Meet the Team
Laura Rosenberg
Laura is the Practice Manager of Playroom Therapy. She is also a Registered Play Therapist and a Registered Mental Health Social Worker, who is passionate about working with children and families. Laura is committed to supporting children to reach their potential and to heal from difficult experiences through the therapeutic powers of play.
Laura is experienced in supporting children, families and educators to address a broad range of childhood difficulties, including social-emotional challenges, behavioural issues and making sense of change and traumatic experiences. With professional background in family violence and foster care, Laura has a special interest in working collaboratively with parents and carers to strengthen parent-child relationships and address childhood trauma.
Having completed her Masters of Child Play Therapy through Deakin University, Laura works from a Humanistic framework and is also trained in ‘Learn to Play’ therapy.
Laura is a registered Child Play Therapist with the Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association (APPTA), a registered Mental Health Social Worker with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), an accredited 'Learn to Play' Therapist.
Felicity Odgers
Felicity is a registered Play Therapist with Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association (APPTA) and served on the board of this organization as Chair of Policy and Ethics from 2019 – 2022. Felicity holds a Masters of Child Play Therapy from Deakin and has a deep passion for learning and advocating for Play Therapy in Australia.
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Felicity’s background in Primary education saw her living and teaching in two remote communities in Central Australia and the Kimberely region of WA. Her time learning from First Nations people, instilled in her a passion for working with children in a way that honors the important role of family, community, culture, and also collaborates with school staff and other allied professionals. Underpinning her work, is the deep belief in all children’s innate ability to learn, grow and heal. She enjoys building relationships and entering the world of children through play. Felicity is also a mother of two young children, and understands the unique challenges of parenting in today's climate.
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Felicity values deep listening, and is committed to sensitively holding space for people seeking support or information around Play Therapy.
Trish
Before returning to study, Trish was a paediatric audiologist for over 10 years where she worked with children, teenagers, and young adults with hearing difficulties, and supported them and their families by understanding their unique needs, values and goals. She recognised that while this early identification and intervention was extremely important, her real passion was the long-term emotional and psychological wellbeing of her clients which led her to Play Therapy.
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Trish is passionate about helping children understand their world through play. She trusts in the child’s own ability to use play to share their feelings and experiences, and through the therapeutic relationship to problem solve and develop their own positive outcomes. She enjoys working collaboratively with families, their communities and other professionals involved in the child’s life. Trish brings a warm, empathic, and playful approach to her work supporting children and their families.
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Trish is a Registered Play Therapist and is accredited in Learn to Play, Humanistic Play therapy and Filial Therapy.
Natalie
Natalie understands that play is the most powerful and natural way for children to communicate. She wants to help children find a voice through the Therapeutic Powers of Play so that they can move towards healing and achieve the best developmental, emotional and social outcomes. Natalie believes in nurturing each child’s socio-emotional health from early in life to ensure a sound foundation for a happy, healthy and well-adjusted adulthood.
Natalie understands the critical role played by the family and the child’s wider community as well as the impact of unique, early life experiences and the way these have been processed and understood. Natalie is welcoming and encouraging of including parents and carers in the therapeutic process, and has seen firsthand how healing and transformative their presence and role can be. Natalie is passionate about helping to enhance the understanding of challenging behaviours through a neuroscience and attachment lens and to support the development of relational approaches in navigating them. Natalie’s special interests include Trauma, Attachment & Anxiety.
Natalie holds a Master of Child Play Therapy from Deakin University, where she trained in Learn to Play and as a Child Centred Play Therapist & Filial Therapist. Natalie is a Registered Clinical Supervisor in Play Therapy (APPTA RPT-S), a Casual Academic at Deakin University and has served on the Board of Directors at APPTA (Australasian Pacific Play Therapy Association), the peak Play Therapy registering body. Natalie has also undertaken further training in Theraplay, TraumaPlay, Family Play Therapy and Family Attachment Narrative Therapy, Group CCPT and is a Parent Learn to Play trainer. Natalie is a trained TORA (Teacher Optimal Relationship Approach) and CORA (Contextualised Optimal Relationship Approach) Facilitator for teachers and allied health professionals and works as a Consultant within the Education sector, where she was previously a Primary School Teacher for 15 years.
Lisa
Lisa is a registered Play Therapist and registered Social Worker. Lisa has more than 8 years experience working with children and families within the disability sector, in family violence support and recovery and family services. Alongside play therapy Lisa also currently works as a Youth Mental Health Clinician at Headspace.
Lisa has a strong belief in children's right to safety, acceptance and the freedom to reach their full potential. Lisa is passionate about working alongside the systems in a child’s life to create lasting sustainable change. Lisa provides an empathetic, warm, accepting and therapeutic space for children to freely explore their inner world through play. Lisa believes. that within the play therapy context, children have an incredible capacity to build their own coping skills, resilience, self-esteem and inner confidence to face life’s ongoing challenges.
Lisa has a special interest in supporting attachment and trust within the parent-child relationship to support children’s healthy ongoing development.
Lisa is a member of the AASW (Australian Association of Social Works). Lisa is also accredited in ‘Learn to Play’ Therapy. Lisa works out of both the Eastern and Southern Clinics. Currently on extended leave.
