Licensed Therapist [LCSW-QS, RPT]

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Qualified Supervisor in Florida, Registered Play Therapist, and a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist. I have obtained a master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Florida State University, a postgraduate certificate in Play Therapy from the University of Wyoming, and a postgraduate certificate in Equine Assisted Mental Health from the University of Denver.  I am currently working on my certification in Animal Assisted Play Therapy. 

For the past 20 years, I have worked with children and their families as a psychosocial, individual, and group counselor, case manager, elementary school teacher, tutor, and now as a trauma-informed children’s behavioral health therapist utilizing play therapy techniques. 

Child-Centered Play Therapy, Synergetic Play Therapy, Instinctual Response to Trauma Method, and Child-Parent Relationship Therapy are my biggest influences when working with children and their families to connect, heal, and grow through play. I believe that when children are given a chance to lead, explore, and demonstrate their own resiliency—they are given the opportunity to grow, heal, and change from within. 

At Play Heal Grow, children are provided a safe and regulated atmosphere where they feel comfortable being themselves and freely communicate through play.  I work with children to help them explore and process their thoughts, problems, emotions, and regulation through play. 

Through parent support, I work to empower parents with skills to help their children navigate emotional needs, self-regulation, and build self-resiliency at home and in their daily lives. I support parents in understanding their emotional needs within the parental relationship, understanding their own windows of tolerance, and how to model self-regulation for their children.

Licensed Therapist [LMHC, RPT]

We are happy to anounce that MV Kline Counseling is partnering with Play Heal Grow Counseling! 

Mary Virginia is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Tampa, Florida. MV graduated from The University of Florida with her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Disabilities in Society. She holds a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling and a specialization in Education from UF. Mary Virginia is also a registered play therapist through The Association for Play Therapy. 

MV has significant experience as a pediatric therapist working with children with a broad array of needs. Specifically, she specializes in Autism and early childhood mental health. MV is a neurodivergent-affirming therapist who believes in using Play Therapy to support children with Autism. Additionally, Mary Virginia has advanced training in early childhood mental health. MV will soon complete her certification to be an Instinctual Trauma Response Certified Trauma Specialist. Mary Virginia has clinical experience treating children in a large, multidisciplinary clinical setting. MV collaborated with occupational therapists, physical therapists, and case managers to holistically support her clients. MV continued to subscribe to this comprehensive approach to treatment in a nonprofit setting and now, in private practice. Additionally, MV developed skills for addressing school-based issues through her work in a Catholic K-8 school, supporting students with various behavioral, social, and emotional issues. MV utilizes Play Therapy to treat her clients. Play therapy supports children in accessing their full potential through its unique environment and connective child/counselor relationship. Play Therapy is an evidence-based, developmentally appropriate approach for treating children. Children have not developed the ability to verbally communicate their needs, emotions, and experiences in a way that consistently promotes deep and effective processing. Play therapy allows children to process their experiences in their own language: Play. This modality permits children to externalize their experiences, which assists them in experiencing the safety that is required to process stressful events. This play-based therapy can help children develop a positive self-concept, greater self-reliance, healthy coping skills, and much more. 

MV also has extensive experience in parent coaching. She is available to meet with parents, individually, to support them in developing skills to respond to their child’s unique needs and temperament. Additionally, MV collaborates with schools and various programs to coordinate psychoeducational groups for children. These groups can center around various subject matter. Groups may include Autism social skills support, emotional regulation for kids with ADHD, and coping skills for anxious children. 

Mary Virginia also uses her experience in working with children in her practice with adults. MV supports adults in processing childhood experiences, through a developmental lens, to support them in developing self-compassion and understanding. She also assists adults in recognizing self-defeating patterns and setting proactive goals to develop the agency to move forward. MV supports adults experiencing life changes, grief, ADHD, Autism, and anxiety. MV believes in providing her clients a safe, accepting environment to explore their emotions, decisions, and needs. MV believes in advocating for clients to reach their full potential. She is passionate about witnessing clients discover their strengths. MV is honored when her clients permit her to enter their world and participate in this unique process.

https://sites.google.com/view/mv-kline-counseling/home?authuser=0

BS Mechanical Engineering

BS Business Management

MS Materials Science and Engineering

I am a mechanical, materials, magnet, and nuclear design engineer with experience in management, logistics, design, and analysis. I have committed my career to advancing high temperature superconductor-based magnets for fusion and high energy physics research. I am Cindy’s husband and father to our three awesome kids who provide us with plenty of on the job play therapy training.

I support Cindy in her therapy practice by creating and updating intake and therapy forms, regulatory compliance, IT support, administrative support, scheduling, accounting, toy repair and assembly, and anything else on my honey-do list!

You can email me at ZackJohnson@PlayHealGrowCounseling.com with any non-therapeutic questions.