Vanessa Kellner, LCPC, NCC, RPT-S, CCPT-S

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor-Supervisor

Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor

Certified Child-Centered Play Therapist-Supervisor

National Certified Counselor

Vanessa has over 15 years of clinical experience providing mental health care to children, adolescents and adults. She received both her master's degree and her post-master's certificate from Johns Hopkins University in 2011. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and LCPC Supervisor in the state of Maryland and a National Board-Certified Counselor. She is a credentialed Play Therapist and Play Therapy Supervisor (RPT-S) and member of the Association for Play Therapy (APT) and the American Counseling Association (ACA). Vanessa specializes in Child-Centered Play Therapy and has earned specialized certifications as a Child-Centered Play Therapist, credentialed through both the National Institute of Relationship Enhancement and the Center for Play Therapy at University of North Texas.

In addition to specializing in Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) to treat the emotional and behavioral challenges of children - Vanessa sub-specializes in treating child sexual abuse and other forms of childhood trauma, including but not limited to medical trauma, traumatic loss, and acute traumatic experiences. With her esteemed colleagues, she co-created the Healing Foundations Certification Program, an advanced practice certification for mental health practitioners in the treatment of child sexual trauma.

Vanessa is passionate about providing supervision to the next generation of compassionate, skilled, and evidence-based play therapists. She is committed to training clinicians who practice with integrity to the Child-Centered Play Therapy model and emphasizes clinician sustainability, ethical practice, and professional resilience within therapeutic work. She has created and facilitated training programs on compassion fatigue and it's prevention and has also co-authored a book chapter on this topic as well.

Vanessa is honored to have been the Inaugural recipient of the Play Therapist of the Year Award in January 2025, awarded by the Maryland/DC Association for Play Therapy.