Why book Teresa?
Booking Teresa as your keynote speaker, trainer or for any other speaking engagement will bring your organization knowledge, expertise and playfulness. She brings a wealth of unique experiences from her extensive background in teaching and counseling children, teens and families who have experienced trauma and challenging relationships. She has extensive experience in parent-child relationships, Play Therapy and EMDR.
With over three decades of leadership, training and parenting and family experience, Teresa has helped many businesses launch with confidence, companies improve productivity and dynamics on teams, reached 1000s of parents and children in her counseling practice, and supported countless licensed professionals through supervision and consultation with Play Therapy and EMDR certifications. She has taught from pre-kindergarten from kindergarten to the college level, where she is an adjunct instructor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Throughout her professional career, she has provided professional trainings for leadership teams, childcare centers and other education teams, for parenting groups and for professional continuing education. She has volunteered serving orphanages and other non-profit organizations to improve daily functioning and satisfaction with infants, children and families. These specific experiences have provided Teresa with a lifespan of expertise to inform and engage your attendees with your desired speaking engagements.
Teresa is an experienced business leader and entrepreneur, where she owns a successful group mental health practice. She has developed systems that support policies and procedures, aligned for delivering ethical and high quality mental health services. This includes leadership in varying industries, building administrative teams, billing insurance and private pay practices for mental health companies, leading teams with collaborative and respectful communication, conflict resolution, while focusing on individual and collective wellness.
Training and Experience to support speaking engagements
Teresa received a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development and a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling.
She has furthered her professional training and expertise by pursuing and receiving post-graduate certification in Play Therapy, EMDR and is a board approved clinical supervisor for LPCs in Kansas, and PLPCs in Missouri.
Teresa is also a Registered Play Therapist – Supervisor™ and an EMDR Approved Consultant.
Through her counseling practice, Embark Counseling Services, she provides continuing education as a provider for the Association for Play Therapy, EMDRIA (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association), NBCC (National Board of Certified Counselors), and ASWB (American Social Work Board) as an ACE (Approved Continuing Education) provider.
She currently is a member of the American Counseling Association, and is the President of the Kansas Counseling Association (2022-2024), and a Board Member of the Missouri Association for Play Therapy (2022-2024).
Teresa is also an adjunct instructor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she continues to provide guidance, instruction and supervision to budding counselors as they pursue their Master’s Degree.
Speaking Engagement Topics
For Play Therapists
Family Systems Trauma: Strengthening Families by Securing Attachment
Developmental Trauma in the Play Therapy Process
Playful Approaches for Suicidality in the Play Room
Conceptualization and Ethics in Play Therapy
Building your Play Therapy Practice
For Education Professionals
Supporting Students with Special Needs in the Classroom Community
Techniques Supporting the Teacher-Child Relationship
When Trauma Shows Up in the Classroom
For EMDR Therapists
Integrating Child Centered Play Therapy and EMDR
For Business Professionals and Organizations
Navigating Communication and Conflict Within Your Team
Using the MBTI to Streamline Operations and Structure
Principle Practice Building
For Parenting
How to Parent Effectively: Communication and Connection
Child Development: 101 The Early Years
Child Development: 201 Navigating the Teen Years
Technology: How to Manage in a World that Keeps Changing