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Shoshi
For Shoshi; the playroom is a magical and welcoming place, where children can use their most natural method of communication – PLAY! Shoshi is passionate about children using the playroom to safely explore and process a wide variety of their life experiences, and learn healthy new ways to cope with all things tricky.
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Shoshi has a wealth of experience as a Social Worker in Hospital based child and family focused work, with particular interest in family violence and grief/loss. Shoshi also has significant experience working with children with additional needs, in the facilitation of social-skills based programs.
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Shoshi loves all things creative, and has a life-long passion for fashion, sewing and general out-of-the-box creating!
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Shoshi has a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) a Post Graduate Diploma in Therapeutic Child Play, a Masters of Child Play Therapy, and is also trained in the ‘Learn to Play’ Play Therapy modality.
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Beth
Beth Sackville is an APPTA registered Child Play Therapist, and AHPRA registered physiotherapist. She has a playful passion for supporting children and parents, with a keen interest in movement, music and creative expression. Beth believes in the power of positive experiences in the playroom and tries to laugh with her clients as much as possible.
After graduating from La Trobe University in 2005 with a BA in Physiotherapy, Beth worked in various areas of the profession, such as orthopaedics, clinical Pilates and lymphoedema therapy. She lived and worked abroad for many years, building a business and working with clientele young and old.
On her return to Melbourne, Beth reignited her desire to work with children and families, beginning her Play Therapy journey with the Masters of Child Play Therapy through Deakin University.
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Meg
Meg is an APPTA registered Play Therapist, having completed the Master of Child Play Therapy at Deakin University.
Prior to working as a Play Therapist, Meg worked as an Early Childhood Teacher for 10 years, as well as a consultant supporting educational services to develop inclusive practices. Meg is passionate about neuro-diverse inclusive practices, and is experienced working with children and families with ADHD and Autism.
Meg’s other big passion is nature based therapy, and in 2021 her research was published in the British Journal of Play Therapy. Meg has also been privileged to co-author a chapter on the therapeutic power of playing outside, published in 2022.
Meg is focussed on working in partnership with families and has a strong developmental knowledge to accompany her therapeutic skills. Meg is also keen to continue working with teachers and educators to support their knowledge of inclusion and therapeutic practices within schools and kindergartens.
Meg is trained in Humanistic Play Therapy, Filial Play Therapy and Learn to Play Therapy, and uses an integrative approach within her therapy practice.
Rayyan
Rayyan is a registered Child Play Therapist. She is accredited in Learn to Play, Humanistic Play Therapy and Filial Therapy. Rayyan has a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of children, with a particular focus on early development.
Having volunteered for over two years as a disability support worker, Rayyan is confidently able to work within a range of situations in which the needs of others are integral. She upholds a strong desire to empower children to heal through play therapy. Rayyan believes that through creating a safe and trusting environment for children, they can express their inner world, including their thoughts, feelings and experiences using their natural language
of play. Through a client-centred approach, she collaborates with clients, family members and their respective multidisciplinary teams during the therapeutic process. Rayyan values building a therapeutic bond when working towards achieving therapeutic goals and positive outcomes with her clients.
Rayyan is a Monash University graduate with a Bachelor of Psychological Science and has further attained a Masters of Child Play Therapy, and a Graduate Certificate of Disability and Inclusion from Deakin University.
Emily
Emily has completed her Masters of Child Play Therapy and is registered with APPTA (Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association). She hold qualifications in Learn to Play, Humanistic Play Therapy and Filial Therapy. Emily is passionate about the emotional well-being of every child, and operates within a child-centred approach.
Emily has worked with children for many years as a swimming teacher and coach, where the foundations of trust and safety are utilised in order to develop confidence and competency in water skills. Working with children from ages 3-17 she has worked with a variety of people, assisting in supporting children and families to achieve their water safety goals.
Emily believes in involving the system around the child to promote therapeutic change. Through her experience working with families, she has a welcoming and supportive approach, to best address the needs of the child and how the people around them can also play a part in their healing.
Emily is passionate about encouraging and supporting children to be their authentic selves, with a warm and empathetic presence to allow for expression through play. Emily holds the belief that in the play therapy context, children are capable of navigating their own healing. Play therapy is a wonderful space for children to fully express themselves and be accepted as they are.
Emily has a Bachelor of Criminology and Psychology from RMIT and has studied a Master’s of Child Play Therapy at Deakin University.
Jean
Jean has successfully completed a Master's of Child Play Therapy at Deakin University and is a registered Play Therapist with APPTA (Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association). Jean has a diverse professional background with previous experience working as a teacher, early intervention professional and Child Life Therapist. Throughout her experience Jean’s passion is to empower families that care for a child with additional needs, children who are considered vulnerable and at risk and also those who are culturally and linguistically diverse.
Jean considers play as the foundation for children’s health, development and well-being. In her experience PLAY is imperative for the future development of all children so they can become happy and healthy. Within her session’s she utilises the therapeutic powers of play, a safe and secure environment and a trusting therapeutic relationship to support the child’s healing, learning, or self-discovery process. Family centred practice is a core component for Jean as she works with children and families. Jean believes in building the capacity of the carers as they are the experts about understanding their child’s strengths, interest and needs. Jean has witnessed how play can be the vehicle and change agent that supports children to work through and communicate their inner thoughts and feelings.
Jean is a Registered Play Therapist and is trained in Humanistic Play Therapy, Learn to Play therapy and Filial Family therapy.
