About Us

Melissa is our Clinical Director and founder of Hello Play Therapy. She has background working in Manitoba schools, providing intervention strategies and helping families navigate complex life and behavioural challenges.

Melissa specializes in working with neurodiverse children and youth and their families that deal with big feelings and emotions.

Jenn specializes in helping children and adolescents navigate anxiety, depression, ADHD, and LGBTQ+ issues. With a background as a school music teacher, Jenn brings a unique blend of understanding and playfulness to her practice, often incorporating her love of Lego and D&D. She holds a Master’s in Education with a focus on Counselling Psychology.

Cheryl-Lynn is a Registered Social Worker with over 20 years of experience in Mental Health, specializing in supporting children and youth ages 9 and up. She has a background as a school clinician within community mental health systems and also provides parent support. Cheryl-Lynn is highly trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help clients develop essential coping skills.

Deena is a dedicated professional with over 10 years of experience working with children and families across various settings, including early intervention, schools, healthcare, community programs, and private practice. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Manitoba, as well as Bachelor's degrees in Psychology (Honours) and Developmental Studies. Deena has completed extensive training in Play Therapy with the CACPT, equipping her to offer specialized interventions for children. 

Julia Meyers supports children in developing emotion regulation skills, building confidence, and strengthening family connection. She is trained in play therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and Emotion-Focused Family Therapy. Julia holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and is a Registered Social Worker.Julia also has specialized training in play therapy through The Rocky Mountain Play Therapy program. Her calm, playful, and nurturing approach creates an environment where children can explore, practice new skills, and develop a strong sense of capability.

Shawna Matthes holds a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of Manitoba and has completed three levels of Play Therapy training through the Canadian Association for Play Therapy (CAPT). She is trained in Play Therapy and offers specialized interventions for children and their parents. With over 15 years of experience, Shawna has worked extensively with children, adolescents, adults, and families across a range of social service agencies and in private practice. Her areas of expertise include supporting individuals impacted by domestic violence, separation and divorce, anxiety, ADHD, neurodiversity, sexual assault, grief, and trauma. In addition, Shawna is trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and continues to advance her skills, particularly in adapting EMDR approaches for use with children.