Advanced Sandtray Therapy training + PMH-C CEs

Friday, July 17, 2026 from 9 am - 12 pm

Hope Roots Collective: 11515 South Black Bob Road, Olathe KS 66062

Facilitated by: Kristine Page, LCPC, LPC, PMH-C and Leah Schwarz, LSCSW, RPT, PMH-C, RST-C/T

The transition into motherhood is both profound and complex—marked by identity shifts, emotional vulnerability, and deep relational change. In this advanced experiential training, participants will explore the foundations of perinatal mental health alongside the expressive and symbolic power of sandtray therapy.

Through guided sandtray directives, clinicians will deepen their understanding of the psychological and emotional landscape of pregnancy and postpartum, including themes of identity development, attachment, loss, and resilience. Participants will have opportunities to engage in hands-on learning, reflect on their own internal responses, and consider how sandtray can support clients in expressing experiences that may feel difficult to name.

This training is designed to help clinicians meet both mother and baby—holding space for the evolving identity of the parent while honoring the early relational bond. Participants will leave with practical tools, increased confidence in using sandtray in perinatal work, and a deeper connection to the transformative nature of this life stage.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify key components of perinatal mental health, including common emotional experiences, identity shifts, and risk factors during pregnancy and postpartum. Explore the concept of Matricence. 

2. Demonstrate the use of sandtray therapy techniques to support expression, processing, and meaning-making in perinatal clients.

3. Integrate developmentally informed and attachment-focused perspectives when utilizing sandtray interventions with parents in the perinatal period.

Kristine Page, LCPC, LPC, PMH-C, is a therapist and the owner of Turning The Page, LLC, a private practice based in Olathe, Kansas. She has over 14 years of experience working with individuals across the lifespan. Kristine began her career in community mental health and at a child advocacy center, where she specialized in working with children and teens. During this time, she developed a strong foundation in play therapy and sandtray therapy, supporting children and families in processing complex experiences.

Over the past six years, Kristine has transitioned her focus to the perinatal period, where she supports individuals navigating pregnancy, postpartum, and identity shifts into parenthood. In her work with the perinatal population, she continues to integrate sandtray therapy with adults, creating space to explore trauma, identity, and personal values in a meaningful and experiential way.

Leah Schwarz, LSCSW, RPT, PMH-C, RST-C/T is a bilingual (English/Spanish) therapist and owner of Hope Esperanza Counseling LLC. She has over 12 years of experience as a social worker, working in community mental health, a domestic violence agency, and now in private practice. The first part of Leah’s career centered around working with children and families, and in recent years she has pivoted to specializing in perinatal mental health, supporting new and expecting parents. Leah is trained in EMDR and loves using sandtray therapy with clients of all ages. Leah also co-owns Hope Roots Collective in Olathe, KS - a wellness collective focused on incorporating nature into healing, supporting therapists in building practices aligned with their values, and reducing burnout among providers.

Bring your lunch and join us!

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

12 pm - 1 pm

This introductory training provides a foundational overview of perinatal mental health, equipping clinicians with essential knowledge to better support individuals during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Participants will explore the spectrum of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), including common presentations, risk factors, and the impact on both parent and infant.

Through a blend of psychoeducation and practical application, this training will highlight the emotional, psychological, and relational transitions that occur during the perinatal period. Clinicians will be introduced to screening tools, early identification strategies, and culturally responsive approaches to care. Emphasis will be placed on normalizing the perinatal experience while also recognizing when additional support or intervention is needed.

This training is ideal for mental health professionals, healthcare providers, and anyone seeking to build confidence in supporting perinatal clients with competence and compassion.

Objectives:

1. Identify the signs and symptoms of common perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), including depression, anxiety, OCD, and postpartum psychosis.

2. Describe key risk factors, protective factors, and the biopsychosocial changes that impact mental health during the perinatal period.

3. Integrate basic screening and support strategies to effectively recognize and respond to perinatal mental health concerns in clinical practice.

Kristine Page, LCPC, LPC, PMH-C, is a therapist and the owner of Turning The Page, LLC, a private practice based in Olathe, Kansas. She has over 14 years of experience working with individuals across the lifespan. Kristine began her career in community mental health and at a child advocacy center, where she specialized in working with children and teens. During this time, she developed a strong foundation in play therapy and sandtray therapy, supporting children and families in processing complex experiences.

Over the past six years, Kristine has transitioned her focus to the perinatal period, where she supports individuals navigating pregnancy, postpartum, and identity shifts into parenthood. In her work with the perinatal population, she continues to integrate sandtray therapy with adults, creating space to explore trauma, identity, and personal values in a meaningful and experiential way.

