Lessons from the Playroom

Why is it so hard to let go and surrender to the reality of WHAT IS, in your life?... Join Lisa Dion as she takes you on a reflective journey to answer this very important question (... because we know it’s not easy and, let’s just be honest, can be downright painful!).

In this Lessons from the Playroom episode, learn:

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* If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

* Interested in APT Approved CE credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our play therapy training, available on our learning website: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

This next guest, from a young age, wanted to be both a philosopher and a pilot … while life took her down a different path, she has since translated the “mysteries” of EMDR Therapy when working with children for thousands of therapists worldwide ... and taken many of her clients on a journey to places within themselves, giving them wings to soar! 💖

Ana Gomez is the founder of the AGATE Institute and has focused her career on working with complex and developmental trauma, healing generational wounds, and understanding dissociative patterns.

Join Ana Gomez and Lisa Dion in a discussion about EMDR Therapy with kids where Ana gives understanding to:

Listen to today's episode and receive your “wings” from an extraordinary “pilot” who so beautifully reminds us why we do what we do, the power of this work, and why we continue to show up for our child clients day in and day out.

*Ana M Gómez, MC, LPC is the founder and director of the AGATE Institute in Phoenix, AZ. She is a psychotherapist, author, and an international speaker on the use of EMDR therapy with children and adolescents with complex and developmental trauma as well as generational wounds and dissociation. Ana is the author of EMDR Therapy and Adjunct Approaches with Children: Complex Trauma, Attachment and Dissociation and several book chapters and articles on the use of EMDR therapy with children and adolescents. In addition, she is the author of multiple children’s books and therapeutic tools.

Check out this incredible resource formed by Ana and other amazing EMDR Therapists who are bringing EMDR Therapy into their work with children – the Global Child EMDR Alliance.

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*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

We’re doing something different in this episode! … This time, Lisa is joined by three important people in her life - three Certified Synergetic Play Therapists, for a discussion of some of the challenges we might face as a play therapist.

Take time to pause, reflect and find out what to do when a child/client:

*Special guests: Certified Synergetic Play Therapists, Andrea Davidson (Colorado), Johanna Simmons (Vancouver, British Columbia), and Rachel Freeburg (Oregon).

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*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

In this episode, Lisa is joined by another special therapist - a gem 💖 in the play therapy field (and he’s also a poet 😉) … Marshall Lyles joins Lisa in a discussion that brings new thought, new life, and new excitement to processes and things you may have heard about for years.

Join Lisa and Marshall in conversation about …

As a bonus, Marshall also shares his poem, Digging Deeper that he recently shared in the book, Advanced Sandtray Therapy.

Marshall Lyles, LPC-S, LMFT-S, RPT-S, lives in the Austin, Texas, area and has 20 years of practice in family and play therapy. Drawing on lessons learned from working with attachment trauma in a variety of mental health settings, Marshall regularly teaches on trauma, expressive therapies, and attachment-informed family work around the globe. He’s published in professional journals and magazines in addition to contributing to several books including recently co-authoring the book Advanced Sandtray Therapy (released in September 2021).

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*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

A fundamental question of your practice as a play therapist, might be - “How do I support parents/caregivers in becoming the external regulator for their child?”

With this mantra in mind to “treat the parent/caregiver how you would love the parent/caregiver to treat the child,” Lisa Dion tackles this very topic of how to support parents/caregivers in becoming their child’s external regulator.

In this Lessons from the Playroom episode, you’ll learn:

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*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

In this 102nd episode, Lisa is joined by special guest Dr. David Crenshaw for a touching and heartfelt conversation about Finding the Hidden Gifts Within Children, especially those who have been deeply mistreated and hurt.

In this episode, David reminds you that children who have been wounded so often present with many protective patterns that often hide their inner treasures, talents, strengths, and deeper qualities about themselves.

And at times, these patterns are so strong in the child, that you might get easily swayed, become confused, or forget that they are protective strategies … Forgetting that under all that shutdown, back talk, aggressive behavior, or resistance, is the child’s true self - their virtues, their essence, their wholeness.

Listen as David shares his wisdom and some of the lessons learned from his 53 years in the field - and a key message to always look for the treasures buried within.

