McKenzie Grubbs, MS, LCPC
Owner | Therapist
McKenzie Grubbs is a licensed mental health counselor providing play therapy to children ages 3-12 in the Billings, MT area. McKenzie earned her Master of Science in Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from Montana State University Billings. Prior to becoming a therapist, McKenzie earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from MSU Billings and worked in various school settings. During this time, McKenzie realized that her passion for working with youth better aligned with the counseling field, where she enjoys connecting individually with children and their families while providing support in social-emotional development.
McKenzie has a person-centered approach to therapy and views her clients as the experts on their lives. Person-centered therapy “aims directly toward the greater independence and integration of the individual, rather than hoping that such results will occur if the counselor assists in solving the problem. The individual, and not the problem, is the focus. The aim is not to solve one particular problem, but to assist the individual to grow, so that they can cope with the present problem and with later problems in a better integrated fashion” (Carl Rogers).
McKenzie is a member of the Association for Play Therapy, is in the process of earning her Registered Play Therapist certification, and has been working under the supervision of local Registered Play Therapists since 2023.
Why Play Therapy?
“In play therapy, toys are like the child's words and play is the child's language”
- Garry Landreth
Play therapy is a developmentally appropriate form of mental health therapy for children. “Play therapy is based upon the fact that play is the child’s natural medium of self-expression. It is an opportunity that is given to the child to ‘play out’ their feelings and problems just as, in certain types of adult therapy, an individual ‘talks out’ their feelings” (Virginia Axline).
There are many different types of play therapy. McKenzie primarily practices child-centered play therapy, which is a non-directive approach where children are empowered to lead sessions, and emotions are explored in-the-moment. “Making choices is a critical part of the process in child-centered play therapy. The opportunity to choose whether or not to play or which toy to play with may first seem inconsequential, but for the child each choice made represents some control over their life” (Landreth).
“The therapist recognizes that growth is a slow process, not to be pushed, prodded, and hurried along. This is a time when the child can relax, a place where growth takes place naturally without being forced, a special relationship” (Landreth). “This is an extraordinary, singularly uncommon time, place, and relationship when the child can be, experience, and express all that they are at the moment and be accepted fully” (Landreth).
More information can be found on the Association for Play Therapy website:
Insurance Accepted
Aetna
Allegiance
America’s Choice
BlueCross and BlueShield Montana
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Cigna Montana
City of Billings Employee Health Plan
Community Health Network
FEDMED
First Choice Health
First Health
Government Employees Health Association (GEHA)
Healthy Montana Kids (HMK, HMK Plus)
InterWest Health Network
Montana Medicaid
Mountain Health Co-Op
Optum
Pacific Steel and Recycling
PacificSource
Prime Health Services
TRICARE West
United Healthcare
Velocity
6 Degrees Health, Inc.
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Cash pay rates available upon request