Anyone who has the good fortune to spend time with Marshall will have a uniquely rich experience. His wisdom, heart, humor, and kind presence open the door to healing, to learning, to play. Whatever it is you most need.  My time with him at his workshop felt like cool water on a hot day - and the experience has stayed with me for years.

"Marshall is the best at what he does. Authentic, and you can feel his passion. Grateful for him in my life."

Marshall Lyles brings brilliance, wisdom, and steadiness to his teaching, creating learning environments where safety, care, and authenticity come first. He weaves complex ideas from across disciplines into learning that is usable, humane, and integrated, without overwhelming or privileging information over lived experience. His work is rooted in care, equity, and “power-with” relationships, rejecting rigid binaries and oppressive frameworks in favor of dignity, presence, and genuine connection.

Marshall carries a sincere heart for helping others, meeting people with humility, gentleness, and deep humanity. His presence has a quiet way of touching others, creating connection without needing recognition. His humanness is felt and deeply appreciated.  I always feel deeply honoured to share a space with Marshall.  Thank you for ALWAYS sharing your kindness in such a tangible way.

With his unique blend of wisdom, knowledge, experience, and humor, Marshall creates an incredible space for learning and personal growth. He is my very favorite teacher in a lifetime of seeking. 

Marshall carries a sincere heart for helping others, meeting people with humility, gentleness, and deep humanity. His presence has a quiet way of touching others, creating connection without needing recognition. His humanness is felt and deeply appreciated.  I always feel deeply honoured to share a space with Marshall.  Thank you for ALWAYS sharing your kindness in such a tangible way.

What a pleasure it is to interact with Marshall in a variety of settings: whether it is teaching in Istanbul or Austin TX, or intensive writing experiences. His sense of curiosity and humor are always motivating and enjoyable!

Whether in the therapy room or the teaching space, Marshall Lyles brings depth, clarity, and a grounded relational presence. Learning with Marshall is not only about acquiring answers, but about cultivating discernment, humility, and meaning—and about learning how to stay present with complexity, uncertainty, and the unfolding of human experience. He does not instruct from above; he invites from within, creating spaces where reflection, integration, and transformation can naturally unfold.

I have been very fortunate to participate in both personal and professional training and development experiences with Marshall Lyles. Throughout these experiences, he has consistently stood out not only for his strong theoretical and technical expertise, but also for his exceptional sensitivity and relational presence—qualities that cultivate a deep sense of attunement, safety, and trust.

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From the moment I entered his space, The Workshop, I was struck by the warmth and positive presence it conveyed. Marshall’s depth of knowledge, his way of relating to others, and the intentionality of the physical environment converge to create an experience that is both profound and transformative. The result is a learning process that extends well beyond the acquisition of knowledge, facilitating deep integration and meaningful personal and professional growth.

Marshall is an excellent trainer  whom we have had the pleasure of working for many years. He is one of the pioneers bringing sand tray play therapy  and expressive play therapy to Turkey with such an enthusiasm that motivates us all. 

During the trainings Marshall consistently demonstrates exceptional teaching skills and makes learning very effective even with diverse backgrounds and therapeutic skill levels.

His trainings are one of the most comprehensive, insightful, and professionally enriching trainings. Marshall combines deep clinical expertise with an engaging and supportive teaching style, making complex therapeutic concepts both accessible and meaningful.

He demonstrates remarkable sensitivity, ethical awareness, and clinical competence. He creates a safe, reflective, and interactive learning environment where participants feel encouraged to ask questions, share experiences, and grow professionally. He integrates theory with practical, real-life case examples greatly that enhances the learning process.

Marshall’s mentorship, clarity, and warmth leave a lasting impact on everyone who has the privilege of learning from him. We feel the priviledge to organize trainings with  and supervised by him. He is a great mentor.

Marshall’s work has deeply influenced the worlds of therapy, expressive arts, sandtray, and EMDR. His understanding of what it means to be human, and the way he brings this into his work, is truly remarkable. There is a quiet magic in his approach to his work. The way he weaves stories through spoken word and poetry reaches the deepest parts of one's soul, touching something deeply embodied and real.

Being in his presence is quietly transformative. The way he works demonstrates such depth of attunement, care, and a great ancient wisdom. I can wholeheartedly recommend his work (whether it be a workshop or an individual consultation) to those seeking insight, growth, and genuine transformation, both professionally and personally.

Marshall and I met only one year ago during a workshop in Austin. What immediately struck was his calm kindness and curiosity and his humble nature, despite the wealth of knowledge and experience he has in the field of trauma therapy.

When I had a very tough case in my practice, with a child that only could express herself in the sand tray I texted him to ask if he could help me. He almost immediately replied that he was willing to help out and a supervision session was booked the same week. I was in awe, that a person like him would make time to help me. The supervision sessions were helpful, creating insight, providing me with  exactly what I needed at that time. He gave me the feeling that I was not alone in this case, which gave me the courage to keep going.