Tara has been a pre-school teacher for the past ten years, in addition to serving as an adjunct professor at a local college. While teaching college classes on health, safety, and nutrition, Tara has broadened her knowledge of both mental and physical health. Her varied teaching experiences have shaped her understanding of the need for an increase in mental health and behavioral services. This led her to pursue an additional degree in mental health in addition to workshops on topics including developmental delays, autism spectrum disorders, behavior concerns, family communication, play therapy, community involvement, and self-regulation strategies. Tara cites her play therapy training from Eliana Gil at the Starbright Institute as one of her most influential experiences.