Meet Our Team of Play Therapists…
Dr. Alison Sheesley,
PhD, LPC, RPT-S
Founder and Clinical Director
center@schoolplay.org
As the mother of two wild children, I know firsthand how overwhelming parenting can feel. Raising children today comes with intense stressors, and I believe that all caregivers deserve support, encouragement, and practical tools to help their families survive and thrive.
I have been a practicing play therapist in Colorado since 2013, and there is nothing I love more than helping children feel understood, connected, and resilient.
Through the language of play, children can express feelings, process difficult experiences, build decision-making skills, and strengthen their relationships with the important adults in their lives.
Research on child-centered play therapy consistently shows that early intervention can make a profound difference for emotional well-being, in childhood and throughout adulthood. In many ways, an ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure when it comes to mental health. By supporting children and families early, we can prevent behavioral struggles from becoming even bigger challenges later on.
Our goal at SchoolPlay is to create non-judgmental, accepting relationships where children can flourish and parents can feel understood.
Warmly,
Dr. Alison
Education:
PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Northern Colorado, specializing in Child and Adolescent Counseling
MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Loyola University New Orleans
BA in Political Science and American Studies from Tulane University, cum laude
Additional Training:
Registered Play Therapist - Supervisor*
*Requires 3,000 direct client hours post-licensure; 150 hours of play therapy specific education; 36 hours of supervision training
AutPlay Training I
Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Special Projects:
Dr. Alison was the PI on a project that secured $100,000 to provide 80 children in Adams 12 Five Star Schools with free play therapy for the entire 2025-2026 school year, continuing into the 2026-2027 school year. Part of the funding for this program involves writing a manual for implementing child-centered play therapy in schools (in progress).
Dr. Alison was also the PI on a project that secured $328,335 to train and provide supervision to 6 new Spanish-speaking Registered Play Therapists in Denver.
See her most recent publication: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1737007/full
Dr. Alison will be presenting at the Rocky Mountain Mind, Brain & Education Conference on October 26th on the topic “Clear Limits, Calm Classrooms: Transforming Challenging Behaviors with Therapeutic Limit Setting.”
She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Psychology and Counselor Education at the University of Northern Colorado.
Shelsea Ochoa, MSW
Play Therapist,
In office, in schools, and in homes
shelsea@schoolplay.org
As a social worker with a passion for play, I care so much about helping parents and children strengthen their relationships through the healing power of play, which is the natural language of children.
As the mother of two young children myself, I also deeply understand the many burdens facing parents today.
Whether I am working with children facing difficult emotional challenges, refugee and immigrant families, or parents simply wanting to build healthier relationships with their children, I always strive to honor each person’s unique journey and innate wisdom.
When I am not supporting parents and children, I can usually be found playing with my own children and our chihuahua, Willka.
I look forward to getting to know you and your child fully. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Warmly,
Shelsea
Education:
MA of Social Work from MSU Denver
BA in International and Global Studies from the University of Denver
Chalan Carpenter, BA
Play Therapist,
In office and in schools
chalan@schoolplay.org
I have always been passionate about supporting children and families through life’s many challenges. After a career working for the State of Nevada doing accounting for a large children’s mental health clinic, I chose to move to Colorado to pursue a career in mental health counseling.
Child-centered play therapy’s core message of respect really resonates with me. An essential part of my role is to respect and validate a child’s personal experience and perceptions, rather than to overwhelm a child with my own reactions and opinions. In my experience, when children feel deeply respected, they feel empowered to make more compassionate and helpful choices.
Whatever your family is facing, you don’t have to face it alone.
Warmly,
Chalan
Education:
In progress: PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Northern Colorado, Anticipated Graduation: May 2030
In progress: MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Northern Colorado, Anticipated Graduation: December 2026
BA in History from the University of California, Berkeley
Additional Training:
Graduate Certificate in Addiction Treatment and Prevention Services, University of Nevada, Reno
