Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Berger.
Hi Jasmine, can you introduce yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I fell in love with play therapy during an internship at a therapeutic preschool. This was the first time I saw a therapist use play therapy, and I saw the impacts and benefits. After graduating from the Brown School of Social work , I continued working with children and families for a non-profit and then in schools. Non-profits and schools do amazing work, and I grew so much in these spaces. After 4 years of doing community work, I was ready for a change. I was experiencing burn out and I didn’t feel like I was the clinician I wanted to be. I decided to take my private practice full-time and create a space where I could do my best work. Bud to Bloom Play Therapy provides mental health services for children and families healing and growing from trauma, depression, anxiety, or other life difficulties in St. Louis City through play therapy. I genuinely believe in the power of play and want the St. Louis community to have access to quality child therapy services. Specifically, I want to be accessible to black families as there are disparities in mental health treatment, and I hope to be able to address them. Through partnerships with non-profits, I have provided low and no-cost services to back families seeking services for their children. I also offer professional development for other mental health professionals looking to learn about play therapy. I also provide professional development in schools and other organizations to help teachers and staff learn about the therapeutic powers of play and how they can create therapeutic, safe spaces for their children to learn and experience connection. Bud to Bloom Play Therapy provides therapy for children and families, and it has also given me a chance to have a work-life balance so I can do my best work with the families I see.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been easy taking my Bud to Bloom Play Therapy full-time. I started my private practice part time while I was stilI working a full time job so it has been quite the transition. I am a very planned person who struggles with ambiguity and uncertainty, and opening and running a business is both. Just figuring out the finances and being realistic about the pace of growth of the business has been key for me. My partner has been amazingly supportive, and I also consult with an amazing group of therapists in private practice who keep me grounded and give great advice. There were so many moving pieces and logistics to start the business from finding an office space to building my caseload. It has all taken time and research to figure out. It has required a lot of patience with myself as I am growing and learning to have more realistic expectations. Now I am looking to grow my business and hire, and this has again been a slower process that has been difficult to be patient with as I want to make sure I find a good fit.
Great, so let’s talk business. Please tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others.
Bud to Bloom Play Therapy is a practice that provides play therapy for children and families in St. Louis. I provide Play therapy for children and families healing and growing from trauma, depression, anxiety, or any other of life’s difficulties. I specialize in working with children who have experienced trauma and families struggling with attachment and connection, especially with foster and adoptive families. I am a registered play therapist, so I used to play to meet children where they are and allow them to use a mode of communication and processing that is natural to them. I am also in the process of becoming certified in Theraplay, a type of play-based therapy that focuses on strengthening caregiver and child connection through play.
Bud to Bloom Play Therapy is committed to creating a sustainable workplace that allows clinicians to be their best by keeping caseloads manageable and paying living and equitable wages. I believe that therapists deserve to be compensated fairly for their work and I am committed to this as I am looking to grow and hire. Creating this space will allow clinicians to keep doing meaningful and essential work without burnout. I am proud of my stance on sustainable workplaces and creating a culture of care at Bud to Bloom. I am excited to grow my team and build this great space for a therapist to do their best work with children and families. I am also thrilled with my commitment to providing accessible mental health services to black families through partnerships, grants, and donations. I hope to expand these resources to reach even more black children and families and help them receive the services they deserve. Especially as a black clinical (there are not many black play therapists in St. Louis), I feel it is important for me to be accessible to black families so they and their children can see cultural representation and receive culturally sensitive treatment in the therapy office.
What matters most to you? Why?
I think for me creating a sustainable workplace and providing services for black families are of top importance. Both missions are so close to my heart and so important to me. Play therapists are necessary and do excellent but often challenging work and need workplaces that support them and help them practice self-care and in order to provide quality services. Creating this space where therapists can be their best self and provide top-notch services is essential for both the clients and the therapist. Also, due to the disparity in mental health treatment, working with black families is extremely important to me. As a black woman in this field I always want to make sure I am making ways to support black families and children in their therapy journeys. Having a space to play, grow and heal is vital for families, especially families that have experienced generational and racial trauma. I want my office to be a playful and healing space for everyone, but it is especially important to me to create this space for black families.
Pricing:
- 125 per session
- 150 for intake
Contact Info:
- Website: budtobloomplaytherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/budtobloomplaytherapy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/budtobloomplaytherapy
