Matthew J. Onstad, MS, LCPC, NCC
Matthew J. Onstad, MS, LCPC, NCC, is a child and adolescent therapist and co-owner of Summit Therapy Center in Billings, Montana. His clinical work focuses on play therapy, neurodivergence, emotional regulation, attachment, trauma, and strengthening relationships between children and their caregivers.
Matthew brings extensive experience working with children and families across therapeutic, educational, foster care, and community settings. For nearly 10 years, he and his family provided therapeutic foster care in the Yellowstone County area, supporting children with complex emotional, behavioral, developmental, and trauma-related needs. This experience gave him a unique understanding of the daily realities families face when caring for children with significant needs and strengthened his ability to work collaboratively with caregivers, treatment teams, child welfare professionals, and other community partners.
Through his foster care and clinical work, Matthew has also gained substantial experience with court-involved cases and the complex systems that often surround children and families. He understands the importance of clear communication, thoughtful documentation, collaboration, and maintaining the child’s emotional and developmental needs at the center of decision-making.
Matthew previously worked at Yellowstone Academy, a private therapeutic school serving children connected with Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch. His experience in this setting strengthened his understanding of how emotional, behavioral, developmental, and learning needs can affect children across both school and home environments.
Matthew is a Certified AutPlay® Therapy Provider and is rostered in Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP). He is also trained in Empowered to Connect, an attachment-based, trauma-informed parenting approach designed to help caregivers better understand children’s behaviors, strengthen connection, and respond to emotional and developmental needs with greater confidence and consistency.
In therapy, Matthew integrates child-centered play therapy with attachment-based, experiential, and developmentally appropriate approaches to help children communicate their experiences, process difficult emotions, build regulation skills, and strengthen important relationships.
He is currently completing the requirements to become a Registered Play Therapist (RPT) under the supervision of Carmy Goodwin, LSCSW, LCSW, RPT-S™, with anticipated completion in early 2027.
As co-owner of Summit Therapy Center, Matthew is committed to expanding access to specialized mental health services for children and families in the Billings community. Outside his clinical work, he remains actively involved as a CASA advocate, PTA treasurer, and Cub Scout leader. His professional, foster care, and volunteer experiences reflect a long-standing commitment to supporting children, strengthening families, and collaborating with the systems that serve them.