Leah Schwarz, LSCSW, RPT, PMH-C, RST-C/T is a bilingual (English/Spanish) therapist and owner of Hope Esperanza Counseling LLC. She has over 12 years of experience as a social worker, working in community mental health, a domestic violence agency, and now in private practice. The first part of Leah’s career centered around working with children and families, and in recent years she has pivoted to specializing in perinatal mental health, supporting new and expecting parents. Leah is trained in EMDR and loves using sandtray therapy with clients of all ages. Leah also co-owns Hope Roots Collective in Olathe, KS - a wellness collective focused on incorporating nature into healing, supporting therapists in building practices aligned with their values, and reducing burnout among providers.

Beyond Words: Using Sandtray With Adolescents and Adults is an experiential training designed to help clinicians integrate the creative, symbolic, and healing power of the sandtray into work with teen and adult clients. Far from being “just for kids,” sandtray therapy offers a profound, nonverbal pathway for clients to explore inner experiences, process trauma, and gain new perspectives.

This training is appropriate for graduate students and licensed mental health professionals. Hope Roots Collective is an approved CE Provider with the Kansas BSRB.

Limited number of student discount spots available - email to inquire!

Participants will also receive a mini goody bag with a few sandtray miniatures!

Objectives:

1. Describe the foundational principles and history of Sandtray Therapy, including its theoretical underpinnings, materials, and the therapist’s role in facilitating the process. Explore the therapeutic benefits of sandtray therapy.
   

2. Demonstrate the basic structure of a Sandtray session, from setting up the environment and introducing the activity to clients, to observing, processing, and closing the session. Experience creating a sandtray world as a client and processing as a therapist.
   

3. Identify and reflect on symbolic themes and patterns that commonly emerge in Sandtray creations (e.g., order vs. chaos, fullness vs. emptiness). Begin to identify possible prompts to use in your therapy practice related to your theoretical orientation. 

About the Presenter: Leah Schwarz, LSCSW, RPT, PMH-C, RST-C/T

Leah Schwarz, LSCSW, RPT, PMH-C, RST-C/T is a bilingual (English/Spanish) therapist and owner of Hope Esperanza Counseling LLC. She has over 12 years of experience as a social worker, working in community mental health, a domestic violence agency, and now in private practice. The first part of Leah’s career centered around working with children and families, and in recent years she has pivoted to specializing in perinatal mental health, supporting new and expecting parents. Leah is trained in EMDR and loves using sandtray therapy with clients of all ages. Leah also co-owns Hope Roots Collective in Olathe, KS - a wellness collective focused on incorporating nature into healing, supporting therapists in building practices aligned with their values, and reducing burnout among providers.

This is not your typical ethics training!

Let’s take a deeper and hands-on dive into the Code of Ethics. In this training, spend time reviewing your profession’s code of ethics (social work, counseling, or marriage and family therapy) and connect with it on a deeper level through sandtray directives. Re-center and connect with the core values that brought you to this profession. Identify common ethical dilemmas and work through an ethical decision making model. Discuss the diversity of approaches and techniques in the profession and differentiate between something being “unethical” vs. just a different approach. 

Training is appropriate for mental health graduate students and licensed mental health therapists. No prior sandtray therapy training or experience needed.

When we offered this training for the first time, over half of the participants actually requested the training be longer! This is a unique, hands-on morning.

Objectives:

1. Analyze your profession’s code of ethics (social work, counseling, marriage and family therapy) and reconnect with its core values through reflective and experiential sandtray activities.

2. Identity common ethical dilemmas in practice and apply an ethical decision-making model. Work through the decision-making process in the sandtray.

3. Differentiate between unethical practices and ethically appropriate variations in therapeutic approaches, with attention to diversity in clinical techniques and perspectives.

Presenters:

Kristine Page, LCPC, LPC, PMH-C, is a therapist and the owner of Turning The Page, LLC, a private practice based in Olathe, Kansas. She has over 14 years of experience working with individuals across the lifespan. Kristine began her career in community mental health and at a child advocacy center, where she specialized in working with children and teens. During this time, she developed a strong foundation in play therapy and sandtray therapy, supporting children and families in processing complex experiences.

Over the past six years, Kristine has transitioned her focus to the perinatal period, where she supports individuals navigating pregnancy, postpartum, and identity shifts into parenthood. In her work with the perinatal population, she continues to integrate sandtray therapy with adults, creating space to explore trauma, identity, and personal values in a meaningful and experiential way.

Leah Schwarz, LSCSW, RPT, PMH-C, RST-C/T is a bilingual (English/Spanish) therapist and owner of Hope Esperanza Counseling LLC. She has over 12 years of experience as a social worker, working in community mental health, a domestic violence agency, and now in private practice. The first part of Leah’s career centered around working with children and families, and in recent years she has pivoted to specializing in perinatal mental health, supporting new and expecting parents. Leah is trained in EMDR and loves using sandtray therapy with clients of all ages. Leah also co-owns Hope Roots Collective in Olathe, KS - a wellness collective focused on incorporating nature into healing, supporting therapists in building practices aligned with their values, and reducing burnout among providers.