Isabella Cassina

I'm a Social Worker skilled in 7 languages. I was born in Lugano, Switzerland. I hold a MA from The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies IHEID in Geneva. I completed a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Expressive Arts Therapy and I have undertaken a PhD in Switzerland. I'm a registered Therapeutic Play Specialist (TPS) with the Association for Play Therapy Italy APTI. I have followed trainings in Italy, Switzerland, USA, UK, Canada, and Australia. I'm Head of Project Management and Trainer at the INA International Academy for Play Therapy based in Switzerland and Director of the APTI Play Therapy magazine ("Rivista di Play Therapy"). I presented conferences and workshops internationally on Play Therapy and crisis work [Georgia State University, George Fox University, International Play Therapy Study Group UK, International Conference for Trauma Fiji, Deakin University Australia, Serbia, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, etc.]. Since 2006 I have achieved significant experience in humanitarian field in Colombia, Serbia, Haiti, India, Nigeria, Venezuela, and Italy. I worked for almost 7 years for the Swiss Red Cross as Head of the Social Services in the asylum seekers and refugees sector and Project Manager promoting Therapeutic Play interventions for migrant children and families. I'm author and illustrator of the psychoeducational book for children “The Magic Home. A displaced boy finds a way to feel better” (2020) reviewed by world renowned professionals in Play Therapy. I co-wrote the book "Introduzione alla Play Therapy. Quando il gioco è la terapia" (2021) and co-edited with Mochi and Stagnitti the book for professionals and academics "Play Therapy and Expressive Arts in a Complex and Dynamic World" (Routledge, 2022). In 2023, 4 chapters in 3 books will be published by Routledge and Wiley presenting the intervention model for work in crisis and highly vulnerable contexts "Coping with the present while building for the future" (CPBF) I developed with my colleague Claudio Mochi.