Lisa Gollenberg

Hi there!

My passion is helping kids grow and flourish, whether that means helping them cope with big emotions, feel more connected in their families and social communities, heal from trauma, build confidence and self-esteem, or learn some practical skills for managing anxiety. My approach is playful, strengths-based, compassionate, creative, flexible, and affirming of diversity of all kinds.

One of my primary specialties is playful trauma recovery, as strange as that phrase may sound!

Play is the natural language of children, so I bring in sandtray, art, puppets, movement, toys, and any other number of creative tools to help kids of all ages explore and process what words alone can’t touch. I love to help kids build the resources and find the courage to face the tough stuff in their lives and see that they can start to feel better and more empowered. I’m trained in the use of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) with kids, and I have seen it be an incredibly powerful tool to help get things unstuck. 

I also deeply believe in strengthening relationships within families and helping caregivers support their kids at home.

I can do a lot in the therapy room, but parents and guardians are the most important and influential people in a child’s life! I involve parents and caregivers in the therapy process in a variety of ways, from parent consultations to family play therapy. I am trained in Theraplay, a powerful play therapy approach for building secure attachment between kids and their caregivers, and let me tell you, I absolutely cherish the moments of pure joy and connection that happen in my playroom through this type of work, and I know it paves the way for kids to feel ready to face whatever else we need to tackle together.

Training & Certifications

• EMDR Certified Therapist^TM
• Theraplay Level 1 Trained
• AutPlay® Certified Provider
• EMDR-Sandtray Specialist
• Registered Play Therapist^TM

Registered Play Therapist ^TM and RPT^TM are trademarks identifying credentials exclusively issued by the Association for Play Therapy, Inc.