Southeast Institute for Sandplay Studies

David M. Dermott, Psy.D., ISST, CST (dermott@sesandplay.org) is a founding member of the Southeast Institute for Sandplay Studies and the President of the Board of Directors. He is a Clinical Member of the International Society of Sandplay Therapists (ISST) and a Certified Sandplay Therapist (CST) / Clinical Member of the Sandplay Therapists of America (STA). Dr. Dermott holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology and is licensed as both a Psychological Associate and Professional Counselor in North Carolina. He maintains national certifications as a psychologist, counselor and cognitive behavioral therapist.

Dr. Dermott is the founder and Director of Dunn Psychological Associates, PA in Dunn, North Carolina where he has been providing private psychological services to children, teens, adults and families since 1996. Prior to entering private practice, Dr. Dermott gained experience in psychiatric research, adult inpatient psychotherapy and counseling children in a mental health center setting. He has special interests in working with children and adults coping with divorce, loss, anxiety and depression as well as clients with physical handicaps. He has enjoyed university teaching as an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Campbell University and serving as Chairman of Lee-Harnett Area Mental Health Board of Directors. Dr. Dermott sponsors and supervises graduate interns in his private practice.

Rosalind L. Heiko, Ph.D., ISST, CST-T (Heiko@sesandplay.org) is a founding member of the Southeast Institute for Sandplay Studies and the Secretary of the Board of Directors. She is a Teaching Member of the International Society of Sandplay Therapists and a Certified Sandplay Therapist -Teaching Member of the Sandplay Therapists of America. She was honored to serve on the Board of Directors of STA.

Dr. Heiko is the Director of Pediatric & Family Psychology, P.A. in Cary, NC. She has worked in private practice with children, adolescents and families since 1983. She is a co-founder of the North Carolina Association of Sandplay Therapists. She is an Approved Consultant in Hypnosis (American Society of Clinical Hypnosis); current Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Society of Clinical Hypnosis; holds a National Certification in School Psychology, and is Level II trained in EMDR. She is a proud Mental Health Volunteer with the Red Cross. You are invited to visit her website contact page for more information about her private practice (www.ncsandplaypsychotherapy.com).

Vince Pastore, Ph.D., ISST, CST-T (turtleisland@sesandplay.org) graduated with a Ph.D. in professional psychology from United States International University in 1987. He was licensed as a psychologist in California in 1989 and in North Carolina in 1994. He is currently in private practice in Mooresville, NC. He works with children, adolescents and adults who experience anxiety, depression, loss, grief and trauma. He has a special interest in boys and men’s issues.

Dr. Pastore is a Teaching Member of the International Society of Sandplay Therapists and the Sandplay Therapists of America. He is also certified to provide Critical Incident Debriefing and EMDR. He is a Clinical Member of the North Carolina Association for the Management and Treatment of Sex Offenders. He is a co-founder and past president of the North Carolina Association of Sandplay Therapists. Dr. Pastore is also a member of the Mankind Project, a worldwide organization seeking to change the world, one man at a time. He is an avid runner and is involved in volunteer efforts in his community.

Eliana Gil, Ph.D. is Director of Starbright Training Institute for Child and Family Play Therapy which provides three-day Intensives on topics related to play, art, and sand therapy. She is also Director of The Children’s Corner, a program of the Multicultural Clinical Center in Springfield, Virgina. She is an adjunct faculty member of Virginia Tech University where she teaches courses on Play Therapy, Family Play Therapy, and Child Maltreatment.

Dr. Gil has worked in the area of prevention and treatment of child abuse since 1973. She has written a number of books on treatment issues with abused and traumatized children and lectures nationally and internationally on these topics. Eliana is bilingual and bicultural, originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador. When she’s not working, she’s playing tennis. Click here for her website.

Karen M. Wheeler, LCSW, RPT-S is a member of the Special Programs Committee for the Southeast Institute for Sandplay Studies. She is a Registered Play Therapy Supervisor with the Association for Play Therapy and a Member Candidate of Sandplay Therapists of America. She was honored to serve on the Board of the New Mexico Sandplay Society and is a current Board Member of the NCAPT. Karen is Clinical Director of the Yahweh Center Children’s Village, a non-profit Residential and Psychiatric treatment center for children ages 5-12 in Wilmington, NC. She has extensive experience working with Reactive Attachment Disorder and in developmental play. She trained at the Theraplay Institute in Chicago and with Dr. Viola Brody, author of The “Dialogue of Touch”. She uses EMDR to facilitate parent-child attachment formation and Emotional Freedom Technique to re-pattern trauma syndromes. She enjoys training and supervising playtherapists. Karen loves watersports and swimming with the dolphins off Topsail Beach, NC in her free time.

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