Jackie
Moore

The Basics

Hey there! I’m Jackie Moore, and I am a co-owner of Play Therapy House. I’m originally from Boise, but moved to Spokane, Washington to attend Gonzaga University (go Zags!). In 2015, I graduated from Northwest Nazarene University with a master’s degree in counseling. Throughout graduate school, I gravitated toward any class that focused on creative methods of counseling, especially the play therapy courses offered at NNU. After beginning my counseling practice, I continued to focus on my play therapy training, and eventually became a Registered Play Therapist. I absolutely love working with children and families, and can’t imagine myself doing any other type of work.

Why Play?

When I was about 14 years old, I got my first job babysitting a family of three young children during the summer. I realized then that I loved spending time with kids. Their goofy sense of humor, spontaneity, and fearlessness was something that I really connected with. After that first job, nearly every other job I had allowed me to work with children in some capacity. In college, I majored in English and Education Studies, and thought that I wanted to go into teaching. Throughout my student teaching experiences however, I started to realize that the structure of the public school system didn’t allow me the amount of spontaneity and creativity that I needed from a career. When I began searching for graduate schools, I was thrilled to come across NNU’s play therapy emphasis. The more I learned about the theory behind play therapy, the more I felt sure that this was the path for me.

I love being a Registered Play Therapist, because it allows and encourages flexibility in therapy. My goal is to meet my client where they are at, and to allow each child I meet to show me their own unique world. Play therapy isn’t about analyzing or fixing problems, but instead about walking alongside a child on their journey, and respecting their own innate wisdom and problem-solving skills. Play therapy honors a child’s individuality, and promotes healing in a natural and supportive context.

How I Play

Kailee and I are both huge advocates of play, not only for kids, but for adults too! In my free time, I try to make play a priority as often as possible. On the weekends, my husband and I can often be found at a concert, in the woods, or on the river. I’m also a HUGE foodie, so if there’s a food truck rally or local festival, you can bet I’ll probably be lurking in the shadows somewhere scarfing down three or four different delicacies. My husband and I also try to make time for travel as often as possible, and I love to learn about different cultures, locations, and (of course) foods.

I’m also the proud dog mom of a Great Dane named Rupert Boneham Longfellow Moore (or Rupert for short) and I absolutely love talking about him. Most of the time he’s a big couch potato, but he’s always ready for an adventure when the time comes. He’s a great reminder that no matter how comfy the couch, we can all make time to play with the ones we love each day!