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"Exploring the magic of Sandplay therapy: a therapeutic tool that is powerfully transformative for the client, the therapy experience, as well as for the therapist."
    Three presentations:
  • Presentation 1. the first Sandtrays:
  • Relying on these critical concepts: Ego-self Axis (Self –Ego-Self relationship); the levels of Psyche; the comprehensive context of images (image a reflection of converging levels of psyche); and mutual process (co-transference) this presentation explores the meaning and significance of the first sand trays and its importance in the therapeutic process.
  • Presentation 2. The Secret Path to wisdom and compassion:
  • (The role of the therapist) The vision of the therapist as a five headed sea-serpent will help to understand the complex role of therapist, the therapeutic relationship, and possibly the yet undiscovered path to acquiring those elusive qualities of wisdom and compassion.

    and if we can find (or squeeze in) the time:
  • 3. Case study: from Coma to Cute:
  • the dynamic case of a comatosed young traumatized girl and the magic of Sandplay.

Dr. Bert Meltzer received his Ph D in clinical psychology in Clark University, in Worchester, Mass, in 1969. He was involved in the early school racial integration programs in the 1960’s in Massachusetts, worked for the Ministry of Rural Development in Biafra during itsbrief existence, was a practicing clinical psychologist for youth, drug abuse prevention, outreach programs in Northern California and New York, immigrated to Israel and worked for Hebrew University in clinical training and as clinical supervisor for Educational Psychology clinics throughout Israel, before becoming the co-founder of the Israeli Sandplay Therapist Association. He has been a Sandplay teacher for over thirty years. He has been a voice (teaching and writing) for social activism in terapy and has brought Sandplay therapy as an outreach tool to work with culturally marginalized populations, including work that challenges convention about for whom Sandplay therapy is suitable: including victims of trauma, terrorism, and severe pathology.
Jungian Essentials in Sandplay Therapy
Smilšu spēles terapijas pamatā ir K. G. Junga analītiskā psiholoģija. Šajā darbnīcā mēs iepazīsimies ar Junga „Psihes karti” un to, kā mēs varam identificēt Junga pamatus smilšu spēlē. Junga modeli ilustrēsim ar dažādiem piemēriem un detalizētu gadījumu izpēti, pievēršot uzmanību Junga konceptiem. Ceļš uz iekšējām dzīlēm tiks atvērts, arī izveidojot personīgo simbolu (būs nepieciešams māls) kā „izpratne caur pieredzi”.

Professional Bio:
ANKE SEITZ, Dipl. Psych., is a Jungian Analyst for children and adolescents. She maintains a private practice as an analytical psychotherapist since 1999. She is a member of VAKJP/ DGAP/ IAAP and a lecturer and supervisor at the C.G.Jung-Institute in Stuttgart, Germany. Teacher and supervisor of the German Society for Sandplay Therapy (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sandspieltherapie, DGST), Teaching Member of the International Society for Sandplay Therapy (ISST). Continuous national and international (e. g. Eastern Europe, Siberia and South Africa) teaching activities. Various publications in the German Journal for Analytical Psychology (2009), the German Jung-Journal (2010), the German Journal for Child and Adolescent Therapy- Journal for Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (2016, 2020), the American Journal for Sandplay Therapy (2018, 2020), in Series of Publications of the International Society for Depth Psychology (2019), in the Russian Sandplay Journal (2020) and in the German Journal for Sandplay Therapy (2020). CORRESPONDENCE: seitz.anke@t-online.de

Farewell words to Linde von Keyserlingk
On the morning of October 2, 2020, a very sad news reached Latvia – at the age of 88, a family and sandplay therapist, Honorary Member of the Latvian Association of Systemic and Family Psychotherapy and the Latvian Sandplay Therapy Society, former chairman of the German Society for Sandplay Therapy (DGST), teacher of many Latvian family and sandplay therapists, author of several books and articles, mother of seven children, grandmother and great grandmother, German-Baltic Linde von Keyserlingk passed away.

