Pat Blakeslee

Master of Arts Counseling Psychology
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Registered Play Therapist

Sometimes people come to therapists for personal growth. Other times they may seek therapy when they are lost in their pain, grief, life problems – feeling a sense of alienation from themselves, others and God. They come to rediscover hope, faith, joy purpose and direction. As a therapist with a strong belief in a loving God, I attempt to meet them, adults and children, wherever they may be on their journey toward solace and healing.

Pat is a graduate of the University of Central Florida and holds a Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of North Florida. She is a Registered Play Therapist and a member of the Association for Play Therapy. She has practiced as a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist since 1987. She has provided counseling to individuals, children and families in a variety of settings including a residential treatment center for children and adolescents, a multi-service pediatric center, a community mental health agency, a group home for children and foster care families, and at the Naval Station Family Service Center in Mayport, Florida.

At the Presbyterian Counseling Center, Pat offers individual and family counseling for issues related to interpersonal growth and relationship difficulties. This includes, but is not limited to, persons experiencing anxiety, depression, grief or loss. Some clients choose to work on increasing their insight and awareness through individual counseling. In other cases, a family may be seen together for brief family therapy to learn how to change unhealthy patterns, resolve conflict and adapt to change.

Pat specializes in Play Therapy and Filial Therapy. Play therapy is the preferred mode of treatment for young children because play is the language of the child. Play therapy is effective in improving self-esteem, reducing behavior problems and resolving emotional difficulties related to traumatic experiences. Through play therapy a child develops trust, plays out difficult feelings and with the guidance of a therapist, healing takes place. Also, in play therapy children learn to accept limits and be responsible for their actions. Filial therapy is a means of coaching parents in the use of play therapy techniques. Filial therapy has been found to be effective in strengthening parent-child relationships as well as facilitating the reunification of parents with children after they have been separated.

Pat and her husband, Mark, live in New Smyrna Beach with their dog, Zoë. Both share an interest in wildlife and are volunteers with the sea turtle monitoring program of Volusia County. She has a stepson, now a single adult who lives in Orlando.

Living so close to the water, in her leisure time Pat likes to walk on the beach, row in a single shell or paddle in a kayak. She is a member of Coronado Community United Methodist Church in New Smyrna Beach. She enjoys family gatherings with her extended family, many who live in the surrounding area.