Sandplay™ Certification & Process Work

Any interested professional who is interested in working towards either their Sandplay Practitioner (SP) or Certified Sandplay Therapist Member (CST) or Certified Sandplay Teaching Member (CST-T) certification may consult the Sandplay Therapists of America webpage link for requirements. A CST certification automatically confers the International Society of Sandplay Therapists (ISST) membership, because the Sandplay Therapists of America organization (STA) is the American component branch of ISST.

I do not charge for our initial consultation. Sandplay™ process is your own work in the sand, a blend of therapy and training which may include dreamwork, journaling, expressive arts, discussion and direct (verbal) therapy for the required forty (40) hours that certification requires. Even if you are not sure whether you want to work towards any of the levels of Sandplay™ certification, and may only be interested for your personal and professional enrichment, I would like you to be cognizant of the available opportunities for more formal training and recognition.

Individual & Group Consultation

If you are interested in exploring whether you would like to work with me in either Individual or Group Sandplay™ casework consultation, there is no charge for the initial consultation session. I am a CST-T, which means I attained STA Clinical Teaching Membership status in 2000.

STA Case Consultation Requirements for the CST certification:

1. A minimum of 75 hours of sandplay case consultation with an ISST member;

2. At least 25 of these hours must be individual case consultation with an ISST Teaching Member, after that individual has achieved Teaching Membership;

3. The remaining hours may be obtained in the presentation of cases in group consultation with up to six participants, facilitated by an ISST Clinical or Teaching Member. (Only hours in which an applicant presents a case may be counted towards fulfilling this requirement.) The hours may be counted towards the 48 clinical sandplay practice hours when an applicant is not presenting.

NCAST:  The North Carolina Association for Sandplay Therapy

Please contact NCAST for information about membership, local Sandplay™ Peer Consultation groups, training and workshops in North Carolina.

STA Teaching Members, Certified Members & Sandplay Practitioners in North Carolina

Dr. Pastore and I are Clinical Teaching Members (CST-T's) in STA and the International Society of Sandplay Therapists (ISST).  Dr. Dermott is an STA Certified Sandplay Therapist (CST), as is Karen Wheeler, LCSW, RPT-S. Dr. Barrett is certified as a Sandplay Practitioner (SP) by STA.

1. Vince Pastore, Ph.D., CST-T, is a founding member and past President of NCAST. He is a wonderfully experienced and knowledgeable teacher and mentor of Sandplay™ training. As a result of his Teaching Member certification, he provides both Sandplay™ process and consultation. His address is: 116 South Main Street, Suite 203, Mooresville, NC 28115 Tel. 704.662.3433 or email vincephd@windstream.net
2. Karen Wheeler, LCSW, CST, RPT-S, is an expert on treating children and teens with Reactive Attachment Disorder. She has developed a pre-sandplay method called Water Tray, which is extremely effective with children who are not yet ready for more "traditional" work in the sand. She is a dynamic, compassionate and creative therapist and Sandplay teacher who provides excellent Sandplay™ Process and Training work and Play Therapy Supervision in Wilmington, NC. Her website is karenwheeler.org.
3. David M. Dermott, Psy.D, CST, is well qualified to provide Sandplay™ process. His address is: Dunn Psychological Associates, PA, P.O. Box 487, Dunn, NC 28335. Tel. 910.892.5839 or email drdaviddermott@yahoo.com
4. Dr. Lynne Barrett, Ph.D., SP, is a Sandplay Practitioner in North Carolina. She is certified to provide Sandplay™ therapy to clients. She can be reached at 58 N. Main St. #1, Waynesville, NC 28786 Tel. 828.454.5253 or email drlynnebarrett@yahoo.com.

Sandplay Advisor

To become a candidate for membership as a Certified Sandplay Therapist (CST), an applicant must choose an STA member as an advisor. The advisor must have held clinical membership in ISST for at least one year prior to selection as an advisor, and not served as the applicant’s therapist. An Advisor helps the therapist negotiate the path of getting papers and case material ready; choosing national and international readers for the papers and case study; and generally guiding the applicant through the certification process. The advisor may be chosen at any point in the certification process prior to formal written application to STA.

I enjoy serving as an Advisor to applicants, and request an initial meeting to discuss the mutual benefits of working together. There is a nominal charge for this Advisorship, which is paid to STA. I request that my Advisees orally present a completed case to me so that we can both get to know each other's work and style. Being an Advisor precludes me from being a Sandplay Consultant to the applicant.

Copyright © 2011 All Rights Reserved Heiko