Training & Registration | Humanistic Sandtray Therapy Institute

New to HST?

Introductory Workshop

Start with HST 101

Not sure if Humanistic Sandtray Therapy is the right fit for your practice? The HST 101 Workshop is a standalone introductory experience designed to give you a firsthand feel for the approach — before committing to the full training pathway.

This workshop provides an accessible overview of HST's humanistic philosophy, introduces the sandtray medium, and includes experiential activities that let you experience the approach from the inside out.

HST 101 is a great starting point — but it is a separate offering from the formal Level I → Level II → Supervision training pathway that leads to the CHST credential.

HST 101 Workshop

Available via live Zoom
No prior sandtray experience required
Experiential activities included
Open to all licensed or pre-licensed practitioners
Standalone — not part of the CHST pathway

🖥 Live Zoom Introductory Level All Practitioners Welcome

The Certification Pathway

The Path to Becoming a Certified HST Therapist

The formal HSTI training pathway consists of three progressive stages — each building on the last — culminating in the Certified Humanistic Sandtray Therapist (CHST) credential.

Level I · Foundational Training

Foundational HST Training

$295

A comprehensive in-person training in Fort Worth, TX covering the basics and philosophy of HST, core facilitative and process skills, and hands-on experiential practice with the sandtray. This is where your HST journey begins in earnest.

Learn the basics of sandtray including conducting a session, determining appropriate clients, understanding the rationale for sandtray, and practical matters such as acquisition of miniatures
Become more proficient at understanding and practicing HST processing through live demonstrations, experiential activities, and group discussion
Improve ability to respond to nonverbal, here-and-now expressions of emotion, work effectively in the here and now, see and respond to polarities, and facilitate awareness and depth of experiencing
Enhance self-awareness, experience emotion in the moment, and gain insight into personal issues that may hinder client growth if not addressed
Receive supervision and feedback during group HST experiences and observations

📍 In-Person · Fort Worth, TX CHST Prerequisite Group Format

Level II · Advanced Training

Advanced HST Training

$295

Building on the Level I foundations, the Advanced HST Training dives deeper into process skills, emotional depth, and nuanced clinical application. Designed for practitioners who have completed Level I and are ready to expand their range and depth as HST clinicians.

Continue to develop the ability to respond to nonverbal expressions of emotion in sandtray, work effectively in the here and now, see and respond to polarities, and facilitate awareness and depth of experiencing
Enhance self-awareness, experience emotion in the moment, and gain insight into personal issues that may hinder client growth if not addressed
Learn how to gently guide sandtray clients to a deeper level of experiencing
Demonstrate the ability to utilize a descriptive mode of responding that helps clients explore emotions and avoid analysis and explanations of inner experiencing
Learn to recognize, identify, separate, and work effectively with both sides of polarities
Learn the humanistic approach to working with resistance

📍 In-Person · Fort Worth, TX Requires Level I CHST Prerequisite

Supervision & Consultation

Individual Sandtray Supervision

Individualized supervision with Dr. Foster supports your growth as an HST practitioner — helping you integrate what you've learned in training into your actual clinical work. Supervision is tailored to your caseload, setting, and developmental stage as a clinician.

For CHST credentialing, 10 individual supervision sessions with demonstrated marked progression are required. Ongoing consultation is also available for credentialed practitioners.

10 individual sessions required for CHST
Tailored to your specific caseload and context
Available for ongoing post-credential consultation
Group supervision options available for agencies and teams
Travel available for organizational trainings

👤 Individual Format 10 Sessions for CHST Ongoing Consultation Available

Dr. Foster is a Registered Sand Therapist – Consultant/Trainer (RST-C/T) through the World Association of Sand Therapy Professionals.

Certification

Earn the CHST Credential

The Certified Humanistic Sandtray Therapist (CHST) credential recognizes practitioners who have demonstrated deep competency in humanistic sandtray theory, facilitation, and supervised practice.

Level I Training

Complete foundational in-person HST training

Level II Training

Complete advanced in-person HST training

10 Supervision Sessions

Demonstrate marked progression with Dr. Foster

Full Licensure

Hold full licensure as a mental health practitioner in your state

Training Format & Location

How and Where We Train

HSTI trainings are designed to be intimate, experiential, and deeply relational — reflecting the humanistic values at the heart of the approach.

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Fort Worth, Texas

In-person trainings are held at a private practice setting in Fort Worth, TX — an intimate environment designed for experiential learning and personal growth.

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Live Online (HST 101)

The HST 101 introductory workshop is available via live Zoom, making it accessible to practitioners across the country and internationally.

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On-Site for Organizations

For nonprofits, agencies, or groups looking to train a team, Dr. Foster is available to travel across the U.S. or internationally. Contact us to discuss options.

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Small Group Format

Trainings are kept intentionally small to preserve the relational quality of the learning experience and allow for meaningful individual attention.

Deepen Your Practice with HST Training