Meet Robin Elkins, LPC: Healing Through Adoption with Sand Tray Therapy
At the Gladney Counseling Center, we know that healing from trauma, grief, and life’s challenges requires a unique approach for every individual. That’s why we’re excited to introduce Robin Elkins, LPC, a dedicated therapist who brings a specialized focus on Sandtray Therapy and trauma-informed care. With a passion for helping adoptive families, birth parents, and adoptees, Robin creates a safe, creative, and empowering space for healing.
A Passion for Trauma Recovery and Identity Exploration
Robin’s journey into counseling was shaped by his deep understanding of trauma and relationship-building. He received both his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Tarleton State University’s Fort Worth Campus and quickly gained experience in various clinical settings, including partial hospitalization facilities, family crisis centers, and in-home counseling. Across these different environments, he saw common themes—clients struggling with trauma, attachment issues, and self-worth—but he also witnessed their resilience and ability to overcome life’s hardships.
Robin was drawn to the Gladney Counseling Center because of his passion for working with those impacted by adoption. His enthusiasm for joining the team was undeniable—onec he saw the opportunity, he dropped off his information on a sticky note before applying online! Now, as part of the Gladney team, he is committed to helping clients process their experiences and build stronger, healthier connections.
Expertise in Sandtray Therapy, Trauma, and Relationship Building
Robin brings an impressive range of therapeutic skills to his work, including:
- Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) to help caregivers support children from hard places.
- Play Therapy to engage children in developmentally appropriate ways.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to assist clients in overcoming trauma.
- Certified Humanistic Sandtray Therapy, a powerful tool for processing grief, trauma, and identity development in both children and adults.
Sandtray Therapy, one of Robin’s specialties, provides a nonverbal, expressive way for individuals to explore their emotions, experiences, and relationships. Using miniature figurines and symbolic storytelling, clients can externalize and process complex feelings, making it particularly effective for those struggling with trauma, loss, and self-discovery. He shares:
"Sandtray is a humbling form of therapy. Since you cannot interpret the figures for the client, it is totally up to the client to share with you what they are experiencing in the moment.
Additionally, sandtray is a psychological scalpel that cuts directly to the soul, and as a sandtray therapist, you have the ability to partake in what Irving Yalom described as an occupational privilege to minster in human despair. A way to understand this is to look to the wisdom of Irvin Yalom and Floyd Dostoevsky on the topic of despair. Yalom describes the occupational privilege of therapy is to minster in human despair. Dostoevsky says that the darker the night, the closer the dawn, the deeper the despair the closer is God.
What I take from these two giants is that when working with clients in therapy, who are typically in deep despair, is that I have the privilege of ministering in despair and the honor and opportunity to see as people hear the voice of God in their soul based on what Dostoevsky says about God being closer the deeper one is in despair.
In short, if I can just shut up and listen to people as they describe their sandtray, which typically cuts straight to the soul, they heal themselves by discovering God (however they perceive Him) in their own souls."
Helping Clients Navigate Grief, Trauma, and Identity
Robin is particularly interested in helping clients process complex grief and trauma, work through challenges associated with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and explore identity development in adolescents and adults. His approach is centered on empowerment, self-exploration, and emotional healing, ensuring that each client receives the tailored support they need.
At the Gladney Counseling Center, Robin works alongside a team of dedicated professionals, all focused on providing compassionate, adoption-informed care. Whether he’s working with an adoptee exploring their identity, a birth parent navigating loss, or an adoptive family strengthening their relationships, Robin’s goal is to create a safe and supportive space for transformation.
Life Beyond the Therapy Room
Outside of his work, Robin enjoys exploring creative outlets, learning new therapeutic techniques, and spending time with loved ones. His approachable nature and deep passion for helping others make him an invaluable part of the Gladney Counseling Center team.
Connect with Robin Elkins at the Gladney Counseling Center
If you or someone you know is looking for an experienced therapist who specializes in Sandtray Therapy, trauma recovery, and adoption-related counseling, Robin Elkins, LPC, is ready to help. Contact the Gladney Counseling Center today to learn more about his services and how he can support you on your healing journey.
