Tara Moser, LCSW, RPT-S™, CAAIS, owns Delta Family Counseling, LLC in Southwest Florida where she specializes in play therapy and animal-assisted therapy with kids 2 through 18. Tara is the founder of Pawsitive Kids Camp, a non-profit integrating play therapy and animal assisted therapy. Tara has created play therapy courses for local universities and taught as adjunct, as well as traveled the country teaching on play therapy and animal assisted therapy, most recently with Cross Country Education. Tara and her husband have co-authored a children's book to help children overcome fear. Tara is a graduate and past chair of APT’s Leadership Academy and has served on numerous APT committees, including Ethics and Practice, Nominations Board, Conference Program, Leadership Program, and Key Awards. Tara has served locally and most recently as Vice President for NASW- Florida in which retaining members was a goal along with retention. Her professional excellence has been recognized by both the SW Florida Unit of NASW as 2009 Social Worker of the Year and 2017 Field Educator of the Year, as well as FAPT in being awarded the 2009 Viola Brody Award. Tara and her team of therapists are often called for debriefing through animal assisted therapy across the state as the only credentialed therapists in this modality.
Zandra Cue is a licensed mental health counselor, a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™, an Autplay provider, and a qualified supervisor for mental health registered interns. She is the owner of Little People, Big Feelings in Miami. She's been working with children and parents for almost a decade in treating, assessing, and helping little ones with challenging emotions and situations.
Amanda Cypret, LMHC, RPT-S™, QCS(FL) has been working in Florida’s mental health field since 2009. She attended the University of Central Florida and Webster University to receive her degrees and certificates. Amanda is a Qualified Supervisor for mental health interns and a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™. She currently provides therapy services to children, adolescents, and families at Silver River Counseling in Ocala, Florida. Amanda has received extensive training and supervision in play therapy including Child Centered Play Therapy, Adlerian Play Therapy, and Child Parent Relationship Therapy. She has secured multiple grants to bring quality play therapy programs to the community and collects data to support the effectiveness of these play therapy practices. Amanda has been putting on trainings for parents, teachers, therapists, and community agencies for nearly 15 years. Amanda has also taught Play Therapy and Internship courses as an adjunct at the University of Central Florida. She has an intense passion for play therapy and working with families to strengthen child parent relationships and enjoys spreading this passion with people in the helping profession.
The Florida Association for Play Therapy
2024-2025 Officers
Past President - Tara Moser, LCSW, RPT-S™, CAAIS
President - Amanda Cypret, LMHC, RPT-S™
Secretary -
Treasurer - Zandra Cue, LMHC, RPT-S™
The Florida Association
for Play Therapy
Chapter Chair Liaison: Maren Villavisanis, LCSW, RPT-S™
Kathleen Hawkins, LMFT, RPT™
Vice-President - Brooklyn Hancock, LMHC, RPT™
Networking & Outreach: Carrie Longest, PhD, LMHC, RPT-S™
The Florida Association for Play Therapy
2024-2025 Chapter Board Members
Kathleen Hawkins is currently the Project Director at UCF’s Marriage and Family Research Institute and has a small private practice in Central Florida where she works with children and families. Kathleen obtained her Masters in Marriage, Couples, and Family Therapy from the University of Central Florida along with her certificate in Play Therapy and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Play Therapist. She has enjoyed working with children since 2015, when she began her journey. Kathleen enjoys watching the change, development, and impact that play therapy has on children and their families. During her free time Kathleen really enjoys being outside and in nature with her family.
Brooklyn Hancock is a licensed mental health counselor and Registered Play Therapist™. Brooklyn also has experience as a certified school counselor. Brooklyn is currently in private practice, working with children, adolescents, teens, and adults. She has additional trainings in AutPlay and EMDR. Brooklyn enjoys incorporating various interventions such as expressive arts, play, and EMDR into her work with both children and adults. Brooklyn primarily specializes in working with clients struggling with anxiety, social anxiety, depression, communication issues, stress management, and has recently been working more with children on the autism spectrum.
Maren Villavisanis, MSW, LCSW, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™ has enjoyed counseling, playing with and learning from children, adolescents and their grown ups for the past twenty four years. Maren worked for 20 years in non-for profit agencies with children impacted by abuse, neglect, sexual assault, domestic violence and trauma. Maren now currently enjoys providing services to children, teens and families in the St. Augustine community in private practice. Maren received her Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Florida State University and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Supervisor as well as a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor. Maren has been an active member of the First Coast Chapter of FAPT for over a decade. Continuing to learn, grow and connect with other play therapists and advocating for self-care and work/life balance are Maren's greatest professional values. Being with her family, hiking, chocolate and cats are her personal joys.
Newsletter: Erin Burkholder, RPT™
Chapter Chair Liaison: Rachel Scharlepp, RPT-S™
Erin is the owner of Willow Lane Counseling, an Orlando based private practice focused on using play therapy across the lifespan. Erin enjoys working with children and their parents, as well as adults working through interpersonal trauma and attachment injuries. Before expanding into private practice, Erin spent over seven years working in local community mental health agencies, providing services to children and families in their homes, as well as in school based settings and at the district level. Erin received her Master of Arts in Counseling degree from RTS-Orlando and is currently a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Qualified Supervisor in the state of Florida, as well as a Registered Play Therapist. Prior to becoming a counselor, Erin spent 8 years in the classroom teaching high school English in public, private and international school settings.
When she’s not at the office, Erin enjoys training for marathons, watching The Amazing Race, and spending time with her husband and their rescue dog, Loki.
Dr. Rachel Scharlepp has been working clinically with infants, children, adolescents, adults, and families for over 20 years. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Nebraska before moving south and earning her master’s in social work and doctorate in counseling and school psychology from Florida State University. She is licensed by the state of Florida as a psychologist and clinical social worker, has earned advanced graduate training in infant mental health and adoption, and is a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor. She is a Qualified Supervisor of Registered Social Work and Mental Health Counseling Interns, a past president of the Big Bend Chapter of the Florida Association for Play Therapy, and a graduate of APT’s Leadership Academy. She was honored as the 2024 award recipient of the Art Cleveland Hero Award. Outside of her career, Rachel is a wife and mother who enjoys traveling, being in nature, and running.
Carrie Longest, PhD, LMHC, NCC, ACS, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™ is the founder of Healing with Play, Inc in Wellington, FL. She brings 20 years of experience working with children and families in various settings. She is passionate about all things play therapy and incorporates play at every opportunity. Additionally, Carrie is dedicated to educating the next generation of play therapists.
