CELESTE C. NEIL
PhD, LPC-S, NCC, NCSC, ACS, BC-TMH, Registered Play Therapist- Supervisor
Dr. Celeste Neil completed her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at the University of Alabama in 2015. She is a frequent presenter at the annual Alabama Counseling Association (ALCA) Fall Conference. Although Dr. Neil is a retired educator with 30+ years’ experience, she continues to provide services for children, adolescents, and families. She was a preK-12 system psychometrist 11 years and an elementary school counselor the last 19 years in Vestavia Hills School System. Dr. Neil served 8 years on the Alabama School Counselor Association (ALSCA) Board as chair of the Recognition of Accountability, Verification, and Excellence (RAVE) Award as well as recipient of the RAVE award 3 years prior (2004-2006). She has provided candidate support to numerous school counselors across the state for national certification in school counseling through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Dr. Neil was one of the first three Alabama school counselors to achieve the NBPTS certification the first year it was available in 2004. In 2008 her elementary school counseling program at Vestavia Hills Elementary-West was nationally recognized becoming the first Alabama program to receive the National award as a Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP).
Dr. Neil served 3 years (2015-2017) on the Alabama Association for Play Therapy (AAPT) Board as President-Elect, President, and Past President. She was the first Alabama Registered Play Therapist to be a member of the national APT Leadership Academy. Dr. Neil is a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor TM , a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, a National Certified Counselor (NCC), a National Certified School Counselor (NCSC), an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), and a Board Certified Telemental Health (BC-TMH) provider. She has participated in extensive sandtray training, practice, and supervision with Dottie Higgins Klein through the Family Play Therapy Center in Pennsylvania, Dr. Theresa Kestly at the Sandtray Institute in New Mexico completing all 10 levels over 3 years, and Dr. Terry Kottman in both Foundational and Advanced Adlerian sandtray practice. Dr. Neil has also completed 2 years of training, practice and supervision in Mindfulness-Based Play Therapy through the Family Play Therapy Center. She is also a trainer of the Nurtured Heart Approach since 2021 and completed 200 hr. certification in yoga in 2023 through “Breathe for Change.”
In neuroscience, Dr. Neil is a provider for Dr. Stephen Porges’ Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), as well as Dr. Ron Minson’s iLs Focus Program. (for more info visit www.integratedlistening.com ) In October 2020, Dr. Neil completed the 30 hour program by Deb Dana: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation Foundations of Polyvagal Informed Practice. Additionally, in 2019 she was trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) at the Wellness Institute in South Haven, MS.
Play Therapy Plus LLC has been approved by NBCC as an approved continuing education provider, ACEP No. 7021. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Play Therapy Plus LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the the program.
Play Therapy Plus LLC endorses the Association for Play Therapy Mission and Scope
The mission of APT is to promote the value of play, play therapy, and credentialed play therapists. This is accomplished by advancing the psychosocial development and mental health of all people through play and play therapy by promoting and supporting those programs, services, and related activities.