Mary Ruth Cross

Mary Ruth Cross is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 25 years experience in the mental health field. She is an National Board Certified Counselor and a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor. Mary Ruth is the CEO/Owner of Treehouse Family Counseling Services in San Ramon, CA. She has a team of clinicians that work together to provide counseling services for all family members. As a counselor educator and national recognized speaker on play therapy Mary Ruth is an advocate and ambassador for the use of play therapy. Play Therapy is not just for children. Play therapy and the expressive arts and Sandtray Therapy are employed with all of the clients that come to Treehouse Family Counseling Services because sometimes words just aren't enough. Play is indeed the language of childhood and when used therapeutically has been proven to be an evidenced based practice that creates healing and change for everyone. Mary Ruth and her staff have advanced training in trauma recovery, working with children and families who have experienced abuse, loss, death and traumatic grief. Mary Ruth has been certified in EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing -since 1999 as a treatment modality for trauma. Mary Ruth brings a commitment of creating safe, sacred space for each child, adolescent, adult, or family to be their real and authentic self to all the work she does. Mary Ruth is co-author of "Snug and Rug and The No Good Very Bad Thing" A story of calming and coping for children and their families. As the head of the treatment team for Treehouse Family Counseling Services Mary Ruth focuses on high level of collaboration and consultation with staff clinicians to create individual treatment plans that fit the unique needs of each client. Mary Ruth works with clinicians in support of them becoming certified as a Registered Play Therapist through the Association of Play Therapy. Mary Ruth is co-owner of Academy for Play Therapy Training where she offers continuing education workshops on the use of play therapy and Sandtray Therapy.