*David A. Crenshaw, Ph.D. is Clinical Director of the Children's Home of Poughkeepsie He is Past-President of the New York Association for Play Therapy, a Board Certified Clinical Psychologist; a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychology, and a Registered Play Therapy Supervisor. He has received several Lifetime Achievement Awards including most recently in 2021 by the Association for Play Therapy. He is the author/editor/co-editor of numerous books, book chapters, and journal articles on child aggression, play therapy and child trauma.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

What does it really mean to be culturally competent?...

To help us kick off the next 100 episodes, Lisa is joined by a truly amazing individual who is a leader in our play therapy field - Dr. Eliana Gil. Likely you have heard of her 😉 ... Dr. Eliana Gil is the founding partner of the Gil Institute for Trauma Recovery & Education. As one of the pioneers for working with trauma in the play therapy field, she's written several books read by countless therapists worldwide. She's also the former president of the Association for Play Therapy and received APT's Lifetime Achievement award in 2011.

Join Lisa and Eliana in a conversation about:

You’re invited to think through how cultural issues can show up in your work as a play therapist. And to get curious about when these conversations need to happen, how to do it authentically, and based on your own training.

Eliana ends with a beautiful message about growing and deepening into your experience as a play therapist.

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*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

In this 100th episode, the tables are turned once again and Lisa is interviewed about being a "Third Culture Kid" (TCK), what it means, and how it has influenced the creation of Synergetic Play Therapy®.

Lisa is interviewed by Judy Norman, Certified SPT Therapist and mother of two TCKs who also spent over a decade of her adult life living abroad. Join Lisa and Judy as they discuss some of the challenges faced by Third Culture Kids (e.g., identity crisis, lack of sense of belonging, and relational struggles) that can show up in your play therapy session, as well as the many beautiful strengths and gifts that can emerge from the experience of being a Third Culture Kid. They’ll also give you strategies and techniques to connect more deeply with these children, and support them in cultivating a deeper relationship with themselves.

Judy Norman is a Certified SPT Therapist, SPT Supervisor, SPT Consultant, and creator of the Synergetic Approach to Education. Judy is founder of the Braindrops Play Therapy & Wellness LLC. She has been working in some capacity in the field of education for over 20 years, as a School Counselor, a District Social Emotional Learning Coach, and national presenter on creating trauma-sensitive schools. Judy teaches the SPTI course - One Foot in Education: Exploring Education through an SPT Lens.

And join us for the next 100 episodes - new journey, new learning, more deeper and masterful conversations. Join Lisa and special guests as they share with you some of the many lessons they've learned along the way from their own experiences and study, and the lessons they've learned from children they've worked with, so that you can support children in the best ways possible.

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*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

Join Lisa as she demystifies working with pre-teens and teens and shares how to apply your play therapy skill set to this population (hint: you actually don't need to change much of what you're already doing). She'll also tell you the reason that we might feel awkward, not good enough, unsure, and confused as therapists when working with this age group, as well as give strategies and techniques to support the pre-teen and teen to discover their authentic self.

If you want more information, check out Lisa's 3-hour course on Pre-Teens and Teens in Play Therapy at https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

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*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

Lisa is joined by guest Lynn Louise Wonders. Lynn is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Professional Mentor and Supervisor, Career, Parenting and Relationship Coach at Wonders Counseling Services, LLC. She’s an expert in navigating high conflict divorce and custody cases.

Listen as Lisa and Lynn discuss how to not get caught in the crossfire of high conflict divorce, what your role is as the child’s therapist, and how to be present for the child so ultimately the child can know their own self and truth in what can be a highly stressful and chaotic situation.

Plus, you’ll find out how to …

Lynn Louise Wonders (www.wonderscounseling.com) is a licensed and certified professional counselor supervisor in Georgia and a registered play therapist supervisor. She is an author, trainer and professional consultant to child and family therapists around the world. She has helped thousands of therapists learn how to bridge and blend non-directive and directive play therapy approaches prescriptively through her in person and online training events since 2010. She has additional background as a yoga and meditation teacher since 1995.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

Sometimes, saying goodbye can be tricky and emotional for our clients, their families, and ourselves. In this week’s episode, Lisa gives some things to consider and do to support children and families with navigating goodbyes and endings. She’ll discuss how we really know when the child is ready to transition and ways to support the child and their parents/caregivers, especially when they are having a hard time saying goodbye.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

In this newest episode of the Lessons from the Playroom, Lisa discusses three little, but very important questions she’s been asked by therapists from around the world that will expand your work as a play therapist!... 1) What do we do when we see our clients outside of a session? 2) How do we work with imaginary friends? 3) What do we do when a child refuses to do their chores or another activity they are supposed to do? And check out part 1 (episode #57) for more commonly asked "little questions" including what to do with broken toys, having food in the playroom, lying in the playroom, and what to do when a child tries to take a toy home. … Get answers to some of these little questions you might have and may not have learned in graduate school or anywhere else.