The message of mourning came from far away, from Apfelstein in Baden-Württemberg, although Linde always said: “My beloved Latvia is not that far from our home.”

Systemic and family psychotherapy and sandplay therapy for many years could not have been imagined without Linde, but now we will have to move on without her. “Life goes on and can be lived without the physical presence of the deceased,” Linde taught us.

In her book “Your Tears on My Cheek”, Linde writes: “… The end of my life is for me in bright colours: bright glass beads, stained glass windows or the bright sunset sky, where our passers-by maybe dwell.”

Linde passed away at the beginning of October, when the autumn began to adorn the park of her ancestral Dižlāņi manor in Vecpils parish in Kurzeme. Linde fulfilled her father’s wishes and for 20 years, until 2013, as long as she was healthy and strong, she travelled to her father’s homeland and passed on her rich knowledge, skills and experience to many people in Latvia.

It was my happiness and great honour to accompany Linde and to be a mediator, a bridge between two languages, nations and cultures for more than 20 years. Linde’s bright personality, her intelligence, motherly attitude, her femininity, deep emotionality, humanity and sincerity, kindness and patience, trust and love for Latvia, will always remain in my memories.

I extend my deepest condolences to the whole community of family and sandplay therapists, saying farewell to Linde von Keizerlink for ever.

“Let peace come upon you!
Look into yourself,
breathe slowly and deeply
and feel grateful
that you are sitting here, on the good land of Latvia.
On Mother Earth,
which feeds you with its fruit
and delights you with its beauty.
And this land will carry you for so long,
as long as you live.
And feeling it,
keep looking deeper into yourself!
Breathe calmly and imagine
that the beloved sky of Latvia is above you,
clear and blue – it is decorated with the sun, moon and stars.
They give you air and light,
rain and night dreams.
Heavenly Father will be awake for you for as long
as you live. ”


(Excerpt from Linde’s speech at the graduation of sandplay therapy method practitioners in Jūrmala, April 30, 2011)

Linde’s name is written in the history of Latvian systemic and family psychotherapy and sandplay therapy and will always be in our memory.

Riga, October 9, 2020
Translator Ārija Servuta
Seminar of Ulrich Gundermann, 22.02.2019.
2019.gada 22.februāris
Eduarda Smiļģa Teātra muzejs

10:00-15:00 U.Gundermana seminārs
15.00 LSST biedru pilnsapulce

Maksa: LSST biedrības biedriem 30,- Eur, pārējiem interesentiem 40,- Eur.

Pieteikties uz semināru līdz 18.02.2019. rakstot sandplaylv@gmail.com

Rekvizīti:
LSSTB Reģ. nr. 40008134010
Swedbank, LV29HABA0551024486078
Maksājuma mērķis: U.Gundermana seminārs


Biography Ulrich Gundermann, Hansjakobstr. 4, 79199 Kirchzarten, Germany

Ulrich Gundermann was born 1955 in Munich, he became educationist (Diploma) en 1980, had 15 years of educative practice, including the leadership of a house for 6 - 12 year old children and working at a psychiatric clinic for children, he completed a three years training in Gestalt-therapy, and Studies at the C.G. Jung Institute Zürich, Diploma as Analyst for children in1998, license as psychotherapist in 1999, private practice in Kirchzarten / Germany since 1999, main emphasis on Sandplay, working with children that suffer from anxiety or compulsion disorder. He is member of DGAP, IAAP, DGST, ISST, lecturer and supervisor at C.G. Jung Institute Stuttgart (Germany) with emphasis on play, attachment, fairy-tales, rites, archetypes, he was from 2012 to 2014 board member of C.G. Jung Institute Stuttgart and until Mai 2018 chairman of C.G. Jung Society Freiburg.

Ulrich Gundermann lives in Kirchzarten near Freiburg (Germany).



Creation converts earth into a place where mankind can live. M. L. v. Franz understands these myths as symbolization of unconscious processes, that describe the origins of our perception.

