Credentials and Training
Dr. Emily Fornwalt, PhD
Credentials
I have my Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), Registered Play Therapist Supervisor (RPT-S #T2008), National Certified Counselor (NCC), and Board Certified TeleMental Health (BC-TMH-3701) credentials.
Other than a jumble of letters, these credentials tell you a few things about me. ..
First, I have a standardized level of supervision training, which means I have specialized expertise and ongoing training in supervision specifically.
Second, being a play therapist means that I have special training in using play to work with children. While I do not work with anyone younger than adolescence due to being solely telehealth, this training means that I am comfortable with incorporating interventions such as drawing and music if you’d like, as well as expertise in working with parents who want to learn playful ways to better relate to their children.
And finally, becoming a board-certified telemental health provider was and is important to me because I believe that working solely online requires specialized training in how to make sure counseling is just as effective and confidential online as it is in person.
license numbers
Board Certified TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH;BC-TMH-3701)
North Carolina Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor (LCMHC-S; #S6459)
Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselor-Mental Health Service Provider (LPC-MHSP; #5318)
Virginia Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC; #0701013449)
Iowa Licensed Mental Health COunselor (LMHC; #140678)
South Carolina Professional Counselor Telehealth Provider (#TLC 214 PC)
Registered Play Therapy Supervisor (RPT-S; #T2008)
My initial counselor licensure was in North Carolina, and I have been independently licensed since 2007.
My Education and Work Experience
How I got here…
I attended Clemson University, graduating in 1999, where I studied psychology and music.
During my break between Clemson and further schooling I worked in early intervention supporting families whose children were diagnosed with developmental concerns.
Having decided that real life was not yet what I wanted, I decided to return to school and received my master’s in Community Counseling at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2005.
I worked for a few years in a variety of settings, including work with a child advocacy center (a place for kiddos who have experienced abuse) and in college advisement for a community college.
Finally, I attended UNCC again, starting in 2009 and finished in 2015 with my PhD in Counseling.
Since then, I have taught counseling in several master’s programs.
While there was a whole lot I loved about academia (students, teaching, research) I realized I needed a more balanced and healthy life.
I left academia as a full-time career, though I still teach courses here and there.
Specialized training and areas of expertise:
I have completed training in Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) and am a Level II AEDP therapist.
“What in the world is that??” you ask. Don’t worry, even most therapists haven’t heard of it where I am from!
Of course you can google it, but what it means for you in working with me is that I believe that our relationship is incredibly important. I will work hard to understand the things you share with me from your perspective (not mine) and start first with making sure you feel understood before trying to move toward your goals.
It also means that I focus a lot on your emotions, what you can learn from them, and how you make sense of them. In session, this might mean slowing down to notice your physical body and taking time to name an emotion before doing anything else.
I am also heavily influenced by mindfulness and interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB) and have training in Dr. Dan Siegel’s Interpersonal Neurobiology approach.
Again, this is not one of those approaches you read about all over the place.
So, here’s what it means for you in sessions with me…
My training means I might slow us down to practice things like relaxing tense places (wearing your shoulders like earrings?) and taking deep breaths while noticing how that feels. It also means we might talk about how to train your brain to send your attention to the places you want it and away from where you do not want it.
My Training on Privilege and Oppression
Additionally, I come from a master’s and PhD program that put a strong emphasis on making sure we understood the concepts of privilege and oppression. This has inspired me to continue to explore those as both a person and professional.
Some examples of how I live this out, though I know I am not perfect and need to continue to grow:
I have presented and published on topics that advocate for transgender and gender expansive children.
I belong to and participate in a group of therapists committed to anti-racism in therapy where we actively seek to challenge ourselves to grow in anti-racist identities individually, as well as change the profession.
In sessions, I seek to explicitly discuss differences in our identities and how those affect our relationship, as well as how you might be affected by racism and the myriad of other -isms perpetuated in our society.
Counseling Services Offered:
Supervision & Consultation Services Offered:
Contact Me
Click the button below to schedule a session or reach out if you have questions.