Amanda Cypret, LMHC, RPT-S™, QCS(FL) has been working in Florida’s mental health field since 2009. She attended the University of Central Florida and Webster University to receive her degrees and certificates. Amanda is a Qualified Supervisor for mental health interns and a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™. She currently provides therapy services to children, adolescents, and families at Silver River Counseling in Ocala, Florida. Amanda has received extensive training and supervision in play therapy including Child Centered Play Therapy, Adlerian Play Therapy, and Child Parent Relationship Therapy. She has secured multiple grants to bring quality play therapy programs to the community and collects data to support the effectiveness of these play therapy practices. Amanda has been putting on trainings for parents, teachers, therapists, and community agencies for nearly 15 years. Amanda has also taught Play Therapy and Internship courses as an adjunct at the University of Central Florida. She has an intense passion for play therapy and working with families to strengthen child parent relationships and enjoys spreading this passion with people in the helping profession.
Zandra Cue is a licensed mental health counselor, a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™, an Autplay provider, and a qualified supervisor for mental health registered interns. She is the owner of Little People, Big Feelings in Miami. She's been working with children and parents for almost a decade in treating, assessing, and helping little ones with challenging emotions and situations.
Brooklyn Hancock is a licensed mental health counselor and Registered Play Therapist™. Brooklyn also has experience as a certified school counselor. Brooklyn is currently in private practice, working with children, adolescents, teens, and adults. She has additional trainings in AutPlay and EMDR. Brooklyn enjoys incorporating various interventions such as expressive arts, play, and EMDR into her work with both children and adults. Brooklyn primarily specializes in working with clients struggling with anxiety, social anxiety, depression, communication issues, stress management, and has recently been working more with children on the autism spectrum.
The Florida Association for Play Therapy
2025-2026 Officers
Past President - Amanda Cypret, LMHC, RPT-S™
President - Brooklyn Hancock, LMHC, RPT™
Secretary -
Treasurer - Zandra Cue, LMHC, RPT-S™
The Florida Association
for Play Therapy
Kathleen Hawkins, LMFT, RPT™
Vice-President - Erin Burkholder, LMHC, RPT™
Board Member: Lanicia Marshall, PhD, LMHC, CAP, RPT-S™
The Florida Association for Play Therapy
2025-2026 Chapter Board Members
Kathleen Hawkins is currently the Project Director at UCF’s Marriage and Family Research Institute and has a small private practice in Central Florida where she works with children and families. Kathleen obtained her Masters in Marriage, Couples, and Family Therapy from the University of Central Florida along with her certificate in Play Therapy and is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Play Therapist. She has enjoyed working with children since 2015, when she began her journey. Kathleen enjoys watching the change, development, and impact that play therapy has on children and their families. During her free time Kathleen really enjoys being outside and in nature with her family.
Erin is the owner of Willow Lane Counseling, an Orlando based private practice focused on using play therapy across the lifespan. Erin enjoys working with children and their parents, as well as adults working through interpersonal trauma and attachment injuries. Before expanding into private practice, Erin spent over seven years working in local community mental health agencies, providing services to children and families in their homes, as well as in school based settings and at the district level. Erin received her Master of Arts in Counseling degree from RTS-Orlando and is currently a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Qualified Supervisor in the state of Florida, as well as a Registered Play Therapist. Prior to becoming a counselor, Erin spent 8 years in the classroom teaching high school English in public, private and international school settings. When she’s not at the office, Erin enjoys training for marathons, watching The Amazing Race, and spending time with her husband and their rescue dog, Loki.
Board Member: Eric Davis, PhD, NCC, SB-RPT™
Board Member: Rachel Scharlepp, RPT-S™
Dr. Eric Davis is an Associate Professor in Counselor Education at the University of South Florida. He served as a school counselor for 4 years and is a Florida certified school counselor, National Certified Counselor, and School-Based Registered Play Therapist™.
Dr. Rachel Scharlepp has been working clinically with infants, children, adolescents, adults, and families for over 20 years. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Nebraska before moving south and earning her master’s in social work and doctorate in counseling and school psychology from Florida State University. She is licensed by the state of Florida as a psychologist and clinical social worker, has earned advanced graduate training in infant mental health and adoption, and is a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor. She is a Qualified Supervisor of Registered Social Work and Mental Health Counseling Interns, a past president of the Big Bend Chapter of the Florida Association for Play Therapy, and a graduate of APT’s Leadership Academy. She was honored as the 2024 award recipient of the Art Cleveland Hero Award. Outside of her career, Rachel is a wife and mother who enjoys traveling, being in nature, and running.
Carrie Longest, PhD, LMHC, NCC, ACS, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™ is the founder of Healing with Play, Inc in Wellington, FL. She brings 20 years of experience working with children and families in various settings. She is passionate about all things play therapy and incorporates play at every opportunity. Additionally, Carrie is dedicated to educating the next generation of play therapists.
Board Member: Carrie Longest, PhD, LMHC, RPT-S™
Lanicia has over 15 years of experience as a clinician. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™. She has a private practice and is a Certified Addictions Professional. She has experience with family mediation and provides competency assessments for the courts. She currently provides clinical services to individuals, families, groups, first responders, veterans, and couples. She is a Florida Qualified Supervisor and trains therapists working toward licensure in the state of Florida. She is also a CE provider and provides training courses for Licensed Clinicians.
Lanicia is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Mental Health Law & Policy at the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences (CBCS) at USF, Tampa. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology and Education from Florida State University. She holds a Specialist Degree in Education from Florida State University. She completed her PhD in Educational Psychology at the University of South Florida.
