CBPT and Sandtray
What you will be able to do
About this course
Sandtray Therapy is an expressive, symbolic modality that uses a standardized tray partially filled with sand and a curated selection of miniatures to facilitate nonverbal expression of thoughts and emotions in children and adolescents. Originating from Margaret Lowenfeld’s World Technique, it balances non-directed trays (spontaneous scenes) and directed interventions (interactive trays, tailored prompts, story-guided activities).
The tactile, kinesthetic quality of sand creates a safe, bounded space that fosters therapeutic distance, symbolic exploration and experiential learning — integrated within the CBPT framework to reinforce coping strategies and generalize skills across contexts.
Course objectives
- Describe the historical roots and theoretical foundations of Sandtray Therapy
- Explain its core principles: nonverbal expression, symbolic containment, therapeutic distance
- Match tray type (non-directed vs. directed) to the child’s age and stage
- Apply non-directed and directed sandtray interventions with preschool and school-age clients
- Use observation, tracking and processing techniques to reinforce coping strategies
- Integrate sandtray within play therapy / CBT frameworks for skill generalization
Course requirements
- Psychiatrists
- Psychologists
- Clinical Social Workers
- Licensed Professional Counselors
- Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists
- Mental Health Clinical Nurse Practitioners
The delivery of the certificate of attestation at the conclusion of the course will be tied to the evaluation of participants’ requirements. In the absence of the requirements, the course hours will not be certified.
Curriculum · 2 lessons + Learning Test · 1h 54min
Instructor
Frequently asked questions
What is Sandtray Therapy?
An expressive, symbolic modality that uses a standardized tray partially filled with sand and a curated selection of miniatures to help children and adolescents express thoughts and emotions without words. It originates from Margaret Lowenfeld's World Technique and balances non-directed trays with directed interventions.
How is sandtray integrated with CBPT?
The tactile, bounded space of the tray creates therapeutic distance and symbolic exploration; within the CBPT framework, observation, tracking and processing techniques are used to reinforce coping strategies and generalize skills across contexts.
What will I learn in this course?
The historical roots and theoretical foundations of Sandtray Therapy, its core principles (nonverbal expression, symbolic containment, therapeutic distance), how to match tray type to the child's age and stage, and how to apply non-directed and directed interventions with preschool and school-age clients.
Who teaches CBPT and Sandtray?
Lisa Remey, MEd, LPC-S, RPT-S, NCC, Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor and Registered Sand Therapist, owner of the Bluebonnet Center for Play Therapy in Texas, co-editor of The Handbook of Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy and past President of the Texas Association for Play Therapy. The course runs under Susan M. Knell's scientific direction.
How long is the course and what does it cost?
Two lessons (54 and 60 minutes) plus a learning test, for 1 hour 54 minutes in total. It is a Second Level course, self-paced with lifetime access, priced at $99 plus VAT with a certificate of attestation from the CBPT Research Center.
Who this course is for
Psychologists and psychotherapists · Psychiatrists · Clinical and licensed independent social workers · Licensed professional counselors · Marriage and family therapists · Mental health clinical nurse practitioners.
A certificate of attendance is issued on completion, tied to the final learning test.