For creation it is necessary to split up the primordial integral unity into opposites, it is necessary to “separate the world-parents”, but this opposites have to stay connected. Between them surge the “wonderful hills” of mankind.

Sandplay allows to recreate the world, like it is practice in “primitive cultures” for healing purposes (Eliade): it offers the possibility to reconnect with our origin and allows inspirations from the spiritual to get shaped into the material world, but it enables us also to perceive and express impulses from the body.

In Sandplay chaotic pictures often represent unstructured psychic energy. If the pictures get more structured, this is connected with a feeling of meaningfulness and strengthening of the Ego-Self-Axis.

In an introduction the topic will be presented on the basis of creation-myths and its interpretation, following M. L. v. Franz, C.G. Jung and Erich Neumann. In the course of the presentaion the subject is represented throug a case study of a 6 year old boy, that suffered from compulsion disorder.



The therapeutic relationship is an essential factor in sandplay-therapy, that was one of the important finds of Dora Kalff in contrast to Margret Lowenfeld. The “free and protected space” is created above all within the relationship and reminds of the early mother-child relationship, the therapist is the method, as C.G. Jung says. The mechanisms within the therapeutic relation are examined on the basis of the Quaternio of Jung and the reflections of Winnicott among others. They are applied on the special situation in sandplay-therapy. Kay Bradway named it "co-transference". Examples are given how these feelings can show themselves and the topic is illustrated by a case-study of a 39 year old woman.
Latvijas smilšu spēles terapijas biedrības 10 gadu jubilejas seminārs
LSSTB Vasaras skolas seminārs no cikla "Kopīgais dažādībā"
Norises laiks: 24.08.2018. 10:00 – 15:00
Norises vieta: Jūrmalas pilsētas muzejs (Jūrmala, Majori, Tirgoņu iela 29).

Jau septīto vasaru aicinām visus uz ikgadējo Latvijas Smilšu spēles terapijas biedrības Vasaras skolas semināru. Turpināsim semināru no cikla "Smilšu spēles terapija: kopīgais dažādībā", ko aizsāka Ulrika Hinča (Vācija). Šoreiz mūsu speciālisti un vieslektore stāstīs un rādīs, kā smilšu spēles terapijas metode iekļaujas Mākslas terapijā un Psihoanalītiskajā psihoterapijā. Semināra laikā notiks arī biedrības pilnsapulce, kuras laikā kopā lemsim par labojumiem Sertifikācijas nolikumā.

Semināra programma:
  1. Smilšu spēles terapija mākslas terapeitu praksē.
    1. "Mandala smilšu spēles terapijā" (Referāta kopsavilkums) - Alla Šelgunova (Kaļiņingrada). Sīkāk
    2. "Simbolu valoda mākslas terapijā un smilšu terapijā" - Dace Visnola. Sīkāk
  2. Smilšu spēles terapijas metode psihoanalīzē.
    1. "Robežu un pārneses problēmas smilšu spēles terapijā" - Ilva Dandzberga. Sīkāk
  3. LSST biedru kopsapulce.

Dalības maksa: Biedrības biedriem ieeja brīva, citiem interesentiem – 10 eur. Ja nepieciešams rēķins, rakstīt Gunai guna.cace@gmail.com.
Pieteikšanās: Lai biedrības valde sarūpētu visu nepieciešamo dalībnieku labsajūtai seminārā (sēdvietas, kafija, cienasts u.c.), lūgums neaizmirst samaksāt gada biedra naudu (25 eur) un pieteikties uz Vasaras skolas semināru. Priecājamies par kolēģiem, kuri jau pieteikušies, no pārējiem pieteikumus gaidām, rakstot uz e-pastu sandplaylv@gmail.com līdz 14.augustam.
Ulrikes Hinsh seminārs
LSSTB kopsapulce
17.02.2018.