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*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

Lisa discusses the truth about death and dying in the playroom and gives ideas and tips for what to do when these experiences show up in our child client’s play. She gives answers to the many questions therapists have asked such as:

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*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

How do we let parents know, that we know, how important they are in their child’s life? How can we stay grounded and connected to ourselves as play therapists when we find ourselves triggered or activated when working with overwhelmed parents? And how can we offer an “I see you” relational experience for parents that are experiencing complex trauma in their family system?...

Robyn Gobbel joins Lisa in this episode to answer these very questions. Not only do they discuss the value of working with these parents/caregivers and what to do when we feel stuck, but more importantly how to embrace working with parents in the play therapy process, honor the role they play in their child’s lives, and move from “ I should work with parents” to loving and adoring working with parents/families where complex trauma is part of their lives.

Robyn Gobbel is a writer, trainer, speaker, and educator dedicated to understanding why humans behave the way they behave. She teaches parents of children who have experienced trauma how the brain works, why behaviors are simply an externalization of what's happening in the brain, body, and nervous system, and how to respond to children's behaviors in a way that creates healing, not just behavior change. Robyn hosts the Parenting After Trauma podcast. Find her on her website here: https://robyngobbel.com/

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

You’ve likely experienced this at some point … The child that comes to therapy because of a concern of having a difficult time separating. Or the child that struggles to leave their parent/caregiver to go into the playroom … Separation anxiety can often show up in many ways in the play therapy process.

In this latest episode, Lisa discusses what separation anxiety is and what can cause it, how we know when it’s normal or when to seek help, and what play therapists can do to support separation anxiety when it shows up in the playroom.

You'll hear fun and playful rituals that encourage co-regulation between the child and the parent/caregiver and how to encourage the child to develop an internal sense of safety from within.

And you'll get ideas/interventions for what you can do when separation anxiety shows up for your child clients during the play therapy session including how to support the child in widening their window of tolerance for transitions and separations.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

Lisa is joined by special guest Jackie Flynn for a conversation on how to make online play therapy a more deeply connected experience for your child clients and their families.

They discuss:

...How you can offer authenticity and co-regulation to the session.

...How to create a sense of safety from the very beginning of the session and connect at deeper levels with your clients.

...How to make it a more meaningful experience for your clients (and yourself).

...And how you can use the fact that children are in their own home to your clinical advantage - the fact that the parents are available, children have access to their own toys, and in their own environment!!

You'll get a plethora of ideas, tips, and resources to help you deepen more into teletherapy .. and, if you’ve been struggling, become a bit more inspired and feel like a play therapist again. (We might suggest having something to take notes while you listen.)

*Jackie Flynn is host of the Play Therapy Community podcast and private Facebook group. She is a Registered Play Therapist, Education Specialist & Certified EMDR Therapist and Consultant. She is also host of the Annual Innovative Child Therapy Symposium.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

How do we know when we are grumpy, tired, overheated, or overwhelmed? ... Lisa talks about this 8th sense called Interoception or the "How do we know" sense, which is absolutely critical to enhancing a child's regulatory capacity ...

Why? Because what we see in the playroom is actually not behavioral issues, but really the child's inability to stay connected and regulate through the activation of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). But what does this have to do with Interoception? ...

Regulation and attunement starts with our interoceptive capacity. We can teach children tons of regulation strategies, but if they cannot register the clues that let them know they need to regulate in the first place, what we've done is just handed them tools that they have no clue how or when to use.

And as therapists we need to have this capacity enhanced in us!

Lisa shares ideas for starting to develop the interoceptive capacity in ourselves as therapists and our child clients, in this really important discussion that tells us that our body might actually be the most important toy in the playroom.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

Sometimes we think we're feeling, when we're not ... Sometimes we think we're creating space for our clients to feel, when we're not ... And sometimes we are encouraging avoidance when it's hard to stay in our window of tolerance.

