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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 therapy 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.

As a grown homeschooler, she conducted the largest study related to mental health and homeschooling in the United States. Her first book Connect with Courage: practical ways to work through fear and find joy in the places your kids take you is now available at all major book retailers.

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 uses her event management and recreation background with her love of supporting mom owned businesses to host a regular multi-vendor virtual Bazaar for small businesses. She recently launched a youth-entrepreneur sponsorship program which supports kids and teens who are interested in learning how to run small businesses. She also loves to play with her wonderful children, husband, and animals where they live and homeschool in Southern California.