Katru gadu LSST biedrības valde organizē vismaz 3 lielus pasākumus, uz kuriem ir aicināti visi biedri. Pirmais 2018. gada pasākums bija īpašs, jo semināru vadīja LSST biedrības izaugsmes atbalstītāja - Ulrika Hinča, kura jau agrāk bijusi LSSTB viešņa un vadījusi seminārus Latvijā. Ar savu referātu Ulrika iesāka semināru ciklu "Kopīgais dažādībā". Turpmāk šī cikla laikā kolēģi, kuriem ir dažāda pamata izglītība, dalīsies pieredzē izmantojot smilšu spēles terapijas metodi savā praksē.
Ruth Noel - Herman seminārs 27.01.2018.
"Kura ir īstā mana personības daļa? Kādas jaunietes identitātes meklējumi smilšu spēles terapijas procesā."
Semināra vadītāja Ruth Noel - Herman, psihoanalītiskā bērnu un jauniešu psihoterapeite, Šveices Psihologu biedrības locekle, Šveices Smilšu spēles psihoterapijas biedrības (SGSST) locekle, ISST apmācīt tiesīga psihoterapeite.
Ruth Noel Herman seminārs 11.11.2017.
"Agresivitāte smilšu spēles terapijā ar bērniem, 3 gadījumu analīze"
2017.gada 11.novembrī Rīgā notika Dr.Phil. Ruth Noel – Hermann, psihoanalītiskās bērnu un jauniešu psihoterapeites, Šveices Psihologu biedrības locekles, Šveices Smilšu spēļu psihoterapijas biedrības (SGSST) locekles, ISST apmācīt tiesīgas psihoterapeites seminārs par “Agresivitāti smilšu spēles terapijā ar bērniem, 3 gadījumu analīze”. Seminārā tika apskatīti terapeita uzdevumi smilšu spēles terapijā darbam ar agresīvu bērnu. Atvedot uz terapiju bērnu ar agresīvu uzvedību, terapeitam ir jāmeklē atbildi uz jautājumiem: ko bērns ar savu agresīvo uzvedību vēlas pateikt ārējai pasaulei un vecākiem. Lektore aicināja ieskatīties dziļāk bērna agresijas dziļumos, viņa uzvedībā kā aizsardzības reakcijā, viņa sajūtās par pārdzīvoto frustrāciju, vilšanos un aizvainojumu. Semināra vadošā tēma tika saistīta ar bērnu agresijas cēloņu dziļāku izpēti un izpratni. Kā ilustratīvais materiāls, tika piedāvāti 3 terapijas gadījumi, kuros lektore ļāva ieskatīties katra bērna agresivitātes cēloņu izpētē. Skatot bērna agresiju ģimenes sistēmas kontekstā, lektore stāstīja par savu darbu ar bērna vecākiem gan individuāli, gan pārī. Bērna vecāku strīdi, nesaskaņas, savstarpējie aizvainojumi, starp paaudžu konflikti, pašu vecāku agresija bieži bija fons bērna agresivitātes attīstībai. Lielu uzmanību lektore veltīja pārneses jautājumiem terapijas procesā, kā arī paša terapeita pretpārnesei darbā ar agresīvu bērnu un viņa vecākiem.
"Smilšu spēles bilžu valoda"
Laipni aicinām pieteikties uz smilšu spēles terapijas metodes apmācībām Lindes fon Keizerlinkas tālākizglītības programmā "Smilšu spēles bilžu valoda", kas balstās uz D.Kalfas smilšu spēles terapijas, K.G.Junga dzīļu psiholoģijas un humānistiskās psiholoģijas atziņām. Šī metode ir piemērota integrācijai savā konsultēšanas darbā psihoterapeitiem, ārstiem, psihologiem, sociālajiem darbiniekiem un pedagogiem, pirmskolas pedagogiem.
Smilšu spēles terapijas kursu Lindes fon Keizerlinkas Smilšu Spēles terapijas institūtā vadīs Vita Kārkliņa (serificēta apmācīttiesīgs smilšu spēles terapeite (ISST,LSST) un apmācīttiesīga sistēmiskā ģimenes psihoterapeite (LSĢPB,LPB)) un Līga Rāviņa (sertificēta apmācīttiesīga smilšu spēles psihoterapeite (ISST,LSST), sistēmiskā ģimenes psihoterapeite un supervīzore (LSĢPB,LPB)). Programmas supervīzore - apmācīttiesīga ģimenes un smilšu spēles terapeite (ISST, ECP,DGST) Linde fon Keizerlinka.