Join Lisa in this podcast that's all about reflecting on our own inner experience and gives understanding to this lifelong journey we're all on of learning how to feel at deeper levels so we can help our clients do the same - It's an invitation to look at our relationship with our emotions and how that impacts our clients. As well as getting curious about the parents/caregivers' experience with their own emotional landscape and how to help them to really understand the importance of being with the child's emotions instead of trying to fix/change/make it better.

Other podcasts that might be helpful on your journey of becoming aware of the feelings that you try to numb, avoid, move away from or that tend to flood and make it difficult to stay in your window of tolerance are:

Ep. 88 - Countertransference in Play Therapy

Ep. 76 - Attuning to Body Language in Play Therapy

Ep. 44 - Emotional Flooding: When You Find Yourself Outside Your Window of Tolerance

Ep. 25 - Emotional Flooding in the Playroom

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

Sometimes we can get stuck in either/or thinking when it comes to whether we use non-directive or directive play therapy modalities.

But what if we could understand the significance and potential for both? What if we could go beyond to see that one is not better than the other? And what if we could honor that there are many paths to healing and that all theories serve a purpose?

Join Lisa as she discusses how it's possible to combine different theories and approaches, why we might do this, and how to make a decision not based on external pressures, but instead based on the client goals, what the therapist needs, the timeframe, and the context in which the therapist may need to do play therapy.

Because ultimately, both paths will get us to the end result.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

Countertransference is not something we can avoid, get out of, check at the door, or even separate from ourselves ... In this episode, Lisa discusses how transference and countertransference is really the therapeutic landscape from which to support our clients in a process of deep integration and healing.

Using a lens of Synergetic Play Therapy®, Lisa offers an understanding of how countertransference is not something to be afraid of, but something that offers incredible wisdom and a window into the inner experiences of our clients. It gives us an opportunity to become curious about our beliefs, both that keep us from being fully present and authentic, and that support us in being more deeply present, more deeply resonant, and ultimately, more deeply attuned.

As beautifully stated by Sebern F. Fisher in her book, Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Developmental Trauma: Calming the Fear-Driven Brain, "Countertransference and transference are always co-arising & co-constructing at the place where the therapist's experience meets that of the patient."

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

"With the understanding that a toy can be anything at all, we transcend cultural barriers and socioeconomic status to focus on the relationship and use whatever is in the environment. We also honor that the greatest toy in the playroom is really you, the therapist!" -Lisa Dion

ARE TOYS NECESSARY IN PLAY THERAPY ... In this latest Lessons from the Playroom, we ask the question, are toys really necessary in play therapy? .... Join Lisa in this podcast episode dedicated to therapists around the world who may have limited access to toys.

In this episode of Lessons from the Playroom, Lisa helps us understand what is really at the root of play therapy, what is the purpose of the toy, how to facilitate a child's process even if toys in the traditional sense are not available, and what it really means as the therapist to be the "most important toy in the playroom."

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*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

Join Lisa Dion and guest Sonya Joyce as they discuss perhaps one of the most important topics in the play therapy process - touch! ...

"Whether we like it or not, touch is a part of the play therapy experience." ... With this in mind, they explore ways to become more mindful and thoughtful about how to bring healing touch to children in the playroom, how to create a neuroception of safety around touch, how to model healthy boundaries and creative ways to bring touch into the child's experience, and the ramifications if healing touch does not happen for our child clients.

Guest Sonya Joyce is a Child/Adolescent Psychotherapist in Ireland, trained in Play and Art Therapy. She offers, "I noticed that children were always leading me into play in my Art therapy sessions and this led me to study play further, firstly dipping my feet in the water with a short course in Therapeutic Play Skills, and then embarking on a 4 year Masters Course in Creative Psychotherapy and Play Therapy with the Children’s Therapy Centre, County Westmeath, Ireland. During this time I began work with an organisation working with children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse."

Sonia is also a mother to 4 children, aged 17, 14 and 11 year old twins and describes this as "the greatest learning experience of all!"

