Dee C. Ray, Ph.D., LPC-S, NCC, RPT-S is Regents Professor and Elaine Millikan Mathes Professor in Early Childhood Education in the Counseling Program and Co-Director of the Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas.  Dr. Ray has published over 150 articles, chapters, and books in the field of play therapy, specializing in research specifically examining the process and effects of Child Centered Play Therapy.  Dr. Ray is author of A Therapist’s Guide to Development: The Extraordinarily Normal Years, Advanced Play Therapy: Essential Conditions, Knowledge, and Skills for Child Practice, Child Centered Play Therapy Treatment Manual, and co-author of Multicultural Play Therapy, Group Play Therapy, and Child Centered Play Therapy Research. Most recently, Dr. Ray published her book on education, Playful Education: Using Play Therapy Strategies to Elevate Your Classroom which focuses on the significance of teacher-child relationships in the language of play. She is a founding board member and past president of the Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling, as well as past board chair of the Association for Play Therapy. She is founding editor of the Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, American Counseling Association Fellow, and recipient of the American Counseling Association Don Dinkmeyer Social Interest Award, Association for Humanistic Counseling Educator Award, Association for Play Therapy Outstanding Research Award, and many others. Dr. Ray supervises counseling services to community clients at her university clinic and leads a school outreach program providing play therapy to hundreds of children each year. Dr. Ray also co-created and oversees the international certification program for Child-Centered Play Therapy and Child-Parent Relationship Therapy.  Dr. Ray additionally operates the counseling practice, EmpathyWell, in Highland Village, TX where she facilitates play therapy, training, and supervision.