Kursa apjoms: 120 teorētiskās stundas, 80 supervīzijas stundas un pašpieredze.

Pieteikties līdz 2018. gada 6. Jūnijam, apmācības tiks uzsāktas tad, kad grupa tiks nokomplektēta.

Interesentus lūdzam pieteikties pa telefonu 26585052 Vitai Kārkliņai (e-pasts: vita.karklina2000@inbox.lv) vai pa telefonu 29117049 Līgai Rāviņai (e-pasts: liga.ravina@inbox.lv )
Monikas Heinzel-Jungeras seminārs "Smilšu spēles terapija darbā ar bērniem un veciem cilvēkiem" un biedrības pilnsapulce
Norisināsies 29. aprīlī no pl.10-16.

Seminārs notiks E. Smilģa Teātra muzejā (teatramuzejs.lv) dalības maksa LSST biedriem 20 eur, citiem 40 eur. Pieteikties līdz 23. aprīlim rakstot uz e-pastu sandplaylv@gmail.com

Dalības maksa jāpārskaita uz biedrības kontu līdz 27. aprīlim. Ja nepieciešams rēķins lūgums sazināties ar guna.cace@gmail.com
Smilšu spēles studija
Smilšu spēles un ģimenes psihoterapeites Vita Kārkliņa un Līga Rāviņa aicina uz semināru ciklā "Smilšu spēles studija".

Semināru cikls paredzēts kā regulāri semināri ar gadījumu analīzi, tēmu izpēti, diskusijām un supervīziju. Seminārus piedāvājam smilšu spēles praktizētājiem, lai padziļinātu izsmalcinātu uztveri darbā ar smilšu spēli.

Seminārs notiks Ieriķu ielā 67a (Rīgā) Vitas Kārkliņas prakses telpās 2017.gada 7.aprīlī no plkst. 10.00 – 17.00.

Semināra pirmajā daļā sievietes - klientes gadījums "Atvadīšanās no zaudētās ilūzijas." Diskusijas un analīze.
Semināra otrajā daļā dalībnieki var pieteikties uz savu klientu gadījumu supervīzijām.

Dalības maksa seminārā 35.00 Eiro.
Par dalību un supervīzijas gadījumiem lūdzu informēt līdz 2.aprīlim pa telefonu Vitu Kārkliņu (26585052 )
Papildus informāciju var iegūt arī rakstot uz e-pastiem: Vitai vita2000@inbox.lv un www.gimenespsihoterapeits.lv
Conference Report: "The Earth – Living Space and Symbol"
15th DGST / SGSS Symposium for Sandplay Therapy October 21 – 23, 2016 Evangelisches Johannesstift Berlin Spandau

Report: Dr. Ulrike Hinsch, Berlin
Sandplay Therapists from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Latvia and Armenia met together in October 2016 for a weekend of intensive, concentrated work and intercommunication. The opening on Friday afternoon brought together Teaching Members from Germany and Switzerland to review the actual situation in both countries and brainstorming about the future and how we can learn from the teaching experiences in several European regions.

The evening opening lecture was given by Professor Ortwin Renn, Potsdam (Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies IASS), who presented an excellent introduction to the subject of the conference and highlighted our reflections and conversations about the base (bottom, ground) of life.

