About Emily Benson

Emily is the founder and owner of Beginnings and Beyond Counseling/Play Therapy Minnesota and is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor and certified Co-Regulating Touch and Reiki practitioner. 

Emily’s clinical work began with adults and adolescents 20 years ago working in the Indigenous communities in St. Paul, MN. She has provided clinical psychotherapy for addictions, sexual and physical abuse, anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma and other mental health disorders to individuals in hospital, nusring home and community settings.

Emily’s strongest interests lie in pre-and perinatal science relating to early imprints on the fetus and birth process in addition to complex trauma.

Emily provides therapy to ages 18 months to adult/geriatric and specializes in Experiential Play Therapy, Somatic Experiencing and specializes Trauma Informed Touch for healing developmental trauma for all ages.

Emily has trained under the guidance of world renowned Play Therapist Byron Norton, PhD and Somatic Touch Therapists Kathy Kain, PhD, SEP and Stephen Terrell PsyD, SEP.