About Me:
Lily Ferreira
MSW, LICSW, RPT™
While our time together will be focused on you and your child, here's what most parents want to know about me as a person:
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I have a busy toddler who's given me the greatest crash course in parenting- what a humbling job!
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I'm married to my high school sweetheart.
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I was born and raised in Salt Lake City though don't fit the Utah stereotype- I'm not a practicing Latter Day Saint and I don't ski, go figure!
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When not working or negotiating with a toddler over Sesame Street, my favorite ways to play include: crocheting, baking, and thrifting.
Professional History
I began my career working with older adults. My graduate project was focused on the importance of play in older adulthood (foreshadowing??). When budget cuts hit the program I coordinated, a friend encouraged me to enjoy the predictability and summer break that came with working in a school. I loved it! And then a year later, COVID happened.
I realized talking wasn't enough to solve my student's challenges, so I went back to my roots- learning the importance of play. I pursued three years of specialized training in play therapy, ventured into private practice, and the rest... is history!
Education
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Bachelor Of Social Work (BSW) 2016- University of Utah
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Master of Social Work (MSW)2018- University of Utah
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Play Therapy Training- Bethel University
Clinical Work Experience
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Community Mental Health Therapist
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Program Coordinator for Vital Aging, A Mental Health Initiative Through Salt Lake County Aging & Adult Services
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Clinical School Social Worker for Children in Grades Pre-K-8
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Group Practice Therapist- Specializing In Play Therapy
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Owner and Clinician- Playing With Purpose
Post-Graduate Clinical Focus
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Child Centered Play Therapy
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Theraplay- Level II
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TraumaPlay Informed
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Synergetic Play Therapy- Level I
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Mind Body Bridging- Level II
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Positive Psychology
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
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Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
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Sand Tray Therapy
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Working With Families of Divorce
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Working With Grief and Loss
In The News
How Playing With Purpose Began
Early on in my work with children, I noticed a consistent pattern:
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most children didn't know why they were having a hard time.
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most therapists didn't have specialized training in working with children and most therapy spaces weren't kid friendly.
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children needed to learn by doing, not through questions or worksheets.
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parents had tried everything Google suggested, listened to a dozen podcasts, and still weren't seeing results.
With the dream of making therapy approachable, meaningful, and effective for children and their families, I started Playing With Purpose.