Creative Therapy Courses South West

www.sandplauuk.uk  

Courses 2025 - 2026 

As the earth is experiencing some of its hottest temperatures I am thinking about the sun and the moon and our symbolic, archetypal relationship with them. Symbolism refers to the universal, cultural and personal meaning of something. It speaks to our conscious and unconscious mind. The Sun and Moon rise in the East and set in the West. The Sun is always full, the Moon changes during the lunar period having times of waxing, being full, waning or dark. We all experience this in our daily lives. It is a natural occurrence which is embedded in our psyche and we all have our own archetypal experience of these phenomena. Many women notice their monthly cycle follows a lunar pattern. There is a general understanding the moon has feminine qualities and the sun masculine, however these are not universal beliefs. In more ancient times of matriarchal societies the sun was seen as feminine and the moon masculine. Some don’t differentiate.  

So why do cultures come up with these differences? A common thought is that with the growth of Christianity in the west and the shift towards a patriarchal society it was convenient to see the masculine as the holder of the light, the shining, the radiance and for the feminine to hold the dark and mysterious and hidden. It was a way of power being shifted through cultural influence.

  

The Chinese symbol of Yin and Yang represents the sun and moon. The Yin energy is governed by the moon and hold the qualities of receptivity and restorative energy. It moves downwards as in exhaling breath. It is the black aspect and linked to intuition and an ability to comprehend the complexities of our lives. As this yin energy moves inwards it converts to yang which is governed by the sun, it rises and moves outwards. It is characterised by the white side, upward energy and the inhaling of the breath.  

The sun brings light through day and night, directly during daylight hours and as a reflection of the sun onto the moon at night. We also know of the moons strong association with water and impact upon the tides. So we can associate the moon with water and sun with fire. The moon is associated with qualities of the soul and the sun of spirit.  

The sun and moon feature strongly in alchemy. For the alchemists the sun represents perfection in all matters including the spirit, mind and soul. The sun is about consciousness, enlightenment and creative energy. The Greater Work It has a masculine quality to it. Most cultures understand the sun to have cosmic powers. It is the ultimate yang. Gold is the suns material in alchemical practices. The moon represents mercury and silver – the Lesser Work. It has a greater potential when it joins with the Gold or the Greater Work. The moon has qualities of resurrection, fertility, immortality, occult power, intuition associated with it.

  

The sun and the moon work together and when both are integrated there is balance. Each needs the other and in that way there is no separation. When we are looking at sandtrays or art we can think about the quality of balance of the sun and moon qualities. The moon as having a Yin, feminine and maternal influence and the sun as Yang , masculine , fraternal influence.  

A highly experiential introduction to sandplay therapy which builds on any prior experience you may have had and acts as a refresher ooh and so much more... It is an ideal starting point for anyone wishing to start their sandplay journey and also a good ‘topper upper’ for those who have experienced some sandplay in their learning journey. Based on Jungian and transpersonal perspective. 

13th & 14th September 2025 

8th & 9th November 2025 Almost Full  

14th & 15th November 2025 * Barnstaple 

31st January & 1st February 2026 

9th & 10th May 2026 

11th & 12th July 2026 

12th & 13th September 2026 

12th & 13th December 2026  

Cost  

£245 this includes a deposit of £100 

This course is organised as four 3-day weekends.  

The aim of this course is to bring depth and understanding to your sandplay work from a Jungian and Transpersonal perspective. The course carefully weaves theory and experiential work. This work integrates well into other theoretical perspectives.  

Weekend 1: 21st, 22nd, 23rd November 2025 

Weekend 2: 9th, 10th, 11th January 2026 

Weekend 3: 27th, 28th February 1st March 2026 

Weekend 4: 24th, 25th, 26th April 2026 

 

2026 / 2027 Dates – see www.sandplayuk.uk  

Let me know if you would like to join the waiting list for this

These retreats are based in Stokeinteignhead TQ12 4QR. We will be on the land and using a bell tent and yurt as our bases. Full access to toilets etc in the house and a compost toilet in the labyrinth field. Local accommodation list supplied along with local camping and glamping opportunities at our nearest neighbour. The summer retreat will be at a time of verdant greens in the valley and garden with whole flocks of blackbirds out feeding their young and a sweetness in the air. The autumn retreat comes at a time of harvest for us at White Cottage the orchard and walnut trees are glorious at this time of year. There is something about the smell of a walnut tree... one of the delights of living here.  

20th & 21st September – Postponed due to pond building !!! back for 2026 if not sooner…  

On the cusp of the equinox we will work with equinox energies of harvesting all we have manifested during the year and embrace the start of the inner journey as we enter the shortening length of days in the year.  

The weekends will include a mix of sand, art and meditation – a soul filling exploration .

Monthly: Tuesdays at The Nautilus Rooms, Totnes 6 – 8pm  

£40 per person 

If you would like an online Zoom supervision group, contact me. I have an existing online group which is working well.  

Some experience of sandplay is required to join these groups. If you are interested, please contact me. 

Most of the courses are run from The Nautilus Rooms in Totnes, Devon UK which houses a fabulous collection of sandplay symbols built specifically to give students a full experience of the power of sandplay.  

www.nautilusrooms.uk 

People travel from all over the country and abroad for these courses. Totnes is on the mainline railway from London Paddington.  

Accommodation list is provided. 

The Creative Courses at least one of the Foundation Courses to be run from Stokeinteignhead . It’s a wonderful location based on our smallholding with access to a labyrinth, the sea and coast path are a short walk away with the delights of dip in the silky water of the ocean on offer at our local cove. If the weather is poor we have a beautiful bell tent and yurt to shelter in. There are good accommodation options locally including glamping, camping or campervanning at our neighbours organic farm, self catering, bed and breakfast and hotels all close by. 

Ruth’s first degree is in psychology, she has been working as a counsellor and psychotherapist, supervisor and consultant for almost 30 years. With the exception of brief forays into the world of publishing and handweaving Ruth’s career has been people facing. She worked with high-risk offenders in the Probation Service offering group and individual work before moving into the NHS where she worked in the field of drugs and alcohol and mental health both as a case worker then project and service management. She has a passion for working with change be they individuals or systems. Ruth offers supervision and consultation to a wide range of organisations from small charities to larger health related organisations. She also offers bespoke training to organisations.

Ruth brings to her teaching her wide experience of working with individuals, couples and groups in a range of settings along with a lifetime’s passion for learning.

She has extensive training in Integrative Sandplay Therapy and Therapeutic Art and is a teacher and supervisor within the Association of Integrative Sandplay Therapists (AIST). She is a trained teacher of Mindfulness.

Ruth is a committed student of the Diamond Approach which is a dynamic, evolving teaching and exploration of all that leads to openness, freedom, and realisation of the many dimensions of our human potential—especially the amazing secrets of our spiritual nature.

Ruth exudes a love of nature, she lives on a small holding and enjoys – walking – swimming – gardening, growing and being in wild spaces.

Ruth’s depth of knowledge and experience is valued and commented on by students as is her ability to hold the space for deep and rich learning to take place