  • The Earth – Living Space and Symbol (Joerg Rasche, Berlin)
  • The burn-out child – „Der erschöpfte Taugenichts“ (Ruth Noell-Hermann, Zürich)
  • Earth as archetype: sandtrays of children and adolescents (Alexander von Gontard, Homburg/Saar)
  • Gaia – archetypal energy of the great mother and therapy of trauma (Vera Schcherbakowa, Riga)
  • Mandala as image of world and soul (Lorraine Dupont, Lausanne)


  • Energy as living experience (Robert Feind, Köln)
  • Chaos and order – creative sandplay (Ulrich Gunderman, Kirchzarten)
  • Through imagination to new ways of life (Vita Karklina und Liga Ravina, Riga)
  • Creation of mandalas(Lorraine Dupont, Lausanne)
  • On Saturday afternoon we also convened the annual general assembly of the German Society DGST with election of the new board. Unanimously elected were Dr. Joerg Rasche, Ulrich Gwinner, Monika Heinzel-Junger, and Dr. Beate Kortendieck-Rasche.


The Saturday- night get-together, dining and talking, was framed by Turkish and Persian live music, an additional strong impression of being all together on one earth. The Fundus bookstore offered new and second hand books. An exhibition of mandalas was shown, new and antique figures mainly from Asia were sold and participants brought many miniatures which were exchanged and sold as well. Conversation and understanding was possible because of patience and language skills on all sides and with the help of professional translation (Arija Servuta, the Latvian-German interpreter).

Thanks to everybody for that and also to Joerg Rasche, the DGST board and others for organizing this event.
TSST : THE TAIWANESE SOCIETY FOR SANDPLAY THERAPY
ISST Board Representative: Dr. Grace Hsin-hwei Liang Hong
Dr. Tsungchain Michael Huang, President

In late November, 2016, Dr. Alex Esterhuyzen will come to Taiwan to teach sandplay. The themes are: Psychological Initiation; a Seminar in Jungian Psychology and Sandplay Therapy (Nov. 26); and A Woman's Journey: Discovering Distinctive Value and Consciousness through Sandplay Therapy (Nov. 27-28). We hope there will be a good turnout for these events.

Our ISST members have worked hard to promote sandplay therapy in Taiwan. Here are some tasks that they have done or will do this year.

*Monhsin Wang, 9/25; Sandplay Introduction at the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital; sandplay group co-supervision with Dr. Grace Hong to trainees on a regular basis.
*Anne Tang, 6/13: Sandplay Study for Counselors and Psychologists at the Taipei Municipal Jingmei Girls' High School; 11/29 Sandplay Study for the Department of Psychiatry at Taipei City’s Hospital at He-Ping.
*Lun Fen Huang, Sandplay Introduction at the National Taiwan Normal University; 9/25: Sandplay Introduction at the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital; 11/9: Sandplay Study for Counselors at the HuaXia Technical University; a sandplay case in the Guidance Quarterly in Taiwan, published (March 2016); another article has been accepted and will be published in the STA Journal.
*Yulis: Sandplay Study Group for 10 mental health workers in a remote Taiwan village. Yulis has obtained the Certificate of Membership in the International Association of Analytical Psychology.
*Grace Hong: Sandplay Symbol Seminar in Taipei and Kaohsiung; Sandplay Group Supervision in Taipei and Kaohsiung; 11/18-19: Sandplay Advanced Workshop at the Taipei National University of the Arts; 12/3-5: Sandplay and Symbol Formation Workshop in Malaysia. She and Dr. Michael Huang plan to co-teach a monthly sandplay seminar entitled, Sandplay and Individuation, starting the early part of next year.
Several sandplay trainees have attended either the Sandplay Intensive in Latvia or the STA National Conference. Meei Shiuan Lih, has written up her experience of attending the ITW.

Student’s Report: Intensive Training Week in Latvia
Meei-Shiuan Lih Taiwan -I am so glad that I attended the ITW in Latvia this summer. It was a fantastic week, which has made me committed to learning sandplay. I was so inspired by the teachers and their extensive knowledge of sandplay. In addition, they also took care of our meals, nurturing us, not only physically, but also psychologically. They were our best containers during that week. Moreover, every participant could register for two group supervision sessions in the evenings. That was a wonderful experience of discussing different cases and sharing with people from different countries and different cultures. I was excited to experience the power of the collective unconscious. On those evenings in which we did not have supervisions, some friends and I went to the beach and enjoyed the beautiful environment.