To read the Sonya's full dissertation - "What Did I Do?" - An Exploration of the Inner Experiences of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists When Touch Arises in the Playroom: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/what-did-i-do-when-touch-arises-in-the-playroom/

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

"The dysregulation in our body is information about the congruency of our decisions." - Lisa Dion As you enter into 2021, explore how to manifest decisions that are congruent and in alignment with your authentic self. Join Lisa in this unique Lessons from the Playroom podcast that's not just about play therapy ... She'll help you explore how to plan, reflect and make decisions that integrate the left- and right-brain, how to know if you are making a congruent decision, and why there's no such thing as a "bad" decision.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

"Often the question is, 'Why would we include digital tools in play therapy?" ... But the more important question is, 'Why wouldn't we?!'" -Dr. Jessica Stone *

Join Lisa Dion and special guest, Dr. Jessica Stone, PhD in a lively conversation about demystifying the world of digital play therapy. They explore what digital play therapy is all about, how to speak the digital language of your clients, why we would even include digital tools in our work as play therapists (or more importantly, why wouldn't we?!), and how to take the fundamental tenets of play therapy and apply to the digital world.

Dr. Jessica Stone, PhD is a psychologist, international speaker, sought after clinical supervisor, and renowned play therapist. She is the co-creator of The Virtual Sandtray, a best-selling author, and developer of Digital Play Therapy. Dr. Stone has been featured for her work throughout the virtual world as an innovator, ambassador of play, and stalwart advocate for the use of digital technology in the field of psychology.

We’ve all experienced the “test” in the playroom. Is it personal? Is it not personal? How do we make sense of it?

Lisa discusses this natural occurrence that happens in relationships, the importance of authenticity and congruence (and what that even means), and ultimately how to “show up” when the therapist is “tested.”

Tune in as we discuss what the “test” is really all about and the two very important questions that children are asking – “Can I be me?” and “Will you be you?”

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

"When children are disengaged from learning, there is a disconnect between what they are being asked to learn and their interest level, style/way of learning." - Lisa Dion

As we all know, not all children are thriving with online learning. Many children are really struggling as their routines, ability to engage with their peers and so much more has been disrupted. Symptoms such as resistance to schoolwork, boredom, depression, lack of engagement and anger are leaving parents and clinicians scratching their heads trying to help these children who really do want to learn!

Tune is as we discuss what this lack of engagement is really all about and how important it is to address learning styles, a child's interests, and of course, regulation.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

"Sensory work requires a co-facilitator and co-regulator, and can be very workable and adaptable even via tele-therapy." -Robert Jason Grant

Join Lisa and special guest Robert Jason Grant as they demystify the world of teletherapy when working with clients that have sensory and neurodevelopmental challenges.

Discover why working with this population doesn't require as much adjustment from in-person to on-line as you might think, as well as how to do a pre-assessment that can be imperative to your success in the process, learn creative strategies and interventions to engage and treat, and why bringing parents into the process is so important.

Dr. Robert Jason Grant, LPC, NCC, Registered Play Therapy Supervisor, and Advanced Certified Autism Specialist specializes in working with children, adolescents, and families affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders. He is the creator of AutPlay® Therapy, an ASD and neurodevelopmental disorders approach incorporating play therapy, behavioral therapy, and relationship development approaches. Dr. Grant is an international speaker and keynote presenter having presented for the American Counseling Association, Association for Play Therapy, American Mental Health Counselors Association, and The World Autism Congress. He is a multi-published author of several articles, book chapters, and books. He is currently serving on the board of directors for the Association for Play Therapy.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

To her thousands of listeners around the world, Lisa expresses in gratitude, "Thank you for providing me with a sense of home." ~

It's time to turn the tables! For 80 episodes, Lisa has shared play therapy knowledge and insights, interviewed special guests and helped create discussion and new learning for clinicians all over the world. But who is this person behind the microphone?

In this episode, Lisa is the one in the hot seat as she is interviewed by Katherine Eastlake, Certified Synergetic Play Therapist. Katherine takes Lisa all the way back to her very first play therapy session, the play therapy influences in her life, why she created the Lessons from the Playroom podcast, how the podcast helps her connect to a global feeling of home, and so much more.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

"It's about the therapist's ability to attune in order to facilitate a process of attunement and playful touch between caregiver and infant." - Janet Courtney

Traditional play therapy targets children ages 3 and older, but what about the children who aren't yet three? How do we help these children?

Join Lisa as she talks about infant mental health with special guest, Dr. Janet Courtney- founder of FirstPlay Therapy. Together they explore the biggest myth related to infants, the significance of implicit memory and most importantly, how clinicians can support healing and re-patterning for these very special little people.

