About Me

Tiffany Vandergriff is a Licensed Master Social Worker. She is trained in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Tiffany has had extensive training in TraumaPlay and is currently working towards her certification to become a Registered Play Therapist, and Tiffany has been trained in Sand Tray-Based Play Therapy.  Tiffany considers each child’s unique situation, past experiences, strengths, and interests to formulate treatment plans. She believes that a child’s behaviors are their means of communicating their needs, and it is only until the need is met that healing can take place. 

 

Areas of Tiffany’s special interests include children and teenagers who have experienced complex trauma, neglect, abuse, social and/or educational difficulties, PTSD, behavioral issues, and parental divorce. Additional areas of interests include working with infants, toddlers, and families experiencing difficulties with healthy attachment and/or have been involved with the foster care system. By teaching children and their families positive coping skills, techniques on how to reframe negative thought processes, and providing acceptance and validation, Tiffany strives to empower clients to continue improvement, even after therapy is completed. 

 

Tiffany got her Bachelors in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma in 2018. After graduation, she attained employment at Oklahoma Department of Human Services as a Permanency Planner in the Child Welfare Service department. While learning about the foster care system, Tiffany came to realize the importance of individualized treatment plans, healthy attachments, breaking the cycle of abuse, and healing from trauma. These components were all primarily treated by various modalities of therapy, which were referred out to outside agencies. Tiffany is currently working towards becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) supervised by Brittani Persha, LCSW-S, RPT-S.

 

Tiffany recognized the “power of play” in prior experiences while working with children. She has experience in elementary school settings as a mentor, educator, tutor, student behavioral consultant, and she completed the required track for elementary education, but chose clinical work instead. Additionally, she was an intern at an orphanage in Thailand, and also worked as a nanny for families. Promoting the well-being, safety, and joy of children has always been Tiffany’s passion. In her clinical work with children, it is important to her that every child leaves feeling valued and important without them feeling as though she is pathologizing their issues. By practicing Play Therapy, Tiffany aims to continue to serve children and families by implementing evidence-based practices, developmental-appropriate approaches, and child-centered techniques.

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In my free time, I like to take walks in nature with my family, go to local eateries with my husband, watch sit-coms, game nights, and enjoying being a new mom to my first baby. I love checking off items from my bucket list - especially when it comes to traveling!

 

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Education:

Bachelors of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, 2018 

Master of Social Work, University of Oklahoma, May 2021

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Additional Training and Certifications:

Licensed Master Social Worker, 105349

TraumaPlay by Paris Goodyear-Brown

Sand Tray

TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention)

Cognitive Processing Therapy

Teen Speak 

Bethesda's "Stop, Go, Tell" Sexual Abuse Training 

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Professional Activities and Memberships:

AmeriCorps Member - 2019-2020

NASW Member

Participated in Check-and-Connect Research Grant

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