Davi Stein-Kiley

ABOUT ME

As a child, I was encouraged to create, imagine and engage. These mental pursuits of playfulness bolstered my wellbeing when childhood depression took hold of my heart at a young age. Firsthand experience of this loneliness and skewed sense of self have provided me with a unique view of what healing can look like for kids of all ages.

My career has led me through many years serving in mental health at nonprofits, schools, inpatient, intensive outpatient and school based organizations. As a private consultant and practitioner, I’m passionate about the intersection of neuroscience and practical application in the field of mental health.

During the last several years I’ve been invested in the effort of telling the story of sound practice through evaluation and research. And I offer a combination of professional expertise and personal perspective in my consulting and training practice. As a clinician, supervisor, and organizational leader, I have dedicated my career to supporting individuals and institutions in strengthening the frameworks that facilitate mental health and interpersonal connection. My experience within a blended family and as a parent of a child with disabilities has enhanced my understanding of resilience, adaptability, and the value of compassionate leadership. I am committed to collaborating on the development of effective, sustainable programs and cultures that foster growth, wellbeing, and meaningful collaboration.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

As an energetic leader in the field of mental health, Dr. Kiley has developed and led school-based programs that have positively impacted thousands of young people each year. She has supported countless professionals in building the skills, confidence, and clarity needed to serve their clients and teams more effectively.

Credentials include:

Brainspotting Consultant and Certified Practitioner
Registered Play Therapist/Supervisor
Brainspotting and Sand Tray Researcher
Clinical Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist, and Clinical Addiction Counselor
Conference Presenter /Trainer
Training in a broad array of SAMSHA approved mental health prevention programs.

PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION:

HONORS:

Research Award for Commitment to the field of Play Therapy- Indiana Association for Play Therapy 2024
William J. Bailey Prevention Leadership Award 2015, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Indiana
Health Care Hero 2013- Courier and Press, Evansville, Indiana
The Yvonne Williams Award 2011- for Merit and Innovative Service to the Profession of Play Therapy, Indiana Association for Play Therapy
Journey Fellow 2007- Celebrating leadership in Youth Serving Organizations in Indiana

Dr. Davi offers a distinctive Christian Worldview along with a Neuro- Trauma Informed integration of practice.

Professional memberships include:

American Association of Christian Counselors
Association for Play Therapy
World Association for Sand Therapy Professionals

CONSULTING & TRAINING SERVICES

Consultation is available for Brainspotting professionals in the following areas:

Pursuing certification, Special case consultation, Play Therapy and BSP Integration, Sand Therapy and BSP integration, Dopamine Recovery, and Research Interests.

Play Therapy Consultation/Clinical Supervision for clinicians seeking RPT or RPT-S designation

Customized training for clinical teams, and organizations seeking to enhance performance, improve team dynamics, and align their work with evidence-based best practices is also available.

Additional Areas of expertise include:

Leadership and Clinical Supervision
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Motivational Interviewing
Adlerian Theory
SAMHSA Evidence-Based Substance Abuse and Mental Health Programs

Let's Connect

Whether you’re looking to develop your staff, strengthen program outcomes, or lead with more confidence and clarity, I can help you design strategies that move your organization forward.

If you’re interested in consultation, training, or program development support, I’d love to collaborate.

About Brainspotting & Sand Therapy

The NeuroExperiential Model:

Discovered by Dr. David Grand, Ph.D., Brainspotting is a brain-based method that uses the field of vision to find where the person is holding negative experiences in their brain. In Brainspotting, “Where you look affects how you feel.” When the eyes focus in different places different emotions and sensory experiences show up. When a person is thinking about a problem and looks left, right, up, or down they literally feel differently because different fields of vision are accessed and different neural pathways are activated.

Neuroscientists report that there are over one quadrillion connections in the human brain which is more than the number of stars in the universe! The process is designed to support internal system regulation within the subcortical part of the brain, often unaccessed by approaches that focus on the neocortex. (Learning models, cognitive behavioral approaches, etc.)

Brainspotting cultivates dual attunement, which is the process of engaging in interpersonal neurobiology with the client, helping them notice a physiological response and then supporting them in holding an eye gaze. In finding a brainspot, the counselor and client work together to determine where an experience is held in the system and then resolve it or “unwind” it until it gets to the point of resolution.

(Adapted from Grand, 2016, Grand 2021 and Baumann, 2020.)

Several theoretical models have provided detailed analysis linking neuroscience with sand therapy. Sand therapy can provide a sensory experience that is stimulating which supports connections that are neurobiological, psychological, and social. Connections made through sand therapy promote emotional regulation, neural integration, making meaning and expanding ability to think clearly. Sensory feedback loop from sand therapy involves having a highly attuned practitioner who supports the client in connecting to body and feelings which leads to self-discovery and greater ability to engage in multisensory experiences which include seeing, doing, and touching (e.g., greater willingness to engage in learning).

Using the combination of sand therapy with Brainspotting approaches, children will have the opportunity to gain greater internal homeostasis, better regulation of self and openness to academic options.

(Adapted from Freedle, 2019)