Meet the team
At South Eastern Play and Creative Therapies our therapists have undergone extensive training and supervision, and hold postgraduate qualifications in play therapy or creative arts therapy and additional qualifications in: social work and family therapy.
Our Team
Please give us a call or request a free no obligation 15 minute phone consultation to discuss any questions you have about the services we offer.
Jenny Lord
Founder and Director, Principal Play Therapist, Accredited Mental Health Social Worker
Jenny has over 15 years’ experience working in the field of child and adolescent mental health, disability, and developmental (cumulative) trauma through roles in Berry Street, the Early in Life Mental Health Service (Monash Health), and child protection. Jenny has extensive training and experience in supporting children, young people and their families that have been affected by family violence, abuse/neglect, neurodevelopmental issues, parental separation and grief and loss. She has a special interest in working with children who have been impacted by developmental trauma and supporting the ‘whole system’ around the children including the foster/adoptive carers, parents, and school. Jenny has worked in a range of schools and early childhood settings offering play therapy and provided training and support to school staff. She offers a gentle, sensitive and empathic approach in supporting parents/carers to feel empowered and build confidence in their parenting abilities.
Jenny is passionate about supporting play therapy students and offers an internship program at the clinic. She is an Academic Marker and Clinical Supervisor at Deakin University for the Masters of Child Play Therapy program.
Jenny is a mum of two young children, she is from the UK and enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Qualifications and Memberships
- Masters in Social Work
Masters in Play Therapy
Training in using Theraplay® informed approaches
Certification in Filial Therapy
Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AASW)
Registered Play Therapist/Supervisor (APPTA)
Areas of Special Interest
Developmental trauma – abuse/neglect
ASD, developmental delay, ADHD
Anxiety and depression
Bullying
School refusal
Creative counselling with adolescents and adults
Family Play Therapy
Amanda Fillingham
Registered Play Therapist | Accredited Mental Health Social Worker | Clinical Family Therapist
Amanda has over 12 years social work experience and is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, Clinical Family Therapist and in 2021 completed her Masters in Child Play Therapy at Deakin University. She has worked with children, parents, couples, families, adolescents and adults in services for Child Protection, SECASA and in both Child and Adolescent and Adult Mental Health Services. Amanda is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and her clients are eligible for a Medicare rebate with a Mental Health Care Plan.
Amanda believes in identifying every ones strengths, and has an easy going, relaxed compassionate style with her clients which allows her to connect with people with ease. Amanda is interested in every person narrative and works with clients in a none judgemental way. Amanda is keen to support clients on their journey to improved mental health and well-being.
Amanda has teenage son and enjoys spending time with her family and her dog Stanley.
Qualifications and Memberships
Masters in Child Play Therapy
Masters in Family Therapy
Masters in Social Work
Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
Registered Clinical Family Therapist with AAFT
Amanda is working towards being an Associate Member of the Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association (APPTA)
Areas of Special Interest
Individual therapy – children, adolescent, adults, elderly
Parenting Support
Whole Family Support & Therapy
Grief, Transition & Life Adjustments
Anxiety & Depression
Stress Management
Play Therapy
PTSD
Workplace Issues
Body and Self Image
Elena
Provisional Play Therapist
Elena has worked in the healthcare sector since 2014 and completed her Bachelor of Science at Monash University in 2018, where she majored in physiology and had an expressed interest in neuroscience. Taking her theoretical knowledge across to her postgraduate degree, she graduated with her Master in Child Play Therapy in 2022.
Always knowing that she wanted to work with children, Elena is a massive advocate for mental health. As a Provisional Play Therapist, she believes in early childhood intervention to give children the most time to heal and grow as possible. Her passion and nature is drawn towards non-directive styles of play, she is working towards becoming a Registered Play Therapist but has already embarked on her new journey into children’s worlds. Sometime in the future, she would like to continue her studies in Animal-Assisted Play Therapy as she has beautiful and intelligent pets waiting for her at home ready to work (play).
Elena loves watching and playing basketball with her partner and friends, she is a typical family girl who looks forward to spending time with her household (including her pets).
