DR. MARY THOMPSON Ed.D, LPC, RPT/S 

Mary J. Thompson, Ed.D., LPC, RPT/S, has been instrumental in advancing her community in the field of child psychology.  She has ten years of clinical experience in a variety of different settings and currently has a full-time private practice with an emphasis on providing counseling services to children, adolescents, and their families. After working as an educational coordinator and counselor for a juvenile delinquent facility, Dr. Thompson began her graduate training in the field of Clinical Psychology.  She completed her Master’s Degree at Georgia Southern University and later received her license as an LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) in the state of Georgia .  She recently completed a doctorate in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis on child psychology at Argosy University in Sarasota , Florida .

Dr. Thompson worked in the state mental health system for five years devoting much of her career to changing the approaches, quality of care, and interventions used in the state mental health setting.  She was the Director of the facility and her experience ranged from supervising other clinicians, collaborating with community partners, providing counseling services to both adults and children, and providing crisis stabilization services to clients in need.  Dr. Thompson began hosting trainings focused on child psychology for Georgia Southern University, local offices of the Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS), the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), and volunteer programs with the Red Cross and the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program. She has also taught psychology courses at Georgia Southern University.

Dr. Thompson has created a reputation in her community for specializing in the counseling needs of abused and neglected children.  She began specific training in play therapy techniques that took her across the country.  She has attended trainings with some of the biggest advocates and proponents of play therapy including Dr. Garry Landreth at the Center for Play Therapy in Texas and Dr. Helen Benedict, an expert in attachment disorders.  She obtained the necessary training and supervision in the field which led her to acquire the status of a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor (RPT/S) with the Association for Play Therapy, Inc. (APT).  She sees children as having the ability to use play as a means to communicate their needs, fears, and psychological issues.  The value of play in Dr. Thompson’s work is the cornerstone to her therapeutic approach as well as the use of therapy dogs in psychotherapy. Dr. Thompson is a certified evaluator for Therapy Dog International, Inc. (TDI) and an Approved Evaluator with the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen® program. This program is designed for dogs of all breeds, including mixed breeds, to develop and demonstrate good behavior at home and in the community. If you believe your dog has met the requirements for the CGC or TDI program, you may make arrangements for your dog to be evaluated by contacting Dr. Thompson. She has also helped to develop a volunteer therapy dog group in her community called Pawsitive Connections. This program offers therapy dog visits to a variety of settings including nursing homes, hospice, schools, and the Reading to Rover program at the local library. Dr. Thompson has three trained play therapy dogs in her practice.

RAZZ

 

Razz is an eight year old Shetland Sheepdog. He is an American Kennel Club (AKC) Breed Champion and United Kennel Club (UKC) Grand Champion. Razz is a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and an active member of Therapy Dog International (TDI). In fact, he was recently awarded the Outstanding Achievement Title (TDIOA) in recognition of the many visits he has made to local nursing homes, libraries, and schools. He has worked with hundreds of adults and children in therapeutic settings over the years. He has also earned over 20 obedience and agility titles.

 

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KEEGAN

 

Keegan a seven year old Shetland Sheepdog. He enjoys working with children especially when fetch is the chosen activity. Keegan is a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and a United Kennel Club (UKC) Breed Grand Champion. He also competes in Rally Obedience and excels in agility. Keegan enjoys working with livestock and has earned the Herding Instinct Title (HI) on three separate occasions.

 

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JENGA



Jenga is a four year old Shetland Sheepdog. Jenga is a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and an active member of Therapy Dog International (TDI). She is a phenomenal agility dog with lots of speed, drive, and determination. She had to take about six months off for maternity leave as she recently had four beautiful puppies, several of which are training to be therapy dogs as well. She is a United Kennel Club (UKC) Breed Grand Champion. She also competes in Rally Obedience and obtained the Rally Novice Title (RN) before she turned a year old. Jenga has been working with livestock since she was 12 weeks of age and earned the Herding Instinct Title (HI) before she was one year old. She is a gorgeous dog with a delightful temperament, which is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face.