American Psychological Association: APA guidelines.
With the health and safety of you and your clients in mind, we offer the following additional tips specific to sandplay therapists; use if appropriate for your office setting to reduce the risk of infection.
For you and your clients:
1. Thorough 20-second hand washing and the use of paper towels before and after sessions. Hand sanitizer may be used as an alternative.
2. Masks should be worn and physical distancing provided within the office space (at least 6 ft. apart) in waiting areas.
3. Disinfect surfaces, doorknobs, etc. regularly. In session and between-session cleanliness protocols may include: Chemist-grade surface spray on surfaces such as doorknobs, work surfaces and on all bathroom surfaces.
4. There are several options that you may want to consider regarding sanitizing the sand: spraying with disinfectant, use of ultraviolet light (sunlight or artificial UV that can be purchased) which may break down the virus, and baking the sand at 250-300 degrees F for 30-45 minutes after use to sanitize. For periodic deep cleans, here is a video about washing the sand. Current CDC guidelines about workspace surfaces are here.
5. Wipe down the trays with disinfectant between uses. If possible, consider providing each client with her/his own tray.
6. Consider meeting outside if this is feasible in your office setting to provide better air circulation.
7. Figurines and art utensils should be washed thoroughly with hot soapy water after each use and allowed to dry in the sun if possible. Keep personalized materials in zip lock bags. Disinfectant could be used but may degrade finish on your figures. You may wish to consider removing cloth figures which cannot be washed or disinfected. Again, consult CDC guidelines regarding surfaces.
8. Tissues and wipes should be provided in session.
9. It might be a good idea to keep track of all visits in the event that contact tracing is used at a later date.
10. Many therapists keep all artwork created in session, however it may be best to send artworks home once they are photographed for your records, as an additional safety measure.
NOTE THAT THESE ARE SUGGESTIONS AND TIPS ONLY! Please continue to inform yourselves of local restrictions and recommendations from government authorities and consult the CDC website for up to date virus information.