Betsy Craft LCSW, RPT-S
Betsy is a holistic therapist who enjoys helping both children and adults move toward emotional, spiritual, and physical health. Betsy has a B.A. from Wheaton College and an M.S.W. from Aurora University with an emphasis on children and families. Betsy is a licensed clinical social worker, registered play therapist supervisor and sandplay practitioner.
Betsy has over 25 years of experience as a psychotherapist and has maintained a thriving private practice for many years. She also has experience working in schools as a social worker and counselor. Betsy has served as an adjunct professor at McDaniel College and Temple University for the Play Therapy Certificate Program. She is pursuing her passion of sandplay and will soon become a certified sandplay therapist.
Many hours of training in play and art therapy have prepared Betsy well to provide both short and long term treatment to people of all ages. She is well versed in both directive and nondirective therapy approaches to address issues including: divorce, grief, abuse, trauma, self-esteem, adoption, phobias, ADHD, school failure, social skills, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, marital issues, and infertility.
Betsy is a holistic therapist who enjoys helping both children and adults move toward emotional, spiritual, and physical health. Betsy has a B.A. from Wheaton College and an M.S.W. from Aurora University with an emphasis on children and families. Betsy is a licensed clinical social worker, registered play therapist supervisor and sandplay practitioner.
Betsy has over 25 years of experience as a psychotherapist and has maintained a thriving private practice for many years. She also has experience working in schools as a social worker and counselor. Betsy has served as an adjunct professor at McDaniel College and Temple University for the Play Therapy Certificate Program. She is pursuing her passion of sandplay and will soon become a certified sandplay therapist.
Many hours of training in play and art therapy have prepared Betsy well to provide both short and long term treatment to people of all ages. She is well versed in both directive and nondirective therapy approaches to address issues including: divorce, grief, abuse, trauma, self-esteem, adoption, phobias, ADHD, school failure, social skills, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, marital issues, and infertility.
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Brandon Lillie MSW, LSW
Prior to employment at The Center, Brandon worked for seven years as a behavioral health case manager in Lancaster County serving adults. Brandon is a licensed Social Worker in the state of Pennsylvania and earned his graduate and undergraduate degrees in Social Work from Millersville University. By meeting clients where they are and in the context of their lives, Brandon connects his social work perspective to his therapeutic practice. Brandon has a real passion for therapy and is especially drawn to experiential therapy approaches which inspired him to acquire a certification in Expressive Arts Therapy. Brandon's approach utilizes Expressive Arts interventions that blend classic models such as Psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavioral therapy with creative activities. Brandon also uses humanist approaches such as non-directive Child Centered Play Therapy which weaves therapy with genuineness, appropriate empathy, and acceptance to promote a person's natural growth. Brandon believes that quality therapy can serve to help people during tough times by providing a catalyst for insight as well as assisting people in developing the skills they need to manage their lives and promote their move toward wholeness. Brandon sees the collaborative relationship as the cornerstone of good therapy and is energized by the opportunities that therapy provides to authentically connect with children, adolescents, and adults to witness their ability to grow, adapt, and heal. |
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Jennifer Klahold MSW, LSW
Jenny graduated with her Bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor in Studio Art from Millersville University in May 2015. She then received her Master's in Social Work from Millersville University in May 2017. She is a licensed Social Worker who is working rapidly towards her clinical license and to becoming a registered play therapist. She uses directive and non-directive child-centered play therapy techniques to address anxiety, ADHD, divorce, mood, anger, trauma, grief and self-esteem. Her goal is to meet the child where they are, and be/do what the child need in beginning the road of working towards a healthier sense of well-being. |
Brooke Hoffman, LPC, ATR-BC
Brooke is a licensed professional counselor and art therapist, passionate about advocating for treatment in the creative arts and increasing mental health awareness in children and adolescents. She earned her Masters degree specializing in Art Therapy from George Washington University located in D.C. and her Bachelors of Fine Art from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Her experience has been with children, adolescents, juvenile offenders and their families in various settings; inpatient hospitalization, school, community-based programs such as mental health treatment court and in-home services.
