Events
Up-coming events in 2025
Three Webinars: Sandplay Therapy with Children
WEBINAR 1: The Beginning: Creating a Free and Protected Space – Monday 13 October 2025. 5–7pm AEST; 7–9pm NZ.
WEBINAR 2: Clinical issues – Monday 10 November 2025. 5–7pm AEST; 7–9pm NZ.
WEBINAR 3: Working Systemically: Holding the child’s external world – Monday 24 November 2025. 5–7pm AEST; 7–9pm NZ.
Overview
The webinars are open to STANZA Associate Members and to non-members in training who are using Sandplay Therapy with children. In these comprehensive webinars we will cover the complexities to be considered when beginning sandplay with children across a variety of settings and from various referral sources. The content has been designed in response to repeated queries for how to manage diverse settings including itinerant practice; meeting the needs of varied family systems and client referrals. Notes will be available following each webinar on request. Time for questions and discussion allowed.Continuing education opportunity. The webinars will each accrue 2 STANZA / ISST Teaching hours i.e. six hours in total towards CST. We encourage attendance at all three as the content is integrated.
Facilitators:
Jean Parkinson is a Registered Art Psychotherapist, Certified Sandplay Therapist and Teaching Member in private practice in Auckland. She has extensive experience with children and families in child protection, educational settings and natural disaster response.
Dr Mary Raptopoulos is a Registered Psychologist/Supervisor, Play Therapist/Supervisor and Certified Sandplay Therapist and Teaching Member in private practice in Melbourne. She has extensive experience in the impact of child abuse and trauma.Cost: AU$180.00 + gst per webinar. Spaces limited – restricted to eight people per session
More info and bookings: For more information and to book for the webinars go to https://stanza.asn.au/creating-the-free-and-protected-space/
CLICK HERE to download the brochure
Level 1: Introduction to Symbol Work and Sandplay Therapy
Sandplay therapy creates a bridge between the conscious and unconscious. Dora Kalff describes it as a “pathway to the psyche and in the hands of a properly prepared therapist, it is a powerful, invaluable modality”.
Open to qualified mental health and or health professional working with clients in counselling, psychology or creative therapies. This two-day training opportunity is the beginning foundations of a creative expressive therapeutic modality.
Overview of the training
In this introductory training the origins of sand-tray and sandplay as a therapeutic modality and applications for across a wide range of populations will be introduced. Training will include:
- Differentiation of sand-tray from Sandplay Therapy
- Common applications of sand-tray as a therapy modality
- Understanding various ways that symbol work and sand-tray can be used in assessment, therapy and supervision
- Use of sand-tray for reflective practice and in supervision
- Introduction to Jungian Concepts: Psyche
- Introduction to Jungian Sandplay therapy: sandplay room; collection of figurines; observation.
This two-day workshop will provide an opportunity for participants to engage in creating their own directed sand-trays. There is a maximum number of attendees in order to allow small experiential groups, and for all participants to create their own tray and the observers to practice reflective responses.
When 23–24 September 2025, 9am–4pm
Where Kirikiriroa Hamilton, Aotearoa New Zealand (details will follow)
Facilitators Jean Parkinson and Carina Conradie
Cost $450.00. Morning tea included, BYO lunch
Expressions of interest Please email Carina Conradie at carinaconradienz@gmail.com
Registration and payment Please ensure this before 10 September 2025 (Secure your place with FULL PAYMENT). Internet banking preferred. Account details will be supplied when booking.
CLICK HERE to download the brochure
Level 2: Sandplay Therapy
A psychotherapeutic, long term, insight-oriented therapy based on work of Dora Kalff and the Psychology of CG Jung. Sandplay therapy creates a bridge between the conscious and unconscious. Dora Kalff describes it as a “pathway to the psyche and in the hands of a properly prepared therapist, it is a powerful, invaluable modality”.
“The Sandplay method takes the limited therapeutic possibilities of language into account with great seriousness and offers alternative means of psychic expression” Dr Martin Kalff (2003).
This two-day workshop has been designed specifically for clinicians who are already incorporating Sand Tray as an adjunctive modality in their clinical practice. Pre-requisites are:
- Two-day Introductory training preferably with Jean, Carina or STANZA/ISST teacher
- Qualifications and current practicing certificate in Counselling, Psychology, Psychotherapy or Creative Therapies
- Basic understanding of psychotherapy / depth psychology
- Willingness to engage in regular Sandplay supervision
This two-day training expands on Level 1: Introduction to Symbol work and Sandplay Therapy. Content includes:
- The theories that differentiate Kalffian Sandplay Therapy, a psychotherapy, from Sand Tray as a modality
- Jungian Foundation: Structure of the psyche and archetypes
- Case studies to illustrate the theories
- Undirected experientials in pairs to implement observational skills
- Co-transference
- There is a maximum number of attendees in order to allow experientials, and for all participants to create their own trays and the observers to practice reflective responses.
When 21–2 November 2025, 9am–4pm
Where Kirikiriroa Hamilton, Aotearoa New Zealand (details will follow)
FacilitatorsJean Parkinson and Carina Conradie
Cost $500.00. Morning tea included, BYO lunch
Expressions of interest Please email Carina Conradie at carinaconradienz@gmail.com
Registration and payment Please ensure this before 14 October 2025 (Secure your place with FULL PAYMENT). Internet banking preferred. Account details will be supplied when booking.
CLICK HERE to download the brochure
Group and Individual Supervision
Group and individual supervision opportunities are available on line and face to face.
For HAMILTON and lower NORTH ISLAND (face-to-face & online) contact Carina Conradie – info@sandplayaotearoa.co.nz
For AUCKLAND upper North Island(face-to-face & online) contact Jean Parkinson – info@sandplayaotearoa.co.nz
For other areas – (online only), contact either Carina or Jean – info@sandplayaotearoa.co.nz
For training in areas outside of Hamilton or Auckland, please contact Jean– info@sandplayaotearoa.co.nz.
A Group contract can be negotiated. Variable travel and venue costs would be included in the fee. Contact – info@sandplayaotearoa.co.nz
PAST EVENTS
Click here to read about past events hosted by Sandplay Aotearoa


