Laura Fazio-Griffith

CHILD'S PLAY

For Laura Fazio-Griffith, service is more than mere child’s play. A faculty member since 2010, she is the only registered play therapist on the graduate counseling faculty, and she has developed courses and provided training opportunities for the students. In fact, as a result of her dedication and service, graduate students can complete six hours in play therapy to work to become registered play therapists.

“As the play therapy coordinator for the graduate counseling program, I have worked diligently to expand our play therapy program by applying to the International Association for Play Therapy to become an approved play therapy education provider,” she said. “I have developed play therapy workshops that I offer to our students and mental health professionals in the community for continuing education opportunities and for the Registered Play Therapy designation.”

Mary Ballard, a professor of counseling and director of the Center for Faculty Excellence, has worked closely with Fazio-Griffith since she was hired by Southeastern.

“Laura exemplifies the Southeastern mantra of ‘family’ in her quiet and steady pursuit of service activities that serve to enrich the profession of counseling and the professional development of counseling students and the mental health practitioner community at large,” Ballard said. “When she came to Southeastern, Laura shared an energy and passion for enhancing the experiences of counseling students and advancing the counseling profession. Since that time, her service has been exemplary.”

The ultimate reward for Fazio-Griffith’s efforts came last year when Southeastern was named an Approved Center of Play Therapy Education and Training Site by the International Association of Play Therapy, making Southeastern one of only three approved sites in Louisiana.

“This designation means that, under Laura’s direction, Southeastern can operate an approved play therapy center and expand the play therapy program even further for counseling students and the mental health community,” Ballard explained. “The center will generate more play therapy instruction and supervised clinical experiences as well as provide opportunities for play therapy research.”

In addition to her work expanding play therapy in the graduate counseling program, Fazio-Griffith has served as president of Louisiana’s Play Therapy Association, and she is currently the chair of the Ethics Committee for the National Association of Play Therapy. She has been granted membership on the Louisiana Professional Counselors Board of Examiners since 2018. The governor appoints all board members, and last year she was appointed Vice-Chair of the Board and the Chair of the Licensure and Rules Committee. Additionally, Fazio-Griffith has been the faculty advisor for Southeastern’s chapter of Chi Sigma Iota for eight years. She has also earned many awards over the years, including Play Therapist of the Year for Lifetime Achievement, the Together We Care Award, and the Distinguished Professional Service Award.