Cecilia and Paula have collaborated together since they were graduate students at Santa Clara University’s Counseling Psychology program. They opened a counseling center upon LMFT licensure, with the goal of providing services for all members of a family under one roof. They incorporated Play therapy, Parenting therapy, Couples and Individual Therapy as part of their Family Therapy Model. They named the center Parenting Plus Child and Family Counseling.
Family Therapy
Both Cecilia and Paula have done extensive training and consultation from the Family and Play Therapy Center in Philadelphia under Dottie Higgins Klein. Their training includes Contextual and Mindfulness based – family therapy. In Higgins-Klein’s book, “Mindfulness-Based Play-Family Therapy” she states that the contextual family therapy model “presents a new and comprehensive framework for helping children through play therapy within the context of their families. Rather than separating the children from their family members, who are often their closest and most powerful sources of support, this therapy works to heal children by, in part, strengthening these familial bonds. “
The Contextual Family Therapy model offers effective interventions in helping the families and children who are experiencing family changes. The Contextual orientation offers a fair and balanced approach to different stages of family life such as step-parenting, adoption, divorce, foster care, domestic violence, physical and sexual abuse, bereaved, and families with special needs.
Credentialed Registered Play Therapist-Supervisors
They both are credentialed as Registered Play Therapist- Supervisors which meet the national standards for competency and education in the play therapy field. They are both highly trained Play therapists, not just therapists who use play therapy techniques.
CLICK HERE to Play Therapy and its evidence based benefits
Advanced Couples Training
Both Paula and Cecilia have completed advanced training in the developmental model of couples therapy at the Couples Institute in Menlo Park, Ca. This model integrates Attachment theory, Differentiation Theory and Neuroscience into a specific model that improves the diagnosis and treatment approach for all types of couples. In addition they have completed the Advanced Training program which furthers their clinical expertise with difficult couples.
Cecilia Long, LMFT, RPT-S
Cecilia received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Masters in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University.
Paula Shuer, LMFT, RPT-S
Paula received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Michigan and her Masters in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University.
Our Practice Associates
Debra D. Rojas, M.A., LMFT, received her masters degree from Trinity College of Graduate Studies in southern CA. She works with individuals, couples, children, and families.
She has completed advanced couples training in the developmental model of couples therapy at the Couples Institute in Menlo Park CA. This model integrates Attachment Theory, Differentiation Theory and Neuroscience into a specific model that improves the diagnosis and treatment approach for all types of couples. In addition she has completed the Advanced Training program which furthers her clinical expertise with difficult couples.
Debra is currently training in Contextual and Mindfulness-based Play Family Therapy from the Family and Play Therapy Center in Philadelphia under Dottie Higgins Klein, and completing training to become a registered play therapist.
Prior to becoming licensed as a marriage and family therapist, Debra owned Learning & Career Solutions in Riverside, CA where she assessed for learning differences and customized developmental learning programs for children and teens who struggle with learning.
She maintains clinical membership in CAMFT (California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists); SCV-CAMFT (Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CAMFT) where she serves on the board of directors, and AAMFT (American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists).
Dr. Szu-Yu (Darlene) Chen is a bilingual (English and Mandarin) Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC # 8446), a Board Certified Counselor, a Registered Play Therapist, and a certified Child-Center Play Therapy and Child-Parent Relationship Therapy supervisor.
She is also an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Palo Alto University where she trains graduate students to serve their communities as licensed mental health professionals and advocates. She earned her master’s and Ph.D. in Counseling with a concentration in clinical mental health and play therapy at the University of North Texas where the counseling program is one of the top-ranked programs in Texas and has the largest play therapy training facility in the world. She has extensive experience providing counseling services to children, adolescents, adults, and families in a variety of settings, including inpatient, outpatient, schools, private practice, and community clinics. Her professional counseling experience and advanced training include working with clients in all stages of life from diverse cultural backgrounds, including immigrants, who experience issues related to anxiety, depression, relationship, grief and loss, trauma, and acculturation stress. She also has provided consultation and mental health training for local schools and broader communities. She maintains professional membership in ACA (American Counseling Association), CALPCC (California Association for Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors), APT (Association for Play Therapy), AMCD (Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development), ACCA (Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling), AARC (Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling), and ACES (Association for Counselor Education and Supervision).