IPT Faculty Team

Katherine Purswell

Katherine E. Purswell, PhD, LPC-S, RPT™, CCCPT-Trainer, is an Assistant Professor in the Professional Counseling Program at Texas State University and Director of the Institute for Play Therapy. Dr. Purswell received her B.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences from Texas State University and her M.Ed. and Ph.D. from the University of North Texas where she specialized in child counseling and play therapy. Dr. Purswell is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor in the state of Texas and is also a Registered Play Therapist™ and a Certified Child-Centered Play Therapist Trainer. She has published numerous journal articles on child counseling, play therapy, and expressive arts and often presents at local, state, and national conferences. Dr. Purswell’s clinical experience includes work with children, adolescents, and their parents as well as adults, teachers, and families. She has provided clinical mental health counseling in community agency, school, and private practice settings.

Elizabeth Kjellstrand Hartwig

Sarah Blalock

Sarah Blalock, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S™, is an Assistant 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.

Maria Haiyasoso

Maria Haiyasoso, PhD, LPC, RPT™, is an Assistant 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.