We are so excited to introduce Bethany to the Bud to Bloom family. She brings something genuinely special to our team, a background in art therapy that opens up a whole new way for children and teens to do healing work, especially kids who have never quite connected with traditional therapy.
Who is Bethany?
Bethany found her way to therapy through creativity long before she ever set foot in a graduate program.
She grew up in St. Louis and spent time working at the City Museum, where she watched children and adults move through art and play in ways that stuck with her. She saw something there that she could not quite name yet: that making things is a form of meaning-making. That creativity and connection are deeply intertwined. That experience followed her all the way to Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, where she earned her master’s degree in counseling with a focus in Art Therapy.
During her second year at Naropa, she started a play therapy internship and something clicked. Here was an approach that brought together everything she cared about: creativity, relationship, supporting children and families. She found her niche and knew she wanted to keep growing in it.
Now she is back home in St. Louis, and we could not be happier to have her.
When she is not in the therapy room, you will find Bethany making mosaics, crocheting, exploring new art mediums, playing collaborative tabletop games with friends, and spending time with her two cats, Nessie and Binnington (yes, he is named after the Blues goalie, and yes, we love that for her).
What is Bethany’s approach to working with kids?
Bethany grounds her work in Child-Centered Play Therapy and Synergetic Play Therapy, both of which start from the same core belief: that the therapeutic relationship is the foundation of healing, and that play is the natural language children use to make sense of their world.
She approaches children’s behavior with curiosity. Rather than seeing behavior as something that needs to be corrected, she sees it as communication, something worth understanding. Through a warm, empathetic relationship and the language of play, children can begin to understand their own feelings, build emotional regulation skills, grow in confidence and resilience, and find new ways to express what they need.
She especially loves working with children ages 4 to 10 who experience big feelings, have a hard time with emotional regulation, are navigating major transitions, or are working through challenges in their relationships and attachment.
What is expressive arts therapy, and what makes it unique?
This is where Bethany’s training sets her apart from most play therapists.
Expressive arts therapy (sometimes called art therapy) brings art materials directly into the therapeutic work. Drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, mixed media. The goal is not to make beautiful art. The goal is to use the process of making as a way to access and express emotions that can be genuinely hard to put into words.
Here is why this matters: children, and especially teenagers, do not always have language for what they are carrying. The parts of the brain that hold emotion and sensory experience and the parts that produce language are not always well-connected, especially after something hard has happened. Art creates a different pathway. When a child has something to do with their hands, something to shape and arrange and make, things can come through that never would have come through in conversation.
Bethany’s graduate training in Art Therapy means she knows how to use creative materials with intention and clinical grounding. This is not a therapist who sets out crayons as a side activity. It is a therapist who was trained in how art itself becomes the therapeutic medium.
Why is this especially worth knowing if you have a teenager?
A lot of parents reach out to us saying some version of the same thing: “My teenager will not talk to anyone.” We hear you. And honestly, that is one of the most common things we see.
Talk therapy puts teenagers in a spot that can feel uncomfortable or even humiliating. Direct questions about feelings can land like an interrogation. Sitting across from an adult and being expected to open up takes a kind of vulnerability that many teens are not ready for, especially early on.
Art changes that dynamic. When a teen has something to make, the pressure lifts. They are working, creating, moving their hands. And in that space, things often start to come out naturally. A comment here. A reflection there. A conversation that would never have happened across an empty desk.
Expressive arts therapy also gives teenagers something adolescence tends to strip away: permission to be creative and playful without it meaning anything about how mature or cool they are. It meets them where they actually are.
If you have a teen who has tried therapy and found it flat, or one who has never been willing to try at all, this approach is genuinely worth a conversation.
You can read more about teen therapy at Bud to Bloom here.
Is Bethany a good fit for your family?
The easiest way to find out is a free 15 to 20 minute call with our client care team. They will learn about your child and what you are navigating, and help figure out whether Bethany is the right match. No commitment, no pressure. Schedule your free consultation here.
How does Bethany involve parents in the work?
This is something Bethany feels strongly about, and it lines up with how Bud to Bloom approaches therapy across the board.
Parents are not bystanders. You are a central part of your child’s healing.
Before your child ever has their first session, you will have a 60-minute parent intake, just you and Bethany, with no child in the room. That session is yours to share the full picture without self-editing. It gives Bethany a real, honest foundation before she ever meets your child. It is one of the things that makes our intake process at Bud to Bloom different, and parents tell us all the time how meaningful that session feels.
From there, you will fill out a brief check-in form each week so Bethany knows how things are going at home. Every few sessions, you will connect for a dedicated parent session where she shares themes and patterns she is noticing. She will not report back what your child said or did in the room. That space belongs to your child. But you will always be informed, supported, and in the loop.
FAQ
What ages does Bethany work with?
Bethany especially loves working with children ages 4 to 10 and teenagers. She has particular experience supporting kids with big feelings, emotional regulation challenges, and relationship and attachment struggles.
Does my child have to be “good at art” for expressive arts therapy to work?
Not at all. This is not about artistic skill or finished products. It is about using the creative process as a way to express and explore what is hard to put into words. Any child or teen can benefit, regardless of whether they think of themselves as artistic.
Is Bethany a good fit for teens who have had bad therapy experiences before?
She might be. The expressive arts approach is genuinely different from traditional talk therapy, and teens who have felt stuck or disconnected in past therapy often respond differently when there is a creative component involved. It is worth a conversation.
What does the process look like to get started?
Step one is a free 15 to 20 minute call with our client care team. They gather information about your family, answer your questions, and match you with the therapist who is the best fit. From there, you will have a 60-minute parent-only intake before child sessions begin. Fill out our consultation form here to get started.
Where is Bud to Bloom located?
We are based in St. Louis, Missouri, serving children, teens, and families across the area.
