Dr. Emily Keller

08/20/2026

Join me for a low talk, high experience sandtray and play therapy training tomorrow at Wonderment Family Therapy in Livermore, CA.

08/19/2026

This is a play therapy and sandtray training space that says, “Take off your shoes and get comfy. We are going on an internal journey.”

My goal is to create a nurturing space for community connection that fills your cup and soul and invites the knowledge and wisdom already inside into confidence.

We open this weekend with trainings on trusting the power of presence and relationship on Friday and a session all about contracts and boundaries or, how to show up with reliability and consistency to earn solid trust with caretakers, on Saturday.

Ready to join us? Message me or reply for more information.

08/18/2026

The Training Annex Welcomes You--Earn 12 Contact Play Therapy CEs this weekend! - https://mailchi.mp/dremilykeller/eirng3r80p-13062218

08/13/2026

The sandtray miniature shelves are filling in. And the nearby earthquake didn’t knock a thing over as I was setting up. It did rattle the building a bit and gave me a touch of nausea.

This room is almost ready for upcoming continuing education for therapists.

08/13/2026

I came home today to a box of goodies from Suzy’s Play Therapy Toybox. She has wonderful minis and a big sale!

I usually wake up excited for coffee and watering the plants in the morning, but tomorrow, it will all be about getting into my new training space and setting these up.

I look forward to hosting my first sandtray and play therapy training events in my new office next week!!

I’ll discuss the power of presence and the therapeutic relationship (the biggest change agent) and contracts and boundaries from the beginning to the end of the therapy process.

08/12/2026

Last chance to register! Join us for California Association for Play Therapy

We are almost SOLD OUT!!!

Register today to reserve your spot before you miss out on the best location, speakers, & experience of the year!

Early bird ends 8/16/26 to get a discounted price!

Join us in beautiful sunny San Diego & Make a vacation of it! There is so much to do!

We are glad to present registration is finally opened for our annual CALAPT Conference in sunny San Diego with presenters Ann Beckley-Forest & Annie Monaco presenting on Play Therapy to Heal Wounded Attachment and Dissociation.

Lunch is included by our sponsors ROWI & Fusion for both days!

For more information register at https://www.calplaytherapy.org/event/2026-calapt-conference-august-28-29-100/register .

08/10/2026

I am slowly filling the shelves with miniatures in our new sandtray and play therapy training space. I have three orders on the way and at least two more to place. We will be ready for our first training event on August 21 in Livermore, CA.

08/10/2026

Our family went camping last week. My second son and I joined the crew Friday afternoon after he registered for his classes online. On the way up, we enjoyed a conversation that was marked by a longer than usual lunch and an eagerness to get back to where we left off in our conversation each time it was interrupted. By the time we arrived at the campsite, I realized not only is he completely ready to go off into the world, but I was ready to let him go. In that conversation, I felt the comfort of a grown child who not only respected my thinking about complex matters, but was curious about what shaped it along the way.

Saturday morning, my youngest woke up at 6:45 and asked if I wanted to canoe with him and our dog to the island nearby. At first I asked if we could wait a bit. Then, I realized the opportunity before me, so I changed my answer to “Yes. Let’s go!”

I got in the canoe with our dog, and my son rowed us away to the island. He showed me his discoveries there. We took in the beauty. We played fetch with the dog. And he rowed us back. All this happened before everyone else was up.

What gifts this trip offered. When I encourage parents to spend 5-10 minutes each day immersed in their children’s worlds. This is where it leads. The toy-based playtime doesn’t last, but the invitations into their worlds does. And what I am learning now as the mother of two young adults is that respectful curiosity becomes mutual. That is something I didn’t ever hope for, but looking back it makes sense.

Be curious. Establish a loving daily time to respectfully enter their play worlds.

08/08/2026

Creativity, inspiration, rejuvenation … through play. I considered bringing my laptop to work on an article I am finishing. Then, I realized the downtime is just as important as the focused production time.

When my son woke up at 7 AM and said he wanted to canoe me and the dog over to the nearby island, I knew I made the right choice. Play is the work of children and sometimes it’s our work too.

08/05/2026

My play therapy and training space is almost ready for me to move in the toys, supplies, sand, and miniatures 🎉