Rosanna Worthington, LCSW-S

Rosanna (Rosie) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Supervisor with 15+ years of experience helping diverse children and families find healing, balance, and joy. Rosie is a Registered Play Therapist™ in-progress. 

Before joining the Mindful Connections team, Rosanna served as a school social worker for 11 years, supporting the mental health and social-emotional wellbeing of children and adolescents and advocating for their educational needs. She earned her Master’s of Social Work from the University of Southern California.

For children to explore their feelings and integrate new skills, they must first feel safe, connected, and competent. In other words, therapy must be fun! Rosanna taps into the natural language of children: play, expressive arts, nature, and rhythm & movement. 

Rosie specializes in four types of therapy: Child-Centered Play Therapy, TraumaPlay™, Theraplay®-informed techniques, and play-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. 

• Rosie is TraumaPlay™ Certified Therapist, having completed 40 hours of training and 12 months of supervised practice. TraumaPlay™ is a kid- and teen-friendly intervention designed to support families who have experienced trauma, including adoption/foster care, grief, violence, and natural disasters. TraumaPlay™ helps children regain a sense of safety, manage their strong feelings, process “the hard thing that happened”, and recognize their resilience.
• Rosie has completed 25 hours of Level One Theraplay® training. In Theraplay®, Rosie guides parents and children through playful activities designed to enhance attachment, safety, and self-regulation. Theraplay® is particularly beneficial for adoptive families and for families struggling with difficult behaviors. 
• Play-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is most appropriate for children eight years and older. ACT helps children accept difficult emotions through mindfulness and self-compassion while pursuing their personal values. ACT is particularly helpful for children experiencing chronic worries, perfectionism, and phobias. 

Rosanna honors that (1) parents know their children best, (2) parents are trying their hardest, and (3) progress requires reinforcement and practice outside of the therapy room. Rosanna approaches parents with curiosity and empathy, providing them with practical tools and resources to support their child’s growth.

During her free time, Rosanna enjoys gardening, qi gong, crossword puzzles, and spoiling her cat and dog.