Teaching and training other therapists is one of the most meaningful parts of my work, and it did not start from a place of confidence. It started from a gap I experienced early in my career and a deep belief that therapists who work with children deserve real, skilled support in doing that work well. Here is the honest story of how I got here.
Where did my play therapy journey actually start?
I fell in love with play therapy early, in an elective practicum at a therapeutic preschool. I got to witness up close, in real time, what it looks like when a child is given a safe relationship and the freedom to use play and toys to communicate. I was locked in from that moment and honestly I have never looked back.
I have never trained in a modality that does not incorporate play, children, and or attachment, because that is genuinely where my heart lives. Every training I have done, every supervision hour I have pursued, every workshop I have developed has been in service of getting better at this specific work. I only teach on things I love and am deeply educated in, and I hope that comes through every single time.
What made me realize I needed better supervision?
My first job out of school was in community mental health. It was some of the hardest clinical work I have ever done and I had the least support I have ever had.
My supervisor was a wonderful clinician. I want to be clear about that. Through no fault of her own, she was often stretched thin, double booked, and not a play therapist. So when I was sitting with three to five year olds carrying developmental trauma and trying to figure out how to actually help them, the supervision I was getting did not meet the need. There was a gap and I felt it every single week.
So I went looking for something different. I found an amazing supervisor who was a seasoned play therapist and social worker, and she changed everything. She guided me with real depth and skill. I am genuinely grateful to her to this day.
But I also heard the horror stories from other clinicians who left supervision feeling more confused than when they started, with more questions than answers and less confidence in their work. Supervision is supposed to build you up. When it does not, it is a real problem for the clinician and for the children they are serving.
How did I find my way into teaching and training?
Somewhere alongside building my clinical skills, I started taking trainings to work toward my Registered Play Therapist credential. Many of those early trainings were led by Dr. Apryl Duncan and they genuinely shaped how I practice today. I was absorbing everything I could, going to week-long intensives, getting certified in Theraplay, digging through the research. I loved it.
I will be honest: the idea of speaking publicly terrified me. It was my biggest fear. But with real encouragement from my mentor, I started doing some professional development work alongside her and something unexpected happened. I loved it.
I loved being able to talk about play therapy with other clinicians. I loved helping people understand the power of what they were already doing and helping them feel more grounded and confident in their work. I loved pouring through the research and sharing it with others so they could feel grounded in the evidence. I loved passing along the techniques and clinical insights I had gathered over years of working directly with children.
I still carry a caseload. I love direct practice and I always will. But I realized that one of the most meaningful ways I could expand my impact beyond Bud to Bloom was through teaching, and helping other therapists bloom too.
Since then I have spoken locally and all over the country about play therapy, trauma, and the power of the therapeutic relationship with children. You can learn more about bringing me in to speak to your organization or conference if that is something you are exploring.
Why does training other therapists feel just as important as seeing clients?
Children are vulnerable. They deserve trained, skilled, compassionate professionals who know how to handle their cases carefully and well. That belief is at the core of everything I do.
When I think about the gap I experienced early in my career, and the clinicians I know who have struggled through supervision that did not serve them, I feel a real sense of responsibility. Not because I have all the answers, but because I have spent a long time building real knowledge and I want to share what i know in a way that actually helps people grow.
There are also real practical gaps in the field. If you are working toward your RPT, you know that getting those 75 in-person hours is not easy. A lot of training has moved virtual, which I genuinely appreciate, but people still need in-person hours and there are only so many places providing them. I want Bud to Bloom to be one of those places.
Expanding access to quality play therapy training in St. Louis and beyond matters to me. The more skilled play therapists there are in the world, the more children get the support they actually need.
Ready to learn and grow together?
Whether you are brand new to play therapy, working toward your RPT, or a seasoned clinician looking to deepen a specific area of your practice, I would love to have you in a training. Check out our upcoming workshops here.
What do I actually bring to a training or supervision experience?
Depth, honesty, and a lot of genuine enthusiasm. I bring years of direct clinical experience with children carrying trauma, attachment wounds, and big behaviors. I bring a research foundation because I care deeply that this work is grounded in evidence, not just intuition. And I bring the humility of someone who started from a place of needing support and knows how much it matters when you actually get it.
In supervision I am not there to just sign your hours. I want to help you think more clearly about your cases, feel more confident in the room, and develop a real clinical identity as a play therapist. I want to be the supervisor I needed when I was starting out.
In trainings I aim for the same thing: leave with something real. Not just notes from a slide deck, but actual tools, genuine understanding, and a renewed sense of why this work is worth doing.
You can learn more about supervision opportunities and what it looks like to work with me on our play therapy training page.
How can you learn and grow with me?
A few ways, depending on what you are looking for right now.
If you want to attend a training or earn CEUs, our workshops page has everything coming up. We offer both in-person and virtual options because I know life is busy and geography is real.
If you are working toward your RPT and looking for supervision, reach out. I would love to talk about whether working together is the right fit.
If you want to bring play therapy education to your team, school, organization, or conference, our speaking page has more information on how that works.
FAQ
Who are your trainings designed for?
Our workshops are designed for licensed mental health professionals and graduate students who work with children, teens, and families. Whether you are brand new to play therapy or deepening an existing practice, there is something for you. Check out what is coming up here.
Do your in-person trainings count toward RPT hours?
Yes. We offer in-person trainings that can count toward your required play therapy hours for the Registered Play Therapist credential. We also offer trainings as live webinars! Check each workshop listing for specific details on APT approval and CE hours.
Do you offer supervision for therapists working toward their RPT?
Yes. If you are working toward your RPT and looking for supervision with an RPT-S, reach out through our supervision page to start that conversation.
Can I bring you in to speak to my organization or conference?
Yes. I speak locally and nationally on play therapy, trauma, and working with children. You can learn more and reach out on our speaking page.
I am not sure where to start with play therapy training. Any advice?
Start with a foundational training on child-centered play therapy if you have not already. From there, follow your caseload. The populations and presenting concerns you see most often are a great guide for what to learn next. And if you want to talk it through, come to one of our workshops. That is exactly the kind of conversation I love having.