On the last morning of the training, the teachers led us to the beach to do “sandtrays” there. In addition, the Latvian group brought flowers, fruits, and some other materials, and we created a group Mandala, which was a terrific way to wrap up a training course like this. The ITW ended with the Gala dinner. On that night, everyone was happy, but I was also bit sad to part with new friends. We hugged and said goodbye, looking forward to seeing each other again. Thank you to the Latvian group for giving gifts to every participant. Including pieces of amber and a symbol of Latvia. I received a Latvian Cross, a symbol of “happiness and love’, which protects from evil spirits.” I was so moved and felt blessed.
ISST SPONSORED “INTENSIVE TRAINING WEEK
Apsuciems, near Riga, Latvia: 5th-11th of August, 2016 (Report: Lenore Steinhardt)

The ISST sponsored ITW took place in the small town of Apsuciems, not far from Riga. The Latvian Sandplay Organization hosted this event and arranged a comfortable Spa hotel near the Baltic sea for thirty sandplay students from 15 countries and four Teachers. During the week there were two 3 hour presentations in English, workshops and discussion of many sandplay issues each day. In the evening there were supervision groups. The participants received accreditation towards ISST certification. The four teachers – Alexander Esterhuyzen, Trudy Rankin, Betty Jackson and Lenore Steinhardt are all ISST Board and Teaching Members.

Topics included: Symbolic understanding of the sand, Attachment through the life cycle, Presandplay with children, Bereavement and loss, Understanding unconscious communications in sandplay images, and essential Jungian themes.
On the final day all students and teachers took part in early morning Beach sandplay, and later participated in an experiential workshop ending in a group mandala.

ISTA (Israeli Sandplay Therapists Association) Michal Troudart, President ISST Board Representative: Lenore Steinhardt
Lenore Steinhardt, ISTA/ISST Teaching Member, was one of four ISST TM’s who gave presentations and supervision during the ISST sponsored ITW week in Latvia, in Apsuciems on the Baltic Sea. Below is the report of three advanced Israeli sandplay students who attended the ITW.


In August 2016 we attended an intensive week of training in Jungian Sandplay therapy in Latvia. We received information about the program from our Sandplay teacher, Lenore Steinhardt who represents Israel (ISTA) in the ISST. We have all completed the two year theoretical training program in Sandplay therapy and our own personal Sandplay processes and we attend an ongoing sandplay supervision group. Since we are in an advanced stage of completing the requirements to become certified Sandplay therapists, we wanted to find out more about ISST. We also wanted to know more about Sandplay therapists from other places in the world, who are in a similar stage of Sandplay training as we are.

We arrived on an August afternoon at the small town of Apsuciems, in the Latvian countryside, close to the Baltic Sea. A small river flowed through a forest next to the hotel. The light was soft, very different from the sunny Mediterranean climate we live in. For us the atmosphere was like a dream. We were now detached from our daily lives, and the journey over the sea invited us to an adventure of meeting colleagues from other cultures and from different places in the world. It was a very exciting and powerful meeting. Although each one of us came from a different place and spoke a different language, we discovered that we all had a common language- the language of Sandplay. This meeting was an event that widened and enriched us, and made it possible to get to know different levels, aspects and nuances of Sandplay.

The workshop format for learning, and the opportunity to go into depth with each case presentation enabled a much deeper understanding of meaningful Sandplay processes. Through the lectures and case presentations of the teachers, the supervision groups, experiential workshops, and the conversations during the breaks, we received a rich and deep impression that reinforced our feeling that all through the two years of our training program, and through our personal Sandplay process, this is a therapy that offers both patient and therapist contact with the depths of the psyche and enables deep processes of change and development. Undergoing this meaningful experience has inspired us to continue to invest ourselves in the certification process, despite the demands of work and life. We remain with a taste for more of this kind of experience.