Janet Courtney, PhD, LCSW, Registered Play Therapy Supervisor, is Founder of FirstPlay® Therapy which is offered for two different developmental levels including “FirstPlay® Developmental Infant Play Therapy” for ages birth to 2 years, and FirstPlay Kinesthetic Storytelling®” for children ages 3 years and older. Dr. Courtney is author and Editor of the groundbreaking books, “Infant Play Therapy: Foundations, Models, Programs, and Practice,” “Touch in Child Counseling and Play Therapy: An Ethical and Clinical Guide,” and “Healing Child and Family Trauma through Expressive and Play Therapies: Art, Nature, Storytelling, Body, and Mindfulness.” Dr. Courtney specializes in the areas of attachment and infant mental health and infant play therapy and offers a certification training to practitioners in FirstPlay® Therapy.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

"The more we try to avoid conflict, the more it shows up in our life." - Lisa Dion

Why is conflict so hard to deal with when it arises and something we want to avoid? Listen as Lisa shares what to do when conflict shows up, why it's actually a necessary part of growth, and how to cultivate a relationship within ourselves when it comes up in relationships both in and out of the playroom.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

"When a child comes into play therapy, we are not working with their chronological age, but their emotional age." - Lisa Dion

When our clients come to session it is easy to get caught up in thinking that they are their age, when in fact, they are not their age. At least not their chronological age. This episode is dedicated to helping you begin to understand the difference between emotional age and chronological age, a few clues to help you spot emotional age and regression, and how to work with these younger states in both your clients and yourself when they arise in the play room.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

"The body never lies. The body is always revealing the truth relative to the individual's perception in any given moment." - Lisa Dion

Learning how to attune to body language, our own and the child's is an essential component for co-regulation in play therapy. Staying in our own window of tolerance to helping the child move towards their own discomfort depends on it. Tune in as we learn how the body never lies and how we can become more adept at listening to its wisdom.

*💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://bit.ly/SPTcommunity

*If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on iTunes, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. Follow Lisa Dion and the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Lisa Dion’s Book, Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach for Integrating Extremes is available in English, Spanish and on Audible. Find more information and free resources to support you on your play therapist journey at https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/

*Interested in credits and courses delivered to your living room? Take a look at all our classes, available on our learning site: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/

"Let's ask parents, not how they are doing, but what they need and what it is like in their boat." - Clair Mellenthin

From the uncertainty, having to homeschool, working from home, navigating family dynamics, and all the other challenges that parents are being confronted with, it is no wonder that so many are feeling burned out, questioning themselves, and needing extra support. Join Lisa and special guest, Clair Mellenthin, as they talk about how attachment, the many challenges of parenting during the pandemic, and most importantly, how best to support parents in ways where they know they are not alone.

"To overcome systems of oppression that want institutional racism to be invisible, we need to name it! ... And make it explicit!" - Nora Alwah

What is social justice? What is oppression? What is intersectionality? Join Lisa Dion and as she invites Nora Alwah, social justice educator and therapist, to explore these questions and offer guidance to therapists on how they can support children and families in ways that create connection, attunement and empowerment.

Nora Alwah is a queer cis-woman of color, and an immigrant from Denmark and Comoros. Nora is passionate about fiercely challenging systemic oppression and empowering people to reclaim their unapologetic truth and innate power. She is a somatic psychotherapist, a social justice educator and adjunct faculty at Naropa University. In her private practice, Nora specializes in working with marginalized populations, including people of color, bilingual individuals, immigrants, queer people, and transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. Visit her website: www.noraalwah.com

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"All symptoms and behaviors a child displays while anxious are attempts at regulation." - Lisa Dion

When life and situations become unpredictable, children have to orient to the unfamiliar just like adults do. The difference is that their brains are a little further behind in their capacity to regulate through it often leading to high levels of anxiety and other symptoms. Tune is as we explore how to support children through their anxiety and find a sense of security when the unknown arises.

"To the degree you link what's happening in the playroom to the goal, you increase the probability of parent involvement and buy-in." - Lisa Dion

Talking with parents is an important part of the play therapy process, but what do we say? How do we help them understand what their child is working on? How do we communicate in a way that keep them engaged? Tune in as we explore how to check in with our clients' most important people.

"The word compassion means 'to suffer with' or merge with. This is different than empathy." - Lisa Dion

Vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue are far more common experiences for play therapists than we realize, especially during times of crisis. And how are they further impacted when play therapists are going through the same crisis, such as the COVID19 pandemic? Tune in to this very important conversation that is essential for all play therapists to hear.

