Dr. Rachel McRoberts, LPC-MHSP, ACS, RPT-S is a counselor, play therapist, supervisor, educator, and researcher. Her commitment to the profession includes assisting others in harnessing their innate creative potential to thrive. She is an emerging scholar with the Journal of Child & Adolescent Counseling, and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Sandplay Therapists of America. She has received several research awards including the 2020 Excellence in Research Award from UC, a grant from the Association for Creativity in Counseling (2021), and most recently the STA Research Award (2020) for assisting in establishing sand play therapy as an evidence-based treatment. She currently practices and teaches from her home art studio in Middle Tennessee where she lives with her family.

PhD Counselor Education & Supervision, Leadership Concentration, University of the Cumberlands, 2020
MA Clinical Art Therapy, Long Island University, 2002
BS Art Education, SUNY New Paltz, 1999

McRoberts, R. (in press). Addressing the creativity crisis: Sandplay therapits' mode-shifting & professional identity development. Journal of Sandplay Therapy.

Wiersma, J. K., Freedle, L. R., McRoberts, R., & Solberg, K. B. (2022). A meta-analysis of sandplay therapy treatment outcomes. International Journal of Play Therapy. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000180

McRoberts, R. & Pool, A. (2022). Chapter 11: Counseling for students k-college. In S. M. Todd, T. M. Mikolon, & D. 
M. Perez (Eds.), Synchronous online counseling and supervision in the 21st century. Cognella.

Sandplay Therapists of America (2021, January). Professional identify development and creativity of sandplay therapists - An interview with Dr. Rachel McRoberts, RSP. STA Cyber News: Sandplay Therapists 
of America Newsletter. https://www.sandplay.org/wpcontent/uploads/Jan-2021-Newsletter-FINAL-2.pdf

Epstein, J. & McRoberts, R. (2021). Finding consensus on integrating neuroeducation into trauma-informed 
counseling practice: A delphi study. Teaching and Supervision in Counseling, 3(1). https://trace.tennessee.edu/tsc/vol3/iss1/2

McRoberts, R. (2022). Reviving the creativity instinct through sandplay: 
Training, practice, & research. STA Annual Conference. Crowne Plaza, Redondo Beach, CA

McRoberts, R. & Epstein, J. (2022, January 21). Finding consensus on 
integrating neuroeducation into trauma-informed counseling 
practice: A delphi study. [Synchronous via Zoom]. The Qualitative 
Report.

McRoberts, R. (2021, November 9). The symbolic function & Jungian play 
therapy. [Synchronous via Zoom]. Guest lecturer at the request of 
Dr. Nikki Ellis. Spalding University.

McRoberts, R. (2021, July). Trauma informed creative interventions with 
children and adolescents [Synchronous via Zoom]. Guest lecturer 
at the request of Dr. Anita Pool. COU5012 - Transcultural Issues 
in Counseling Children and Adolescents. University of Malta.

  • Education
  • Supervision
  • Trauma
  • Research Methodology

Contact

615-813-0496


Office

Online via Teams by Appointment