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ABOUT THE TRAINERS

All Theraplay Institute trainers have completed a rigorous training program to become Certified Theraplay Trainers.

United States

Phyllis Booth,MA, LMFT, LCPC, RPT/S is Clinical Director Emeritus of The Theraplay Institute. She received an MA in human development and clinical psychology from the University of Chicago. She worked with Dr. Ann Jernberg in developing the Theraplay method.  She authored the third edition of Theraplay: Helping Parents and Children Build Better Relationships Through Attachment-Based Play, January 2010, and is the author of numerous articles about Theraplay  She is the 2003 winner of the Ann M. Jernberg award for outstanding contribution to Theraplay.

Sandra Lindaman, MA, MSW, LCSW, is Senior Training Advisor to The Theraplay Institute. She is trained as a social worker and speech language pathologist.  She has worked at The Theraplay Institute since 1990, in clinical and administrative positions, and was trained in Theraplay by Ann Jernberg and Phyllis Booth.  She has written a number of book chapters and articles about Theraplay, including contributing to the theory, adoption and autism chapters in the third edition of the Theraplay book.  She has been instrumental to introducing Theraplay to many different countries, including Finland, Sweden, the UK, South Korea, and Japan.  In 2004 she received the Ann M. Jernberg award for her outstanding contribution to Theraplay.

Dafna Lender,MSW, LCSW, is Training Director for The Theraplay Institute. Her focus is on helping children develop a secure attachment with their caregivers while resolving issues in their traumatic history.  She has studied Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy with Daniel Hughes and uses it in combination with Theraplay. She has worked with children in foster care and group homes within the child welfare system, as well as children adopted from foreign orphanages and children who were prenatally exposed to alcohol and drugs. She has published articles about Theraplay and DDP and contributed to the trauma and adoption chapters in the third edition of the Theraplay book.

Phyllis B. Rubin, CCC-SLP, Psy.D, is a licensed clinical psychologist and speech-language pathologist, and a Certified Theraplay trainer/supervisor, and is credentialed with the Illinois Early Intervention Program.  She is the co-author of Play With Them: Theraplay Groups in the Classroom, as well as the Group Theraplay chapter in the third edition of the Theraplay book.  She also contributed to the trauma and adoption chapters in this latest edition.  She maintains a private practice in Oak Park, Illinois, and has been trained in DDP and EMDR which she uses in combination with Theraplay.  She is a member of The Theraplay Institute’s training committee, and is the 2006 winner of the Ann M. Jernberg award for her outstanding contribution to Theraplay.

Karen Doyle Buckwalter, MSW, LCSW, is Director of Program Strategy for Chaddock, Quincy, Illinois, a multi-service agency providing a range of residential, educational, and community-based services for youth, birth through age 21, and their families.   She has worked with severely traumatized and emotionally disturbed children and adolescents in both out-patient and residential programs.  She has written numerous articles about Theraplay as well as presented at many conferences.

Susan Bundy-Myrow, PhD, is a psychologist in private practice and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Buffalo.  She has included Theraplay in her work for more than twenty years, and is particularly interested in family and group Theraplay for children with developmental disabilities.  Her writing has focused on Theraplay for children with autistic spectrum disorders and children with self-regulation problems.

A. Rand Coleman, PhD, received his doctorate from Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, PA, specializing in neuropsychology.  After completing his post-doctoral fellowship in the Division of Neuropsychiatry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania,  he received training in Attachment Based Parenting, Attachment Therapy, and EMDR.  He completed certification in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.  He worked for 3.5 years for the Devereux Foundation as the unit clinician for their Kanner Center residential program for children with severe autism, mental retardation, and dual diagnosis.  Currently in private practice, he does neuropsychological testing, Theraplay, parent training, and consultation for various schools and the Devereux Foundation.  He serves on The Theraplay Institute’s research committee, and contributed to the research chapter for the third edition of the Theraplay book.

Jean Crume, MSW, LCSW, maintains a private practice in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she has worked with children in foster care and adoptions for over 15 years.  Jean uses multiple modalities in her practice and trainings, however the theory and techniques of Theraplay are core to all her relationship work including her treatment of children with severe attachment disorders, children with pervasive developmental disorders, adults recovering from childhood abuse, couples with marital problems, and for stepfamily issues.

Mary Alice DaCosse, MS, is an elementary school teacher who conducts group Theraplay with children from early childhood to fifth grade, including special education groups and a family group.  She is a Certified Group Theraplay® Specialist and Trainer.  She contributed a chapter to Play With Them:  Theraplay in the Classroom, by Rubin and Tregay.

Bill Fuller ,MSW, LCSW, is in private practice in Little Rock, Arkansas.  He has been active in Theraplay since 1993.  His publications include articles in The Theraplay Institute Newsletter as well as a case study in Continuum describing the use of Theraplay with a child with autism.  He has used Theraplay as core material for a Masters level Child Behavior course at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.  He contributed the adolescent chapter in the third edition of the Theraplay book.

Carol Josefson, M.A, LCPC, is a therapist with Catholic Charities in Decatur, IL where she works in the Therapeutic Services Department doing individual, couple, and family therapy.  She obtained her B.S. in Nursing and worked for fifteen years as a school nurse in a public high school in Decatur.  Carol went on to obtain her M.A in Clinical Psychology in 1998.

Annie Kiermaier, LCSW, RN, clinical social worker in private practice, is a certified Theraplay.  She holds an MSW from the University of Maine at Orono, an A.D. in Nursing from the University of Maine at Augusta, and a B.A. from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana.   Annie has had a lifelong passion for helping parents and their young children have healthy, joyful attachment relationships.  She provides home-based Theraplay and parent consultation to families in Mid-Coast Maine who have children from birth to five years old.  She contributed to regulation disorder chapter in the third edition of the Theraplay book.

