Amanda Comage-Trower
Founder & CEO
Mental Heart Therapeutic Play
Queen Creek, AZ USA
“It doesn’t mean that you’re failing just because you’re taking a smaller step than somebody else. Just keep going.”
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By Roadtrip NationAmanda Comage-Trower
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
I was raised in Ipswich, England, and was able to travel around the world because my father and my ex-husband were both in the military.
I knew early on that I wanted to work with children—I started working in early childhood spaces at 16 years old.
As I learned about the different areas within the early childhood field, I wanted to gain experience in all of them—I worked in marketing, at a child crisis center, and for Child Protective Services.
My husband and I moved to Indiana, where I discovered my passion for children’s therapy.
I completed the education necessary to work in child therapy, including a certification from the Institute of Child Psychology.
When we moved back to Arizona, I had trouble finding a clinic that was a great fit for me, so I decided to start my own company.
In 2020, I started Mental Heart, a holistic children's therapeutic play practice that provides very specialized and personalized therapeutic services to children.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Certification/License
Therapeutic Play
Institute of Child Psychology
Therapeutic Play
Institute of Child Psychology
Career
Founder & CEO
I help children learn to manage big and small emotions through therapeutic play.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Education
Entrepreneurship
Helping People
Day to Day
I only see ten clients a year and I see them for about 30-45 minutes per day. When a child comes in for their appointment, we start with a feelings check-in. I let the child take the lead depending on what feelings we're exploring that day. I don't do talk therapy, I do play therapy. The child will play and we'll explore emotions through that. Then the parent(s) can come in and see their child play. While the child plays, I point out different cues and words that parents should pay attention to.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for everyone
I recommend volunteering in a field you think you're interested in. There are so many different specialties within the therapy and counseling field. Volunteering is a great way to explore the different areas and figure out which one is the best fit for you.
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
"We can't give you a chance. You don't have management experience. You're not ready for this."
Challenges I Overcame
Gender Discrimination
