Cynthia Sniscak, M.Ps.Sc., LPC, RPT-S
Cynthia Caparosa Sniscak, M.Ps.Sc., LPC, is the President/Director and Senior Clinician of the Beech Street Program, LLC, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (Pennsylvania), a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, and Certified Filial Therapist-Instructor. She is also an Instructor with the Family Enhancement & Play Therapy Center, Inc. Ms. Sniscak specializes in the use of play therapy, filial therapy, parent consultation, behavior management, and other interventions with children and families with a wide range of problems. She has many years of experience with school problems, anxiety, depression, divorce-related difficulties, oppositional behavior and other behavior problems, and AD/HD.

Cindy has also worked extensively with children who have experienced medical problems, trauma, abuse, or attachment difficulties. She works closely with parents throughout the therapy process, and coordinates her work with foster placement, adoption, child protective, medical, educational, and mental health organizations.

Ms. Sniscak also provides training for child-related community organizations, and has been a featured speaker at state, national, and international conferences. She is an accomplished potter who incorporates her artistic talents and skills with her child/family therapy work. Cindy has served as a Board/Chair Member of the Pennsylvania Association for Play Therapy. She has been honored with the inaugural Family Enhancement and Play Therapy 2007 award for Outstanding Contributions to Professional Training in Filial Therapy. Ms. Sniscak is the author of a number of chapters and articles on play therapy. Cindy is currently co-authoring a Guilford Press book on Child Centered Play Therapy with Dr. Risë VanFleet.

Risë VanFleet, Ph.D., RPT-S
Dr. Risë VanFleet is the Founder and President of the Family Enhancement & Play Therapy Center, Inc. in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania, an organization specializing in the training and supervision of child, family, and play therapy professionals as well as the provision of mental health services for children and families. She holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and The Pennsylvania State University. A licensed psychologist in Pennsylvania, Dr. VanFleet is also a certified Filial Therapy therapist, supervisor, and instructor, and a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor. She specializes in strengthening family relationships through play, and has subspecialties in chronic medical illness, disaster mental health, child/family trauma and attachment interventions using play therapy and filial therapy, and the use of canines in play therapy.

Dr. VanFleet brings 35 years of clinical, supervisory, and leadership experience in community mental health, health care, education, and independent practice settings to her workshops. She has trained and supervised thousands of clinicians internationally.

She is the author of Filial Therapy: Strengthening Parent-Child Relationships Through Play, A Parent’s Handbook of Filial Play Therapy, coeditor with Dr. Louise Guerney of the Casebook of Filial Therapy, and author/photographer of The Faces of Play. Another book, Canines in Play Therapy (working title) is expected in 2007. Her materials have been used by professionals and families in over 40 countries, and her writings have been or are being translated into Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Romanian, and Spanish. She is featured on three best-selling play therapy video workshops: Child-Centered Play Therapy, Overcoming Resistance: Engaging Parents in Play Therapy, and Introduction to Filial Play Therapy. She is featured with Dr. Heidi Kaduson on the forthcoming video workshop, Play Therapy for Traumatic Events.

Dr. VanFleet has been honored with the inaugural Bernard G. and Louise F. Guerney Award for Outstanding Contributions to Practice and Training in Filial Therapy (The Association for Filial and Relationship Enhancement Methods) and the Play Therapy Professional Education and Training Award (The Association for Play Therapy). She is a cofounder of the International Collaborative on Play Therapy and a Past President/Board Chair of the Association for Play Therapy. She is also involved in the research and use of animals in play therapy, and uses one of her dogs as a play therapy dog. She is an Approved Evaluator for the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen Program ®. In addition to her work in the play/family therapy field, Dr. VanFleet is President of VanFleet Associates, an organizational development and training firm, an accomplished pianist, and an award-winning nature photographer specializing in Alaskan wildlife.

Henry
Henry is a three year old, very playful, Labradoodle. He is an important part of Beech Street Program’s staff. He loves his work and he is at the practice daily. Henry’s job is to be available to child clients when they request his presence, and many of them do. Many clients look forward to Henry greeting them at the door or snuggling with them. Of course, not all clients are comfortable with dogs, so we are sure to check with the parents and children prior to introducing them to Henry. Many of them ask if he can sit in on their sessions or if they can give him a treat. Sometimes, Henry is assigned to specifically work with a child who is experiencing some difficulties. Henry is very well trained, but like most of us, he has a few little behavior difficulties himself. Sometimes he forgets his manners or forgets to listen. He may get so excited that he can’t sit still and wants to play when it isn’t a good time. On occasion, Henry sneaks into some tasty trash that he just can’t resist (YUM), or he takes off to chase a rabbit, when he is supposed to be in a sit /stay. We continue to work with Henry and his behavioral challenges, and the children really enjoy teaching him as well as learning from him. You see, Henry has a history that is similar to many of our clients. He was rescued and placed into a foster home, until he was adopted by a loving woman. Sadly, she died and asked if Henry could come to the Beech Street Program to be a Play Therapy Dog. Aside from knowing that Henry has a few behavioral problems, it helps children to know that Henry also sometimes feels sad, restless, confused or scared. Children learn to be a safe and caring friend for Henry and they are rewarded with the same type of relationship. They can enjoy his unconditional acceptance and joy in sharing time with them. He thinks they are grand, and some of us don’t get enough of those good feelings. He is a wonderful asset to our practice and in addition, Labradooldes are relatively hypoallergenic.