Qualifications and Memberships
Provisional Play Therapist (APPTA)
Accredited ‘Learn to Play’ Therapist
MCPT, Deakin University
BSc, Monash University
Areas of Special Interest
Humanistic play therapy
Self-esteem and self-confidence
Bullying and social difficulties
Systemic and integrative work
Neurodivergent children
Childhood trauma
Mo Cromar
Registered Creative Arts Therapist
Mo is a trained and qualified Therapeutic Arts Practitioner at Masters degree level and holds Professional Membership with ANZACATA, the peak professional association for creative art therapies in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
My primary area of interest and speciality is working with adults and young people experiencing grief and loss.
My MA research thesis explored grief and loss experiences of participants’ ongoing relationships with the grieved for other. It was found that the process of using the creative art therapies supported them to make meaning of those experiences and helped to give them hope for the future.
Mo is a mum of five grown up children and grandmother of two, have a great sense of fun and humour and many years of professional and life experience. Mo has additional training and a background in Animal Intervention Therapy, Spiritual Direction and Guiding Meditation which complements my practice. Mo is well placed to support you and/or your young person, she holds a non-judgemental attitude, and values the collaborative nature of the client-therapist relationship.
Qualifications and Memberships
Masters in Therapeutic Arts Practice – The MIECAT Institute
Graduate Diploma in Spiritual Direction – University of Divinity
Graduate Certificate in Guided Meditation
Registered as a Creative Arts Therapist with Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association (ANZACATA)
Areas of Special Interest
Grief and loss through a significant life change:
- Separation/divorce
- Disability
- Living or supporting someone with a chronic illness
- Dementia
- Unemployment
- Migrating or relocating
Kerri Griggs
Kerri is a Person-centred/Child Centred Art Therapy practitioner. Kerri is guided by current neurological research and engages in Trauma Informed practice. Kerri is passionate about working in collaboration with children, adolescents, and their carer’s.
Kerri has had a broad range of experience working with children and families in both Residential Care work and Outreach work in the U.K. In Melbourne, Kerri has also worked in the mental health field, and with adults who have a broad range of abilities within the Disability Sector, and through the NDIS since its inception. Her work with people of all abilities has deepened her understanding and skill to work effectively with non-verbal clients. On a personal level, Kerri embraces the joys and challenges being a parent brings.
Kerri enjoys drawing, painting, yoga, restoring furniture and is a humble beginner of surfing and playing the piano in snippets of her spare time.
Qualifications and Memberships
Masters in Art Therapy – La Trobe University
Bachelor of Arts (Visual Arts) – University of Ballarat
Graduate Certificate in Developmental Trauma – Australian Childhood Foundation
Post Graduate training in Assessment of Child and Young Peoples Mental Health and Wellbeing (affiliated with Monash & Melbourne Universities)
In addition, Kerri has invested in ongoing professional development throughout her career, some of which include short courses in the areas of NDIS, Person-Centred Active Support, Intensive Interaction, Play Therapy, Mental Health, and Domestic Violence.
Areas of Special Interest
Person-Centred Art Therapy with Children and Adolescents
Trauma Informed Practice
Neurodiversity
Neurological Research and Treatment
Attachment Theory
NDIS
Nurturing Wellbeing
Khai
Provisional Art Therapist
Khai has 10 years’ experience of working in the field of family violence, and trauma with children and adults in one on one and group environments.
Khai has extensive training and experience in understanding complex trauma, advanced therapy work and trauma-informed practice through roles at Melbourne University, Amber Community (Previously Road Trauma Support Services), Headspace, Quantum Support Services and Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand.
Khai has a special interest in supporting others around mental health, trauma, grief and loss, confidence, and body issues.
As a family violence specialist, she offers family violence-specific art therapy based on resilience and a recovery-based model for those that are victim-survivors. Khai also works for Melbourne University with their Pathways to Safety program where she facilitates the Train the Trainer program and trains GPs and Clinical staff to identify and respond to family violence.
Khai’s approach to working with all is non-assuming, explorative, kind, warm, transparent and generous and especially fun when it comes to supporting children.
Khai shares her home with her partner, a teenager, two cats and two dogs.
She enjoys catching up with family and friends, getting into her veggie garden and riding her bike with one of her little dogs in the basket.