Paula Mercer, MSW, LCSW is a therapeutic foster/adoptive parent who uses Theraplay daily in her work with her, currently, four children.  Since 1995, she has used Theraplay in preschool and day treatment settings as well as with adoptive and foster children.  She has been a therapist for Treatment Homes, Inc., and Director of a therapeutic foster care program in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  She is currently an adjunct professor at Ouachita Baptist University and a contract mental health professional at Community Counseling Services, Inc.

Jessica Mroz Miller, LCSW, maintains a private practice in the Chicago area.  Her primary interest is in helping families with children who have attachment and trauma-related difficulties. She has studied Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy with Daniel Hughes which she uses in combination with Theraplay.  She has worked with children in foster care and group homes within the child welfare system as well as children adopted internationally and with children who were prenatally exposed to alcohol and drugs.  She has published articles about Theraplay and DDP, and contributed to trauma and adoption chapters in the third edition of the Theraplay book.  

David L. Myrow, PhD, is a psychologist in private practice and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Buffalo.  Dave has been involved with Theraplay since its inception in the 1960’s.  He has written about the attachment fostering aspects of Theraplay and edited the Theraplay newsletter.

Margery L. Rieff, PhD, LCPC, RPT/S, is a psychological and educational consultant and former Clinical Coordinator for The Theraplay Institute.  Her specialty is early intervention and young children with developmental disabilities.    She has developed two Theraplay training videos: Stretching the Umbilical Cord:  Using Theraplay to Reduce Separation Reactions in Developmentally-Disabled Toddlers and Theraplay with an Angry, Controlling Child.  Rieff is a frequent contributor to the Theraplay newsletter.

Mary Ring, MAMFC, LPC-S, LMFT-S, RPT-S, received a  B.S. in Special Ed. with Emotionally Disturbed Children from University of Houston in 1973, and for several years she taught school for various ages and grade levels.  She obtained a Masters in Marriage and Family Counseling and a Masters in Religious Education from Southwestern Seminary in 1991. For the past ten years she has worked as a counselor for The Juliana Poor Memorial Counseling Center at Houston’s First Baptist Church  She has worked extensively in Latvia, teaching Theraplay for use in orphanages and schools there, and most recently taught about Theraplay in South Africa.  She has presented at numerous conferences.

Michelle Robison, MSW, LCSW, is Associate Director of Clinical Services at Chaddock, Quincy, IL, in their residential treatment program for adolescents with trauma and attachment-based problems.  She has presented on the topics of Attachment and Theraplay® at both local and national levels. Michelle is a co-contributor to the recently published book, “Creating Capacity for Attachment”.   

Marlo Winstead, MSW, LCSW, RPT, is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Kansas, and serves as the Training/Mental Health Consultant for Kansas City Urban Youth Center.  She has more than nine years experience working with children, adolescents and families in a range of settings and environments.  Initially trained in Non-Directive Play Therapy, she is also skilled in Directive Play Therapy techniques such as Theraplay, Sandtray therapy, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and Filial therapy. Marlo also uses Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) to assist clients in the resolution of trauma.

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Canada

Heather Lawrence, MSW, RSW, is in private practice in Ontario

Evangeline Munns, PhD, C Psych, RPT/S, is the former Clinical Director of play therapy services at Blue Hills Child and Family Services in Aurora, Ontario, Canada.  She is the editor of the book, Theraplay: Innovations in Attachment-Enhancing Play Therapy, and has written numerous articles and presented at many conferences.

Lorie Walton, MEd, is in private practice in Ontario, Canada, and a contract therapist for the York Region Abuse Program.

Joan Wilson, M.Ed., has over two decades of experience working with children, adolescents, and their families.  In her private practice and as a team leader with a children's mental health agency, Joan focuses her efforts on attachment and trauma work using Theraplay and DDP.

Finland

Eira Eklund. MA, works at the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare in Espoo.

Riikka Korja

Päivi Korkeaoja, MA, is a psychologist at the Child Psychiatric Clinic of Tampere University Hospital.

Minna Laakso, is a psychologist at the Child Psychiatric Out-Patient Clinic at Porvoo Hospital.

Lotta Lassenius-Panula, MD, is a child psychiatrist in Helsinki, Finland, where she also serves on the board of The Finnish Theraplay Association.

Jukka Mäkelä, MD, is a child psychiatrist in Helsinki, Finland, and Development Manager, Section for Children, Adolescents and Families for the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.  He is the chair of the Finnish Theraplay Association, a Theraplay researcher and author of numerous articles about Theraplay.

Saara Salo, Ph.D., is a developmental psychologist in Helsinki, Finland.

Sinikka Savola, is a Group Theraplay Trainer and special education teacher who has brought Theraplay to Botswana and Tanzania to work with AIDS orphans and children with developmental delays.

Pirjo Tuovila, Psychologist

Ilona Vierikko, RN, is with SOS Children’s Villages in Finland, and has worked extensively with training support workers for AIDS orphans and their families in Botswana.

 

Germany

Ulrike Franke,, SLP, RPT/S is a speech-language pathologist in Heidelberg, Germany, where she uses Theraplay with language and behavior disordered children.  She translated the first edition of the Theraplay book into German, wrote about the Marschak Interaction Method, and has published a number of articles.  Since 1995, she has been the editor of a journal about Theraplay.  She has conducted Theraplay training throughout the German-speaking world.