Who We Are

Who We Are?

Play Therapy Australia offers Play Therapy sessions for Children, Clinical Supervision for professionals and the 2008 Play Therapy Australia Training Program, in Hamilton Hill, Western Australia in a relaxing tropical garden setting.

Play Therapy Training is held at the following venues in different states of Australia:

· Maria's on the Terrace & the Costa Azurra Function Centre in the Fremantle area of Western Australia close to many wonderful cafes.

· Friends Meeting House in Kelvin Grove, Brisbane which is set in a lovely subtropical rainforest.

· The Downtowner on Lygon Hotel in the heart of cosmopolitan Carlton, Melbourne & where there are many wonderful cafes and restaurants

· The Kilbride Centre in Albert Park, Melbourne; a very nurturing environment & opposite the beach.

· The Vibe Hotel Rushcutters, in lovely Rushcutters Bay, Sydney.

Jill Pagotto: Director of Play Therapy Australia

BEd,CertRebal,DipChildPsych,PGradDipArtTherapy, MAArtTherapy

Jill is a Child Therapist and Play Therapist specializing in Child Centered Play Therapy and is the Director of Play Therapy Australia.

Jill’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Education, Certificate of Rebalancing Bodywork, Diploma of Child Psychotherapy (Play Therapy), Post Graduate Diploma of Arts in Art Therapy & a Masters of Arts in Art Therapy.

In addition to her training in Australia, Jill has also attended the Summer Institute Program & Intensive Supervision Process at the Center for Play Therapy, University of North Texas - the world’s largest Play Therapy training center. She also attended the first Experiential Play Therapy Conference and workshop series in California.

Jill has had over 20 years experience working in a range of roles with children, adults and families in schools, education, welfare, residential and foster care settings. This has included working with the Education Department of Western Australia, Mercy Community Services and the Department for Community Development.

In addition to her clinical work with children, Jill offers professional training, clinical supervision and consultancy in Play Therapy and coordinates the Play Therapy clinical training programs.

Jill has a special interest in Pre & Perinatal Psychology & the power of the relationship & Child Centered Play Therapy, for healing and growth in children who have experienced early trauma.

Jill is registered with the Psychotherapy & Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA Reg. 21334), is a Clinical Member of the Psychotherapists and Counsellors Association of Western Australia (PACAWA), an International Member of the Association for Play Therapy USA and a Member of the Association for Pre & Perinatal Psychology & Health.

Natalie McKenzie: Training Support Role

BSW,PGCertClPlTherapy

Natalie’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) & Post Graduate Certificate of Clinical Play Therapy. She is a member of the Australian Association Social Workers, the Association for Play Therapy (USA) & the Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association.

Natalie has been employed as a Community Support Worker at the Community Support Centre Innisfail Inc. over the past 8 years. Natalie’s role has included providing Child Centered Play Therapy sessions for children experiencing a variety of difficulties including self esteem, bullying, parental separation, disability, grief and loss & providing counselling services for adults. She has also been involved in developing & providing educational, recreational and therapeutic programs for children and adults; assisting with the development and facilitation of training & the planning and facilitation of community development initiatives. Natalie has provided professional supervision as part of and outside of, her employment role and has an interest in, and passion for, enhancing her own professional development and that of others.

Natalie has also been in close connection with the Cambodia Orphan Save Organisation in Cambodia over the past 1.5 years and is the voluntary founder and President of COSO Connections (Australia), a registered Charity established to provide assistance and support to the children being supported by the Cambodia Orphan Save Organisation. As part of this voluntary role, she has gained experience in the establishment and management of an organisation and above all has gained experience in interacting and connecting closely with children of another cultural background. Natalie has a passion for connecting with and learning from all of the children of the world and hopes to share some of her passion for working with children with others.

Specialist Trainers

There are a number of specialist Trainers who have presented in the Play Therapy Australia training programs. These include: Dr Julie Stone, Child Psychaitrist; Helen Kershaw, Social Worker & Play Therapist; Dr Steve Armstrong, Assistant Professor at the Department of Counseling at Texas A & M University-Commerce, Registered Play Therapist & Play Therapy Supervisor with the Association of Play Therapy (APT) USA who presented Play Therapy Australia’s first Filial Play Therapy workshop in 2005; Dr Marc Joffe, Psychologist & Psychotherapist; Doris Neuwerth, Psychotherapist; Karen Anderson, Counsellor & Psychotherapist; Frankie Needham, Counsellor & Play Therapist and Dr Godfrey Barrett-Lennard, Honorary Fellow in Psychology at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia.

Supervision Faculty

The Play Therapy Australia Supervision Faculty has excellent clinical supervisors from Australia and the USA, to support those in the Post Graduate Certificate of Clinical Play Therapy course for their Play Therapy Practicum.

The Clinical Supervisors from Australia & the USA include: Jill Pagotto, Judith Morgan, Helen Kershaw, Dr William Nordling, Dr Rise Van Fleet, Dr Emily Oe & Cindy Snisnak.

The clinical supervisors are highly skilled and experienced in the field of Child Centered Play Therapy, offering a very enriching clinical supervision experience. Play Therapy Australia also provides those in the training programs with the opportunity to work with some of the world leaders in Child Centered Play Therapy.

Consultants:

There are also a number of consultants who offer invaluable support and advice in relation to Play Therapy Australia & workshops and training programs.

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Thanks:

Many thanks go to all those who have contributed to the development of Play Therapy Australia and to those involved in Training sessions, in offering Clinical Supervision and Consultancy. I would like to express special thanks and deep gratitude to Dr Sally Kester & Ean James for their support, faith & heartfulness in helping bring this vision into being & to Dr Garry Landreth for his inspiration, heart and passion for Child Centered Play Therapy and for his support, kindness & generosity.

Expressions of Interest Sought:

If you are experienced and trained in Non Directive Child Centered Play Therapy and are interested in being involved in training and/or Clinical Supervision of trainees, I would very much like to hear from you. Also expressions of interest are sought from trainers in specialist fields such as child protection, child development, loss & grief and suicide risk assessment.

Play Therapy Australia | Telephone: 08 9433 2288 / 0415 138 857 | PO Box 235 Fremantle WA 6959 Australia | info@playtherapyaustralia.com