Meet Celeste

Celeste West is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Registered Play Therapist ™ (RPT™) at Red Sands Psychiatry, Restorative Therapy, & Counseling. She specializes in play therapy for children and is a certified Firstplay Kinesthetic Practitioner, certified to work with children as young as 18 months old. 

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Celeste is trained in various other therapy models, including Child-Centered Play Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy, and holds a certification in TF-CBT, a specialized form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for trauma. She also works with adults using Internal Family Systems, Experiential, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapies. 

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Celeste attended Brigham Young University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Family Life. She later attended Converse College, where she completed a Play Therapy Track and obtained a Master's of Marriage and Family Therapy. Since receiving her degrees, she has continued her education and has become a Registered Play Therapist™.

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Something she finds fascinating in her work is to see that, in the right environment, children will play out and process their feelings and trauma with toys. She feels a deep sense of honor in being a part of that process and watching children heal. She is also amazed at the introspection and creativity of some teenagers as they express themselves through art or the sandtray. 

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Celeste is considerate, friendly, and imaginative. She loves to bring creativity into her care, utilizing art, the sand tray, or other types of play to help clients feel comfortable in expressing themselves. Not everyone knows the words to convey what they are feeling, so she aims to provide an outlet and be a conduit for clients as they express themselves and build their self-esteem in a safe space.

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Speaking of her creativity, she hopes to start a Dungeons and Dragons group therapy program once she gains more experience as an Adventurer and DM. She has always known she wanted to work with families and children and has found her passion in Play Therapy. One future aspiration is to train other therapists as a Registered Play Therapy Supervisor.

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Outside of the office, Celeste can be found reading a good book, playing with her toddler, drawing, playing the piano, and going on adventures. A lifelong animal lover, she dreams of one day owning her very own petting zoo! 

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Her favorite quote is:

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“Play is the language of children, and toys are their words.”

-Gary Landreth