LaKaavia Taylor-Holman, PhD, LPC-S, NCC, RPT™

Hello! I am Dr. LaKaavia Taylor-Holman, and I am honored to serve as Treasurer for the Texas Association for Play Therapy (TxAPT). In this role, I oversee budgeting, fiscal planning, and financial reporting to support TxAPT’s mission and programs.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, National Certified Counselor, Registered Play Therapist™️, Certified Child-Centered Play Therapy Supervisor, and Certified Child-Parent Relationship Therapy Supervisor. I currently serve as a Clinical Associate Professor at Southern Methodist University (SMU), where I combine my passion for teaching, research, and service.

With more than a decade of experience, I have provided counseling to children, adolescents, adults, and families in diverse settings, including community agencies, public schools, private practices, and university clinics. My areas of specialty include play therapy, multicultural counseling, cultural identity development, and trauma-informed practice.

I have delivered numerous professional presentations and keynotes, published chapters and research on play therapy, and engaged in social justice advocacy through leadership roles in counseling organizations. From 2021–2025, I served as a Counselor Educator Trustee for the Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC), where I now serve as Continuing Education Manager.

I am a recipient of the 2022 Rho Kappa Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota Outstanding Research Award, recognizing my scholarship on play therapy with African American children, and the 2022 College of Education Outstanding Lecturer Award. My lifelong commitment is to reduce mental health barriers for individuals and families from underserved populations.

In my personal time, I enjoy traveling, spending time with family, and watching documentaries.