Why Sandtray Trainings Are So Awesome (Part 1)- The Connection

Continuing education hours are a necessary evil right? It\’s something you just have to do to keep your license and your job right? Or maybe not…

Over the past several years of learning to be a therapist (emphasis on \”learning\”), I have taken many CEU trainings. Some have been free online, pay-by-the-hour online, or in-person lecture seminars by some big name guys.  However, the trainings that have most impacted and improved my work and personal life have been my sandtray trainings- hands down, without a doubt.

What makes sandtray trainings so powerful you ask???

In this 3 part series, I\’m going to give you some of the secrets to what make this experiential training so powerful for your practice and personal life.

Secret #1- With sandtray training, you get connection. 

As therapists, we are helpers.  We give and give to others and deal with the nasty underbelly of life.

We hear and hold the darkest parts of others and are not allowed to share the majority of our day with those who are closet to us.

The result can lead to feelings of isolation and lack of connection.  How many times do you, as a therapist, want to just turn to someone and tell them that your job was horrible that day because you had to make the hard decision to place a kid in residential treatment or hold the hurt for someone who has just lost a child?

I bet it\’s more than you realize.

With sandtray trainings, you get to connect with other professionals and be heard as well.  You get to tell your story and have others really listen to your hurt and pain.  You get to connect in a way with others who know what it\’s like to live inside the darkness of others all day and still remain hopeful.

Through some my recent trainings (both that I\’ve completed and taught), I have realized that the gift of connection was one of the reasons that people keep coming back to sandtray trainings.  They not only get skills (next post) and to detox their soul (last post), but they get to \”feel felt.\”

\”Feeling felt\” is a term coined by Daniel Siegel (the neuroscience guru) to explain what is needed by all people to aid in promoting integration of the brain and moving forward in life.  By feeling felt and creating connection in sandtray trainings, you are actually becoming a better therapist and person by turning on more parts of your brain (integration).

A secondary benefit? You get to help others too.  Give a healing and get a healing. My heart swells when I hear a new friend at a sandtray training  say \”thank you for witnessing my journey in the sandtray. Because of you, I don\’t feel crazy and alone.\”

Imagine trying to get that in a classroom lecture listening to a PowerPoint presentation??

Right, not going to happen.

If any of this interests you, shoot me an email or comment below and I will be MORE than happy to talk about the awesomeness of sandtray trainings. Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 in the next several weeks.

Check out and register for my upcoming sandtray trainings here to learn, connect, and detox your soul!