Heather McTaggart Bryan, LPC, RPT

Heather McTaggart Bryan is a full-time therapist at The Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Assessment and Therapy. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Virginia. Heather is also a Registered Play Therapist (RPT), a Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist, A Level Two Theraplay Therapist, a Level one Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapist and Certified in the Circle of Security. She has worked in private practice at the Gil Institute for Trauma and Recovery for 16 years and prior to that she worked in several different settings such as, outpatient clinics, intensive outpatient programs, schools and residential treatment centers. She provides consultation to The Center for Missing and Exploited Children and serves as a resource for recovered children. She graduated from the State University of New York, Plattsburgh with an undergraduate degree in Psychology. She received her Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings with diverse populations in New York, Massachusetts, the District of Columbia, and Virginia. She has a wide variety of clinical experience and is a trauma-informed therapist who utilizes play and expressive therapies to assist children whose lives are affected by issues of complex trauma. She currently provides assessment services (Extended Play-Based Developmental Assessment, Marschak Interactional Method (MIM), Trauma Assessment and Intervention for Youth (TAICY) and Assessment for Children with Sexual Behavior Problems. In addition, she utilizes evidence-based and trauma-informed therapy programs including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF CBT) and Trauma-Focused Integrated Play Therapy (TF IPT). She is an expert in the fields of trauma, high conflict divorce, attachment and play therapy. While she draws upon a variety of therapeutic approaches and interventions her approach to treatment is client centered. She provides trainings, both nationally and internationally, in the areas of complex trauma, play therapy, cyber bullying, working with children who experience high conflict divorce, children who are survivors of parental kidnapping and working with sexually exploited youth. She has co-authored a chapter in, Play Therapy, A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice. (Crenshaw, D. & Stewart, A.) She coordinates closely with schools to enhance children’s learning experiences, especially those with complex trauma. She also has expertise in working with adult and youth sex and has specialized training in working with very young children with sexual behavior problems. She has been consulting with The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children since 2008. In addition to being a therapist, she is also the mother of three children.