Meet Staci
Dr. Staci Born, EdD, LMFT (MN, SD), RPT-S is the founder of The Blue Couch, an organization specializing in the therapeutic treatment of children and families. She is the founder of BlueSoul, a non-profit organization that supports community education efforts, such as children's grief camp, wellness events, and community support projects.
Dr. Born is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Minnesota and South Dakota, and a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor with more than 15 years of clinical, supervisory, administrative, and teaching experience. Her specialties include play therapy, complex trauma and attachment issues, early childhood mental health, post-partum mental health, and self-compassion.
​
Staci is an international speaker and has authored several book chapters, edited one book, and published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals. She is on the editorial board for two major journals and is the past president of the South Dakota Association for Play Therapy.
​
Dr. Born is a highly sought after speaker who utilizes experiential activities to engage audiences small and large. She has presented to international and local audiences; audiences of 7 to 700; and can present information for professional and community audiences.
​
Below is a list of featured works from Dr. Born. If you are interested in collaborating with her for your next event or project, please reach out to her here.
FEATURED SPEAKING TOPICS
Dr. Born is available to speak on a variety of topics related to her expertise, including play therapy, child development, children's mental health, early childhood mental health, trauma, parenting, self-compassion, supervision, and more. If you're looking for something not listed here, please reach out to her.
​
Mental Health:
-
Parent Education: How to Respond When Your Child Shuts Down or Explodes
-
Creative Interventions for Supporting Grieving Children and Adolescents
-
Restoring Connection: Exploring Complex Trauma & Attachment
-
Navigating Ethics in Counseling Supervision: Strategies for Promoting Professional Excellence.
-
Infant & Toddler Mental Health – A social-emotional refresher.
Supervision:​
-
Nurturing Self-Compassion in Play Therapy Supervision
-
Model Magic: Applying Clinical Supervision Models to Play Therapy Supervision
-
Ethical Dilemmas and Solutions: Engaging with Parents in Counseling Minors
School & Childcare:​
-
Playful Regulation: Using Movement & Connection to Calm the Classroom
-
Supporting Students Through Anxiety & Avoidance
-
Understanding Trauma in the School Setting
-
When Staff Hurt Too: Supporting Educators After a Crisis
-
Using the Crucial C’s in School to Understand and Motivate Children to Learn and Regulate.
-
Sowing Seeds: Supporting Early Childhood Mental Health in Rural Communities.
-
Creating Trauma-informed Caregiving Environments: Neurobiology, ACEs, and Strategies for Early Childhood Caregivers.
FEATURES
7/21/22 - SDSU's play therapy program works to improve children’s mental health
​
​
​
South Dakota Public Broadcasting: Efforts To Improve Early Childhood Mental Health, aired 10/26/18
​
SELECT PUBLICATIONS
Sandusky, W., Ramsay-Seaner, K. R., Born, S. L., *Heckmann, C., & Davies, F. (2022). A qualitative case study of supervisors experiences related to distance-based supervision. Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision.
Born, S. L., & Fenster, K. (2021) A case application of Adlerian play therapy with teachers to combat burnout and foster resilience. International Journal of Play Therapy.
Garcia, A., Born, S. L., Carotta, C. E., Lavender-Stott, E., & Liu, S. (2021). Hope and self-compassion to alleviate parenting stress in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Family Journal.
Carotta, C. E., Born, S. L., Elverson, C., *Hauck, A., & *Hillerud, K. (2021). With-in child protective factors among rural Head Start children. Early Childhood Education Journal.
Born, S. L., Carotta, C., & Ramsay-Seaner, K. M. (2019). A multicase study exploring women’s narratives of infertility: Implications for counselors. The Qualitative Report.
Steinwand, A., Born, S. L. (2017). Yoga and the Ability to Counteract Negative Effects of Stress and Trauma. Counseling & Wellness.
Born, S. L., & Preston, J. J. (2016). The Fertility Problem Inventory and infertility-related stress: A case study. The Qualitative Report.
​
Book/Book Chapters
Born, S. L., & Baker, C. E. (Eds.). (2022). Play Therapy Supervision: A practical guide to models and best practices. Taylor and Francis.
Born, S. L., Timm-Davis, N. & Gislason, E. (2022). Models of clinical supervision in play therapy. In Born, S. L., & Baker, C. E. (Eds.). Play Therapy Supervision: A practical guide to models and best practices. Taylor and Francis.
​
Born, S. L., & *Heckmann, C. (2022). Self-Compassion in play therapy supervision. In Born, S. L., & Baker, C. E. (Eds.). Play Therapy Supervision: A practical guide to models and best practices. Taylor and Francis.
​
Born, S. L. (2021). Notice Otis: A Mindful Gumball Adventure for Children. Amazon.
​
Born, S. L., & Londgren, J. K. (2021). Counselor as Advocate: Getting in the Arena. Metaphors in Therapy, Volume 2. Independent Therapy Ink, LLC.
​
Born, S. L. (2019). Jungian Technique Sampler. Handbook of Experiential Teaching in Counselor Education: A resource guide for counselor educators (1st ed.). CreateSpace Independent Publishing.
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.