In this episode of The Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts welcomes David Schatzkamer, a licensed Mental Health counselor and registered play therapist supervisor. David shares his experiences and insights on helping young children thrive through therapeutic play. He discusses the inspiration behind founding the Center4PlayTherapy, the significance of play in child development, and effective techniques for parents to nurture emotional connections with their children. David also highlights the importance of understanding the child and Family as a unit rather than focusing solely on diagnoses. Additionally, David provides practical tips for parents and details his upcoming book, Easy Shmezy Guide to Parenting, which offers therapeutic techniques for everyday use. The episode underscores the transformative power of play in improving communication, behavior, and emotional regulation in children.

David’s Bio and Contact Information

David Schatzkamer, LMHC, RPT-S, is a licensed mental Health counselor and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor specializing in helping young children thrive through therapeutic play. As founder and director of the Center4PlayTherapy, David brings over 15 years of experience working with children ages 3–8, supporting families through challenges like ADHD, Trauma, behavioral struggles, and emotional regulation. He trained at the University of North Texas’s Intensive Play Therapy Supervision Program and continues to lead supervision groups and serve on the board of the Association for Play Therapy of New York State.

David’s approach is deeply practical, blending clinical expertise with simple, powerful tools parents can use to build stronger Relationships with their kids. He’s also the co-author of Easy Shmezy Guide to Parenting, a hands-on book packed with therapeutic techniques that actually fit into everyday life. Whether in the therapy room, training other professionals, or sharing insights on podcasts, David’s mission is to make play-based healing accessible, effective, and meaningful.

Phone:  (718) 715-9402.

https://center4playtherapy.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidschatzkamer/

To find out more about Dave Roberts go to davidrobertsmsw.com and his author page psychologyprofessorandminister.com

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Dave Roberts LMSW, Author, Podcaster

David J. Roberts, LMSW, became a parent who experienced the death of a child, when his daughter Jeannine died of cancer on 3/1/03 at the age of 18. He is a retired addiction professional and an adjunct professor in the psychology child life department at Utica University in Utica, New York. Dave also teaches psychology classes at Pratt MWP School of Art and Design. He is the host of The Teaching Journeys Podcast, which can be found on Apple, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

Dave has presented workshops at national conferences of The Compassionate Friends as well as for the Bereaved Parents of the USA. He was also a keynote speaker at the 2011 and 2015 national gatherings of the Bereaved Parents of the USA. Dave also co-presented a workshop titled “Helping Faculty After Traumatic Loss” for the Parkland, Florida community in May of 2018, in the aftermath of the mass shootings at Stoneman Douglas High School.

Roberts has been a past HuffPost contributor and has contributed articles to Medium, Open to Hope Foundation, Mindfulness and Grief, Thrive Global, and the Recovering the Self Journal. He has also appeared on numerous podcasts, as well as Open to Hope Television. In 2021,he co-authored and published a book with Reverend Patty Furino titled, When The Psychology Professor Met The Minister.