Qualifications and Memberships
MIECAT’s Graduate Diploma in Creative Arts (Art Therapy)
Khai is in the final year of the Master’s of Therapeutic Arts Practice (art therapy).Registered with the Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association (ANZACATA)
Graduate Certificate in Family Violence work.
Foundations of Art Therapy
Areas of Special Interest
Trauma, PTSD, depression, anxiety, grief, loss, body image and self-empowerment.
Jordan Mepstead-Bast
Jordan has spent the past five years in the family services and family wellbeing sector, working as a mental health support worker at EACH, a parenting practitioner at QEC, and a family services practitioner at Uniting. Jordan has worked with families to help them create healthy relationships and attachments, early parenting skills, as well as working with families who have experienced family violence, abuse/neglect, and grief or loss. Jordan enjoys working on a systemic level to promote overall child and family well-being and mental health.
Jordan has received training to lead group sessions through Peaceful Kids and Girl Power Australia, and she enjoys working with children to help them develop self-esteem, social skills, and mindfulness. Jordan lives at home with her husband and four young children as well as two cavoodles. Jordan enjoys spending her time off going out on adeventures with her family.
Qualifications and Memberships
Bachelor of Psychological Science, Deakin University
Bachelor of Crimonology, Deakin University
Masters in Family Studies, Newcastle University
Masters in Child Play Therapy, Deakin Universit
Provisional Play Therapist with APPTA
Accredited ‘Learn To Play’ Therapist
Accredited ‘Peaceful Kids’ Facilitator
Areas of Special Interest
Humanistic Play Therapy
Anxiety and Depression
Developmental trauma
Neurodivergent Children
Confidence and Empowerment
Parental Education
Jodie
Registered Art Therapist
Jodie has been in Private Practice for the last three years working with children, adolescents and adults. Jodie has extensive experience and relational lived experience to be able to support clients through challenging mental health issues, family separation, trauma, family and domestic violence, judicial placement, disabilities and disorders.
Extensive exposure across various environments, including hospital based psychiatric wards, custodial care residential housing, aged care facilities, SRS housing, schools and private home settings has provided Jodie with exceptional experience, by connecting with a diverse variety of clients.
Always knowing she wanted to help people in a creative way, Jodie is passionate and committed in helping client’s, especially children, through Art Therapy. By providing a safe space, to grow and develop, to help them function well in their lives and relationships
with others.
Jodie’s focus and determination flows from her values and lived experiences. Creative thinking coupled with relational lived experience aids in the delivery of effective Art Therapy. Jodie’s valuable lived experience related to Autism, ADHD, family separation, Family/Domestic violence and experience of the systems related, provide an immediate relational understanding for clients.
Jodie provides a safe, embodied presence within her Art Therapy sessions. Welcoming children, adolescents and adults with a warm, empathetic and person-centred approach. Being witness and sharing in healing and recovery for clients is Jodie’s passion.
Jodie completed her Master’s in Therapeutic Arts Practice at MIECAT in 2020 and has
volunteered in several organisations including schools, at Headspace and Very Special Kids Hospice, gaining crucial hands-on experience as well as undertaking professional development and supervision. Jodie is also professionally registered through ANZACATA.
Jodie loves getting to the beach, galleries and camping, she has two sons and a mini-Dachshund.
Qualifications and Memberships
Masters in Art Therapy – MIECAT Master of Therapeutic Arts Practice
ANZACATA – Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association
Areas of Special Interest
Anxiety/Depression
Trauma
Family and Domestic Violence
ASD/ADHD
Self-identity and confidence
Parental Art Therapy
Emily
Receptionist
Emily is our receptionist here at SEPACT and has over 6 years experience as an administration assistant/receptionist for a multitude of companies. She has worked in the mental health industry for 3 years and has had experience assisting up to 16 professionals at a time.
Emily has a bachelor’s degree in Psychological Science, loves working with children and has an interest in all things psychology. She also loves being organised and is always happy to greet you in the clinic and help in any way she can.
Emily loves adventures with her partner and friends, music, crystals, and dogs and has a 7 year old Staffy, Zeus, who she adores.