🐚Sandplay Therapy | Free Course

Free Course by Everything IFS Academy | Therapeutic Modalities Series

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Welcome to the Free Sandplay Therapy Course

Sandplay therapy was created by Dora Kalff, a Swiss Jungian therapist who developed the method in the 1950s and 60s, building on the pioneering sand tray work of British child psychiatrist Margaret Lowenfeld and shaping it into a discipline now practiced across the world, from Europe to the United States to Japan, under the training standards of the International Society for Sandplay Therapy she co-founded. The lens Kalff brought to the tray is what makes the method remarkable: the deepest healing doesn't have to happen in words, and given the right conditions, the psyche knows how to repair itself, one small world of sand and miniatures at a time.

This course teaches pure Sandplay Therapy, with no other modalities blended in. It's written in plain, emotionally relatable language anyone can follow, whether you work in the field or have never set foot in a therapy room. It isn't clinical training for therapists; it's sandplay you can genuinely understand and use in your own life, whether you're curious for yourself, supporting a child in the sand, or exploring the method professionally. Each module offers clear teaching, real-life examples, and the practical tools, techniques, and concepts sandplay is known for, and every lesson ends with a simple practice so you can begin using the skill right away.

This course is self-paced, with no tests, exams, or homework. Feel free to go through it in order, or jump around to whatever interests you most.

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Course Outline

Click any lesson below to begin.

The Basics What Is Sandplay Therapy Who Is Dora Kalff The Jungian Foundations of Sandplay

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Inside the Session

The Free and Protected Space The Tray, the Sand, and the Miniatures

How a Sandplay Session Unfolds The Silent Witness

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The Deep Process The Language of Symbols Reading the Space of the Tray The Stages of the Sandplay Process The Manifestation of the Self

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Sandplay in Practice Sandplay With Children and Adults Sandtray Therapy: How It Differs From Sandplay What Parents Can Expect

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The Whole Journey A Sandplay Journey From First Tray to Last

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Disclaimer:

Everything IFS Academy is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the IFS Institute. While we strive for accuracy, errors can occur, and users are encouraged to cross-reference critical information. These courses, lessons, skills, and practices are offered for educational and self-reflection purposes only. They do not constitute therapy, mental health treatment, clinical training, or crisis support, and they should not be used as a substitute for professional mental health care.

Crisis Support: 🚨

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, feel unsafe, feel at risk of harming yourself or someone else, or feel too overwhelmed to safely use self-directed practices, please pause this material and reach out for immediate support. Contact a licensed mental health professional, call or text 988 in the U.S. or Canada, or use your local emergency or crisis resources.