Roots of Me: Examining the Self of the Play Therapist through Sandtray

There is a reason you are a therapist. You are not just any type of therapist. You are a play therapist. When was the last time you examined why? In this highly experiential course, we will use four lenses to examine the self as therapist: family system of origin, touch, identity as healer, and identities within (and outside of) the play therapy room. This four-part program will examine each lens through a left-brained, relational neuroscience perspective paired with a right-brained sandtray perspective. Relational neuroscience tells us that the relationship between the therapist and client is the biggest agent of change and contrary to graduate school teachings, the embodiment of therapist as self plays a critical role in a client’s healing. By examining parts of the play therapist as self that are divisive or uncomfortable, we are better able to be fully present in body and soul for our clients.

Learning Objectives

(1) Identify the four lenses by which a therapist can examine themselves in their play therapy work

(2) Explain the importance that family of origin has on the play therapist

(3) Assess the role that the therapist’s father has played in the life of the play therapist

(4) Identify two benefits that touch has on healing in play therapy

(5) Describe two ethical concerns about touch in play therapy

(6) Examine the role that touch has had on the functioning of the play therapist

(7) Describe multicultural perspectives of what it means to be a play therapist and a healer

(8) Utilize sandtray to examine the embodied role of healer

(9) Assess how the role of healer impacts the play therapist’s presence in the therapy room

(10)Apply parts work to examine various identities of the play therapist

(11)Identify two ethical conundrums around self-disclosure in play therapy

(12)Compare the identities of the play therapist self that come into the therapy room against those that are left outside the therapy room door

Presenter Bio

Mandy Jones-Fischer (She/Her/Hers), LCSW, RPT-S™, JD is a Certified Theraplay® Practitioner, Trainer, and Supervisor. She also has extensive training in sandtray therapy. Mandy has worked almost exclusively with adoptive and foster families since she began her career. She takes a particular interest in helping families with young children form strong attachments and work through sensory concerns. Mandy is also experienced in helping adopted individuals with identity, loss, and anxiety concerns throughout their lifespan. More recently, Mandy has been focusing her clinical work on helping children born during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic who are struggling with overwhelming anxiety. While Mandy doesn’t regularly practice law, through her legal work she has advocated for children in both the Illinois and Michigan child welfare systems. She continues to use her legal knowledge and advocacy skills to help families gain Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and other essential resources for children.
After serving in various roles at The Theraplay Institute over 11 years and culminating as the Executive Director, she opened a private practice in Chicago in 2024. Mandy earned her BA in Political Science and her BS in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago. She earned her Master of Clinical Social Work and Juris Doctorate from Michigan State University. She is further trained in TBRI and ARC. Mandy can be reached at [email protected].

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