Circle in the Sand with Dr. Roz Heiko & Dr. Emily Keller

Beginning in the Sand: Symbols and First Trays in Play Therapy

Dr. Roz Heiko and Dr. Emily Keller announce a joint sandtray CE and supervision group focused on the power of metaphor in psychotherapy — especially sandtray and play therapy.

About Circle in the Sand — Sandtray and Play Therapy Training and Supervision Group

Roz and Emily co-created this Circle in the Sand as a holding space for deep dives into the unconscious world of metaphor. Metaphor is the language of the unconscious. In sandplay and play therapy, it is the medium through which clients — children and adults alike — express what words cannot reach. Circle in the Sand is a monthly professional development program designed for therapists who want to go deeper into the symbolic, expressive, and relational dimensions of their clinical work.

Each month, Dr. Roz Heiko and Dr. Emily Keller explore a new facet of metaphor in psychotherapy — drawing from sandplay theory, play therapy, Jungian thought, narrative approaches, and the rich symbolic world of miniatures, imagery, and story. This is not a surface-level CE program. It is a holding space for therapists who are ready to engage seriously with the unconscious layer of their clinical work and bring that depth back to their clients.

Who Is This Sandtray and Play Therapy Supervision Group For?

Circle in the Sand is designed for:

• Licensed mental health professionals integrating sandplay or play therapy into their practice
• Therapists working toward RST, RPT, or other expressive therapy credentials
• Clinicians seeking thoughtful, relationally rich supervision in expressive modalities
• Seasoned practitioners looking to deepen and revitalize their clinical approach

Participants in the CE webinar will:

• Deepen their understanding of metaphor as a clinical tool in sandplay and play therapy
• Explore symbolic themes and their meaning in client trays and play narratives
• Build a theoretical and experiential framework for working with the unconscious in session
• Earn 1.5 CE hours per session approved through APT and NBCC

Participants in the full supervision group will additionally:

• Bring live cases for experiential sandplay-informed consultation
• Develop clinical intuition and reflective practice in a small, intimate cohort
• Build a sustained community of practice with peers across the country
• Receive direct guidance from two internationally recognized sandplay and play therapy experts

Format:

This group will be offered on the second Friday of each month.

• The CE portion will be widely available. The supervision group will be limited to 10 participants.
• Times: 1 to 4:15 PM, Eastern (10 AM to 1:15 PM, Pacific)
  • Webinar: 1 to 2:30 PM, Eastern (10 to 11:30 AM, Pacific)
  • Break: 2:30 to 2:45 PM, Eastern (11:30 to 11:45 AM, Pacific)
  • Supervision Group: 2:45 to 4:15 PM, Eastern (11:45 AM to 1:15 PM, Pacific

Dates & Topics:

• October 9, 2026: Introduction to Metaphors and Storytelling in Sandtray and Play
• November 13, 2026: The Relational Field in Sandtray Play Therapy: Jungian and Kalffian Foundations
• December 12, 2026: Beginning in the Sand: Symbols and First Trays in Play Therapy
• January 9, 2026:
• February 12, 2027:
• March 12, 2027:
• April 9, 2027:
• May 14, 2027:
• June 11, 2027:
• July 9, 2027:
• August 13, 2027:
• September 10, 2027:
• October 8, 2027:
• November 12, 2027:
• December 10, 2027:

Dr. Rosalind Heiko, PhD, RPT-S, RST C/T, ISST,  is a North Carolina licensed Psychologist, Nationally Certified School Psychologist, and ISST/STA Teaching Member in sandplay therapy who has been working with children, adolescents, and families for over 40 years. Founder of NC Play Therapy & Sandplay Training and Director of Pediatric & Family Psychology, P.A. in Cary, NC, she trains therapists nationally and internationally, including teaching residencies in Romania, and currently serves on the Executive Board of the World Association of Sand Therapy Professionals (WASTP). Dr. Heiko is the author of A Therapist’s Guide to Mapping the Girl Heroine’s Journey in Sandplay (Rowman & Littlefield, 2018), co-editor of Nature-Based Play and Expressive Therapies (Routledge, 2022), a contributing author to volumes edited by Eliana Gil, Eric Green, and others, and a longtime editorial associate of the Journal of Sandplay Therapy. An Approved Consultant and Teaching Member of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and EMDRIA Level II certified, she brings decades of clinical depth, international reach, and a wholehearted belief in the transformative power of sandplay to every training she offers.

Dr. Emily Keller, PhD, LPCC, RPT-S, RST C/T, TAP-I, is the owner and president of Wonderment Family Therapy in Livermore, CA, where she specializes in play therapy, sandtray therapy, and expressive modalities with children and families. A Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, Registered Sand Therapist Consultant/Trainer, and Transactional Analysis Practitioner, Emily is an approved continuing education provider through APT and NBCC. She serves as conference chair for CAL APT and on the board of WASTP, and has presented internationally. Emily is the author of several chapters and articles. At the heart of everything Emily does is a deep and abiding sense of wonder — a belief that the playroom, the sandtray, and the therapeutic relationship are sacred spaces where transformation becomes possible, and that the capacity for healing lives in every child, family, and clinician willing to step into that space with curiosity and courage.