History of The Heart Leaf Center
Founders, Sheri Mitschelen, LCSW, RPT-S and Lisa Lam, LCSW, RPT created the vision for The Heart Leaf Center with a common goal to help children and families in our community access services specializing in play therapy. Both Sheri and Lisa believe play therapy is the most effective modality when working with youth and commit to creating an inclusive play therapy environment for direct service and training.

Our Name
Founder Sheri Mitschelen and Treasurer Richard Walker raised their son and daughter on Heart Leaf Street, a time and place filled with love, learning, and wholeness. We strive to provide a place of wholeness and healing to all families served by The Heart Leaf Center.

Sheri Mitschelen, LCSW, RPT-S is the Owner of Crossroads Family Counseling Center, a for-profit private pay program. Over the past 12 years she has successfully built the organization by specializing in play therapy for children, adolescents and families. She is passionate about Play Therapy and the value of Play. She provides play therapy training locally, nationally, and internationally. She is the current Past President of the Virginia Association for Play Therapy.

Lisa Lam, LCSW, is the Executive Director at The Heart Leaf Center.  Ms. Lam has over 15 years of experience working with children and families. Prior roles include working as the Lead School Behavioral Health Therapist for Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, a Therapist with the Community Service Board, and working with children and families assigned to Fort Bragg.

Learn more about The Heart Leaf Center, and how we serve the local community, from our President, Sheri Mitschelen, in this recent Channel 10 (Fairfax Public Access) recording of “Your Need to Know”, hosted by Catherine Read.

 

Awards. The Heart Leaf Center is proud to be a recipient of the 2023 Washington Parent Pick Winner for Mental Health Care in Virginia.