"It's normal that you're going through waves of dysregulation right now. All 4 threats to the brain are being activated.- Lisa Dion

During a crisis, such as the current pandemic, waves of dysregulation can often feel like a daily experience and even the norm. Why? Because our brains are not just perceiving one threat, but four! Tune in as we revisit the 4 threats to the brain and learn the impact they may be having on our nervous system, as well as the key to regulating and coming back to yourself in the midst of all the intensity and chaos.

"At the end of the day, teletherapy is about relationship. It's about the experience of connection." - Lisa Dion

Working with children and families virtually can surprisingly cause fatigue for the play therapist. From a difference in non-verbal cues to the way we sit to the lighting in the room, from hydration to whether or not we’re wearing shoes, all sorts of things play a role. Tune in to learn how to make online play therapy synergize with your nervous system.

Podcast Links:

Regulating through the Coronavirus: Part 1
Regulating through the Coronavirus: Part 2

"The vagus nerve has a crucial part in our overall health and well being." - Lisa Dion

The vagus nerve is one of the most important nerves in your body. Not only is it vital to regulation, but it plays a role in immunity and helps the body recover faster from damage. Fortunately, there are several simple ways to stimulate this nerve and help keep it (and your body) working as optimally as possible.

"When you're connected to nature, it will inform where you can go in the playroom." - Rose LaPierre, LPC, RPT-S, ACS

From the mountains to the trees to the warm summer's breeze, sometimes we just need our Mother Earth. Bringing nature into play therapy provides a wonderful opportunity to further regulate yourself and your client. But you don't always have to be outside to benefit from nature's nurturing tendencies. Join us as we explore the great outdoors once more!

"Whatever the lie a child tells, it's all part of a protective pattern. And protective patterns are never right or wrong." - Lisa Dion

While lying often gets a bad rap, everybody lies (yep, even you!). In fact, it has less to do with manipulation and more to do with protection of self. In other words, lying has a purpose. As therapists, it's up to us to recognize the feelings underneath the fib.

"The object of the same is not to win; the object of the same is to experience playing for the sake of playing." - Jen Taylor, LCSW, RPT-S

Cooperative Games are growing in popularity, likely because of their ability to cultivate teamwork and appreciation of one another. In the playroom, they're used effectively with siblings and families, reminding each player that it's not about winning; it's about the experience.

"One of the best ways to support foster and adoptive parents is to let them grieve." - Lisa Dion

Working with adoptive and foster parents is a rewarding experience, but the lack of education that runs rampant poses a challenge.

As therapists, one of the most important things we can do is fill in the gaps while allowing them the space to grieve.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Presence isn't just about showing up; it's about participating with the fullness of you." - Lisa Dion

Much to Barbie's chagrin, you're the most important toy in the playroom. Still, showing up for a session isn't enough: you must be fully present too. But in order to become present with the child, you must first learn how to be present with yourself.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"How can you embrace your own spirituality, what is meaningful to you, to help a child heal?" - Lisa Dion

Spirituality in the playroom not only means working with clients and families who may hold different belief systems, but it also means finding your own. For some, this is a higher power; for others, play therapy is their spiritual path.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Diet is just another partner in crime contributing to the symptoms that show up in the playroom." - Lisa Dion

The connection between gut and brain is becoming more widely studied and gaining in increased importance. For children who struggle, this brings up the possibility that what they're eating is feeding underlying dysfunction. Diet might not be the sole answer, but it could play a vital role in finding a solution.

Join Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S, and Kelly Miller, LCSW, RPT-S, as they explore this intriguing topic.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Perfectionism is the strategy the child is using to manage their anxiety and fear." - Lisa Dion

Perfectionism in the playroom shows up in a variety of ways. But beneath the need to be perfect sits a child's uncertainty about themselves. The key to regulating this fear and anxiety is showing the child how to come back to who they truly are.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"It's not that children with SPD don't want to regulate; it's that they can't." - Lisa Dion

Sensory Processing Disorder is a misunderstood challenge that can show up in the playroom in a variety of ways. Often, recognizing the issue is the first step in helping the client. The second, of course, is showing these children how to regulate.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"A child's failure to notice a lack of hygiene is often a sign that they're disconnected from their bodies." - Lisa Dion

