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IPT Faculty Team

Sarah Blalock - IPT Director

Sarah Blalock

Sarah Blalock, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S, is an Associate Professor in the Professional Counseling Program at Texas State University where she has the opportunity to teach, research, and supervise in the area of play therapy. She received her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of North Texas. She enjoys presenting on play therapy topics at local, regional, and national conferences. She has over 20 years’ experience in play therapy, including 10 years’ experience as a school counselor, where she spent much of her time conducting school-based individual and group play therapy and expressive arts therapy. Sarah’s research interests include school-based play therapy, group play therapy, expressive arts counseling, child-parent relationship training, and child-teacher relationship training.

 
Email: s_b426@txstate.edu
Office phone: (512) 245-1624

Elizabeth Kjellstrand Hartwig

Elizabeth Kjellstrand Hartwig
Elizabeth Kjellstrand Hartwig, PhD, LMFT-S, LPC-S, RPT-S, is an Associate Professor in the Professional Counseling Program at Texas State University. Author of the book, Solution-Focused Play Therapy: A Strengths-Based Clinical Approach to Play Therapy, she is passionate about helping practitioners build resiliency in children, teens, and families. Dr. Hartwig has presented on play therapy, animal-assisted counseling, dropout prevention, and clinical supervision in local, regional, national, and international conferences. She's the Director of the Texas State University Animal-Assisted Counseling Academy. She is a Past President of the Texas Association for Play Therapy and was awarded the Nancy Guillory Award for Outstanding Service in Play Therapy in 2017. She currently serves on the Association for Play Therapy Board of Directors. Dr. Hartwig has a private practice in New Braunfels, TX called Pawsitive Family Counseling, LLC where she works with children, teens, couples, adults, and families. Her favorite play therapy resources are sandtray, puppets, and her canine partner, Holly!
 
Email: ekk6@txstate.edu 
Office phone: (512) 245-3757

Maria Haiyasoso

Maria Haiyasoso

Maria Haiyasoso, PhD, LPC, RPT, is an Associate Professor in the Professional Counseling program at Texas State University. She received her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research interests include play therapy for child survivors of sexual abuse, counselor wellness, and relational-cultural theory.

 
Email: mh1423@txstate.edu
Office phone: (512) 245-3758

IPT Guest Presenters

Mary Morrison Bennett

Mary Morrison Bennett
PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S™

Linda Homeyer

Linda Homeyer
PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S™

Marshall Lyles

Marshall Lyles
LPC-S, LMFT-S, RPT-S™

Lisa Remey

Lisa Remey
MEd, LPC-S, RPT-S™, IPT-CST

Yolanda Fountain

Yolanda Fountain
PhD, LPC, RPT-S™

Jessica Stone

Jessica Stone
PhD, RPT-S™

Kimberly Jayne

Kimberly Jayne
PhD, LPC, RPT™