Education

• Master of Social Work, Boston College
• Trauma Certificate, Boston College
• Bachelor of Arts in History & Spanish, College of the Holy Cross

Specialties

• Play Therapy
• Trauma
• Anxiety
• Emotional Regulation
• Self-Esteem
• Family Support

About

Emma Dean is a Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW) who earned her Master of Social Work from Boston College, where she specialized in Children, Youth, and Families and completed a Trauma Certificate. She is passionate about helping children, adolescents, and families build emotional resilience, strengthen relationships, and discover their own capacity for healing.

Emma believes every child deserves a safe, supportive environment where they feel accepted, understood, and free to express themselves. Recognizing that play is a child's natural language, she incorporates play, creativity, and developmentally appropriate interventions to help children process difficult experiences, strengthen emotional regulation, and build confidence as they navigate life's challenges.

Emma has experience working with children, adolescents, and families across residential, inpatient, and outpatient mental health settings, supporting clients experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disorders, and other emotional and behavioral challenges. These experiences have strengthened her ability to build trusting relationships while helping children and families feel supported, understood, and hopeful.

Before becoming a therapist, Emma spent six years as a middle and high school teacher. This experience gave her a deep appreciation for child development, learning, and the unique challenges children face both inside and outside the classroom. She enjoys partnering with parents, schools, and other professionals to provide collaborative, individualized care that supports each child's growth across environments.

Emma values authenticity, curiosity, and connection. She strives to create warm, trusting relationships where children feel emotionally safe while gently encouraging resilience, self-confidence, and personal growth. As part of the Mossman Play Therapy Center team, Emma is committed to expanding her expertise in play therapy through specialized training and supervision and plans to pursue her Registered Play Therapist™ (RPT™) credential.