Sinem Akay-Sullivan, Ph.D., Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor is an Associate Professor in the Department of Counselor Education at Sam Houston State University (SHSU). After receiving her M.S. in Clinical Psychology and M.Ed. in Counseling, Dr. Akay-Sullivan graduated with her doctorate from the Department of Counseling and Higher Education at the University of North Texas with a specialty in play therapy. After her graduation, she worked at a Child Advocacy Center where she specialized in trauma work and became certified as a Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapist. She then started her teaching career at SHSU while continuing to work at her private practice and received her Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) certification in 2017. Dr. Akay-Sullivan currently serves as the Director of the Play Therapy Institute and the Center for Research & Clinical Training in Trauma at SHSU.