Inner Child Play Therapy- Sandtray (ICPT-S) Training
The ICPT-S Training is a specialized training program designed for therapists who seek to combine the emotional depth of inner child work with the expressive tools of play therapy using sandtray. This integrative approach helps clients of all ages reconnect with, understand, and heal the wounded parts of themselves formed in early developmental stages.
Participants will learn how to safely guide clients into relationship with their inner child using a range of therapeutic methods-such as guided imagery, symbolic play, sandtray arts, and reparenting dialogues while also incorporating the creative techniques of play therapy to foster emotional expression, safety, and transformation.
When: Friday March 27th 2026
Where: Crosstown Concourse Memphis TN (Church Health Meeting Room first Floor)
1350 Concourse Ave, Memphis, TN 38104
Time: 9:00am -4:00pm CST (lunch on your own 1 hour)
There will be 6.0 hours of APT approved CONTACT CEUs for this event. You must be present the entire 6.0 to get the APT approved CEUs. The cost for the training is $600.00. This does not include food at the event, but there will be places on site to access food for lunch break. This cost does include your certification, sandtray materials and training materials for the certification.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to…
1. Define play therapy and explain its theoretical underpinnings.
2. Describe the concept of the inner child from psychological and developmental perspectives and from a play -therapy perspective.
3. Differentiate between various models of play therapy (e.g., non-directive, directive, child-centered).
4. Identify key therapeutic techniques used in play therapy, specifically sandtray, to access and work with the inner child.
5. Demonstrate how to create a safe and supportive environment for clients to engage in play-based exploration.
6. Apply age-appropriate and trauma-informed interventions to support emotional expression and healing.
7. Assess inner child needs through symbolic play, sandtray work, storytelling, and other expressive techniques.
8. Reflect on the therapist’s own inner child and its influence on therapeutic presence and countertransference.
9. Practice self-care techniques to manage emotional resonance when facilitating inner child healing through sandtray.
10. Build confidence in facilitating emotional repair and resilience through play and inner child integration in sandtray.
The purpose of the professional development training is to provide supportive healing and self-care practices that will improve the wellbeing and overall wellness of the staff that are often most widely impacted by Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) within their field of study and line of work. This training aims to address staff’s questions about the emotional, psychological, ethical, and spiritual issues in their work and professional lives that arise when working with vulnerable and marginalized clients. These types of professional development trainings have a long history of providing a positive effect on disturbed emotions but also providing a time of reflection for the practice of service and self-care in the practitioner’s life. Through the use of therapeutic powers of play, expressive arts programming, and grounding practice in play therapy, participants will utilize interventions for healing during the retreat but will also be able to implement these techniques with clients in their own practices. This is a perfect opportunity for clinicians to focus on their own wellness and health, while learning new interventions and activities to implement with their clients in practice!
DATE: JUNE 1 1 - 13TH 2026
TIME: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM CST (BOTH DAYS)
Location: State Lodge Resort
Hosted by: Susan Elswick, EdD, LCSW, LSSW, RPT-S, IMH-E
Behavior Services of the Mid-South LLC is an APT APPROVED PROVIDER NO: 22- 675.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
WE WILL COVER INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED PLAY THERAPY TECHNIQUES AS A GROUNDING TOOL FOR WELLNESS, AND WAYS IN WHICH TO IMPLEMENT IN PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE. THE TRAINING COURSE WILL DISCU SS THE THERAPEUTIC POWERS OF PLAY TO SUPPORT OUR FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY AND ITS THEORETICAL CONNECTION TO PRACTICE.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1 . PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE HOW TO UTILIZE PLAY THERAPY TECHNIQUES FOR USE IN SELF CARE AND WELLNESS PROGRAMMING TO CHILD, ADOLESCENT, AND ADULT CLIENTS.
2. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THE IMPACT STS HAS ON OUR WELLNESS AND HOW TRAUMA IMPACTS US ALL
3. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO LIST 3 COMMON DIRECTIVES UTILIZED IN THIS TRAINING THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN THEIR SESSIONS IN PLAY THERAPY.
4. PARTICIPANTS WILL APPLY DIRECTIVE AND NON-DIRECTIVE CLINICAL SKILLS TO CONDUCT WELLNESS FOCUSED PLAY THERAPY IN SESSIONS WITH CLIENTS UTILIZING.
5. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN HOW TO OPTIMALLY CREATE A SELF-CARE AND WELLNESS PLAN FOR THEMSELVES, CLIENTS AND STAFF WITHIN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS.
6. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO LIST APPLICABLE THERAPEUTIC POWERS OF PLAY FOUND WITHIN THIS TRAINING.
7. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO LIST 3 PLAY THERAPY DIRECTIVES TO BE USED IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS INCLUDING WITH INDIVIDUALS, DYADS, FAMILIES, AND GROUPS.
BSMS is an Approved CEU Provider for the Following Orgnizations