By using art-based directives as a tool for engagement and a client-centered approach to therapy, Brooke strives to build trusting, empathic relationships with clients to create a safe place for processing trauma and difficult emotions that may lead to maladaptive behaviors. Brooke is trained in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral therapy and has a broad knowledge base to support clients and their families through trauma recovery. Her experience in working with juvenile offenders in the mental health treatment court system and students in a self-contained classroom identifed with trauma histories has greatly enhanced her attunement skills to enhance emotion regulation, while broadening her understanding of various systems. Some other concerns that Brooke has experience in providing therapeutic services are anxiety, self-esteem, ADHD, anger, difficulty with relationships or transitions, grief & loss, and depression.
Brooke is a licensed professional counselor and art therapist, passionate about advocating for treatment in the creative arts and increasing mental health awareness in children and adolescents. She earned her Masters degree specializing in Art Therapy from George Washington University located in D.C. and her Bachelors of Fine Art from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Her experience has been with children, adolescents, juvenile offenders and their families in various settings; inpatient hospitalization, school, community-based programs such as mental health treatment court and in-home services.
By using art-based directives as a tool for engagement and a client-centered approach to therapy, Brooke strives to build trusting, empathic relationships with clients to create a safe place for processing trauma and difficult emotions that may lead to maladaptive behaviors. Brooke is trained in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral therapy and has a broad knowledge base to support clients and their families through trauma recovery. Her experience in working with juvenile offenders in the mental health treatment court system and students in a self-contained classroom identifed with trauma histories has greatly enhanced her attunement skills to enhance emotion regulation, while broadening her understanding of various systems. Some other concerns that Brooke has experience in providing therapeutic services are anxiety, self-esteem, ADHD, anger, difficulty with relationships or transitions, grief & loss, and depression.
Melissa Kut, MSW, LSW
Emily Stetler, PhD, MSW, LSW
Emily joins The Center as a Licensed Social Worker, working toward clinical licensure and certification as a Registered Play Therapist. Her journey to The Center has taken her on a rambling route. In 2001, she obtained a BA in linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania. She then embarked on a career in theology, taking masters degrees from Notre Dame and Trinity College Dublin and then a PhD in theology from Notre Dame in 2012. Her dissertation focused on human personhood in light of trauma and suffering. After teaching at the university level for four years, Emily followed her desire to respond more concretely to the challenges of human personhood by working directly with people in a therapeutic context. She began an MSW at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, which she completed in 2018.
Through her discovering of play therapy, Emily has come to recognize that all people—children and adults—have within themselves the capacity to protect and care for themselves; she utilizes both play therapy and talk therapy to help clients uncover and develop the resilience that they already possess. Emily sees children, adolescents, and adults, including seniors. She works primarily from relational and psychodynamic approaches, affirming the individual person and the person’s unique experiences as the heart of the therapeutic process. She focuses on depression, anxiety, relationship and social difficulties, attachment issues, eating disorders, grief, and life transitions.
Emily joins The Center as a Licensed Social Worker, working toward clinical licensure and certification as a Registered Play Therapist. Her journey to The Center has taken her on a rambling route. In 2001, she obtained a BA in linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania. She then embarked on a career in theology, taking masters degrees from Notre Dame and Trinity College Dublin and then a PhD in theology from Notre Dame in 2012. Her dissertation focused on human personhood in light of trauma and suffering. After teaching at the university level for four years, Emily followed her desire to respond more concretely to the challenges of human personhood by working directly with people in a therapeutic context. She began an MSW at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, which she completed in 2018.
Through her discovering of play therapy, Emily has come to recognize that all people—children and adults—have within themselves the capacity to protect and care for themselves; she utilizes both play therapy and talk therapy to help clients uncover and develop the resilience that they already possess. Emily sees children, adolescents, and adults, including seniors. She works primarily from relational and psychodynamic approaches, affirming the individual person and the person’s unique experiences as the heart of the therapeutic process. She focuses on depression, anxiety, relationship and social difficulties, attachment issues, eating disorders, grief, and life transitions.
Andrew Rupert, M.Ed., LPC, NCC, NCSC, RPT
Andrew graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Elementary and Kindergarten Education in 1997 and a Master of Education degree in School Counseling in 2001. After 11 years of being an elementary school counselor, Andrew decided that he wanted to use his counseling training more regularly. He felt that his personality and skills would be more beneficial to children in a therapeutic setting instead of an academic one.
