Roya Dedeaux is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a focus on parenting and play. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Recreation and a Master’s degree in Counseling from California State University, Long Beach where she now teaches in the Recreation and Leisure Studies department. This experience has led her to both a private practice and career in business training. She believes strongly in the importance and power of play for all ages, and has spent the majority of her personal and professional life inspiring others to become more playful. She has been a featured or keynote speaker at over 60 conferences, speaking about the importance of supporting kids interests and using play with purpose to improve relationships, learning, mental health, and overall well-being. Her debut book, Connect with Courage: practical ways to work through fear and find joy in the places your kids take you will be released in the Spring of 2020.

Roya specializes in using art in her therapy practice, and as her own creative outlet, she creates handmade jewelry out of clay and crochet at Royaboya Handmade. She also loves to play with her two wonderful children, husband, and animals where they live in Southern California.