He has been a National Certified Counselor since June of 2002 and became a National Certified School Counselor in October of 2008. Andrew learned about the concept of play therapy while in his master’s program. The thought of helping children heal through their natural language of play made sense and Andrew was determined to advance his knowledge and skill in this specialty.
Andrew began receiving play therapy supervision not long after graduation and attended Temple University at Harrisburg where he received a post-master’s certificate in play therapy. He became a Registered Play Therapist in 2012. After ending his career as an elementary school counselor he pursued the long path of obtaining a mental health license at a community based agency where he worked as a Behavior Specialist Consultant, a Mobile Therapist, and an Outpatient clinician.
Andrew’s primary approach is Child Centered Play Therapy, but he will incorporate direct techniques as needed. He encourages parents to take advantage of his experience as a school counselor and to talk with him about matters that may affect their child’s academic work. He enjoys working with children who are experiencing depression and anxiety symptoms. He likes working with children who are experiencing divorce, grief, and low self-esteem. Andrew encourages parents to be involved in the healing process and will have them join in on
sessions from time to time.
Andrew graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Elementary and Kindergarten Education in 1997 and a Master of Education degree in School Counseling in 2001. After 11 years of being an elementary school counselor, Andrew decided that he wanted to use his counseling training more regularly. He felt that his personality and skills would be more beneficial to children in a therapeutic setting instead of an academic one.
He has been a National Certified Counselor since June of 2002 and became a National Certified School Counselor in October of 2008. Andrew learned about the concept of play therapy while in his master’s program. The thought of helping children heal through their natural language of play made sense and Andrew was determined to advance his knowledge and skill in this specialty.
Andrew began receiving play therapy supervision not long after graduation and attended Temple University at Harrisburg where he received a post-master’s certificate in play therapy. He became a Registered Play Therapist in 2012. After ending his career as an elementary school counselor he pursued the long path of obtaining a mental health license at a community based agency where he worked as a Behavior Specialist Consultant, a Mobile Therapist, and an Outpatient clinician.
Andrew’s primary approach is Child Centered Play Therapy, but he will incorporate direct techniques as needed. He encourages parents to take advantage of his experience as a school counselor and to talk with him about matters that may affect their child’s academic work. He enjoys working with children who are experiencing depression and anxiety symptoms. He likes working with children who are experiencing divorce, grief, and low self-esteem. Andrew encourages parents to be involved in the healing process and will have them join in on
sessions from time to time.
Melinda Kreis, BSME
Melinda is our Practice Manager. Melinda came to us with 19 years of post-college life experiences that include obtaining a mechanical engineering degree from University of South Carolina and working in the water treatment industry as a field service engineer traveling all over the southeast for 14 of those years. Fate and friendship led her to Betsy’s office, which was in need of someone to help with insurance billing. This quickly manifested into a much bigger role and now Melinda is instrumental in the overall day-to-day practice operations.
Melinda is our Practice Manager. Melinda came to us with 19 years of post-college life experiences that include obtaining a mechanical engineering degree from University of South Carolina and working in the water treatment industry as a field service engineer traveling all over the southeast for 14 of those years. Fate and friendship led her to Betsy’s office, which was in need of someone to help with insurance billing. This quickly manifested into a much bigger role and now Melinda is instrumental in the overall day-to-day practice operations.
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Lisa Harris, MS
Lisa brings an eclectic mix of experience in her work to help children, adolescents, and families in their journey to achieve wholeness and healing, as well as her work in helping The Center for Creative Arts and Play Therapy to begin its offering of professional development to local therapists. Always knowing that she wanted to work with children, Lisa initially completed coursework at the University of Pittsburgh and earned a B.A. in Art/Art Education from Carlow College (now Carlow University). Working as an elementary and middle school art teacher for sixteen years, Lisa also earned an M.S. in School Counseling from McDaniel College and completed post-graduate studies in clinical counseling through Messiah College. Lisa is currently working with The Center as Group and Professional Development Coordinator and also as a school-based outpatient therapist through a local agency while she works towards Pennsylvania licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor and registration as a Registered Play Therapist. She enjoys employing both directive and nondirective therapy approaches, and areas of interest include grief, abuse, trauma, attachment, self-esteem, adoption, ADHD, autism, social skills, mood disorders, trichotillomania, and skin picking. She has enjoyed working in schools, outpatient settings, and residential treatment and using the creative arts to help others. |