Little kids aren't known for hygiene and inside the playroom is no different. However, a noticeable lack of hygiene may be the sign of something bigger. A child regressing in emotional age or reliving past trauma may engage in unsanitary behavior. When this happens, it's important that we leave shame at the door.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Broken toys may be a metaphor for how children see themselves." - Lisa Dion

Little kids come with little issues, issues that might grow big if we are unsure how to handle them. In this podcast, Lisa discusses the commonly asked "little questions." Tune in as she explores what to do with broken toys, having food in the playroom, lying in the playroom, and what to do when a child tries to take a toy home.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"We all have deep within us the desire to pursue something that inspires us. We have a natural desire to evolve and grow" - Lisa Dion

The brain is a high maintenance organ, one that wants a challenge! In order to stay passionate in our careers as play therapists, we must give the brain the growth it craves. But we must give ourselves permission too – the permission to be ourselves and pursue what inspires us.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Grief elicits different emotions. It's important to provide space for a child's experiences while looking at how we handle loss ourselves." - Lisa Dion

When grief or loss occurs, we are culturally predisposed to expect sadness. But in and out of the playroom, children may feel a myriad of emotions ranging from heartache to happiness to suppression. How can we meet children where they are and give them the freedom to experience their loss in their own way? Tune in to explore this challenging topic.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Music makes a connection without having to say anything." - Kate Shannon, CBMT

Music plays an important therapeutic role, in the playroom and in life. It creates its own expression and its own language, allowing those who hear it to feel and react deeply. Take note: music matters.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"One of the best ways to reduce medical trauma is by making the unknown known. Children need information and lots of it." - Lisa Dion

Medical trauma is prevalent in the majority of children who have undergone medical procedures or experienced chronic and acute conditions. This shows up in the playroom in a variety of ways, including those that can lead the therapist to jump to conclusions. Listen in to explore how to not only help children who have experienced this type of trauma but how to minimize future trauma as well.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"It's isn't about being a parent or not. It's about showing up in the playroom and being real." - Lisa Dion

Being a parent and a play therapist has both benefits and drawbacks. While parenthood can offer added insight, having kids doesn't translate into having all the answers inside the playroom. Why? Because like children, no two parents are exactly alike.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"When it comes to giftedness, one of the most important things to focus on is how these children manage their internal worlds." - Lisa Dion

Gifted children are unquestionably bright, but the gifted child isn't the same as the intelligent child. Often the difference lies not only in intellectual needs but also the ability to regulate. Giftedness typically comes packaged with self-imposed standards that are impossibly hard to meet, leaving the child bored, angry, or anxious.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Every family has both peace and war, dysregulation and regulation, support and challenge." - Lisa Dion

Parents often want their children to get along, a family environment void of argument. But the sibling dynamic is one in which disagreement is unavoidable. This isn't always a bad thing - conflict leads to empowerment and growth.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"When mom and dad are in the room the power to heal can become greater. Then the relationship between the child and parent becomes your client." - Lisa Dion

Parents in the playroom can give even the most seasoned play therapists pause, leaving them feeling insecure and watched. But moms and dads are part of the healing package. Relying on the power of parents only enhances the power of play.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"The majority of relationship, any relationship is rupture. Repair is the remedy." - Lisa Dion

Rupture, repair, repeat - it's a recipe for relationship. Whether that relationship is with your client or with yourself, mis-attunement is an unavoidable but necessary occurrence. It provides the foundation of trust, opening the doors to true healing.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Twins are master co-regulators but also susceptible to losing themselves. The key is to help them find the 'I' in 'we.'" - Lisa Dion

Twins may be nature's 2-for-1 deal, but being a twin (or having twins) comes with unique challenges not always experienced by singletons. From separation anxiety to individuality, join Lisa Dion (who is a fraternal twin) and Susan Stutzman (a mother of identical twins) as they discuss these marvelous multiples.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

It is a sparkling thing when I encounter realness of another person. It's so obvious when a person is not hiding behind a façade but is speaking from deep within themselves. When this happens, I leap to meet it. I want to encounter this real person." -

Carl Rogers Carl Rogers is one of the most influential psychologists in history, but he's also one of the most misunderstood. Above all, he advocated for acceptance of self so clinicians could help their clients do the same. In this podcast, Lisa takes you right into the words and teachings to help us explore what he truly wanted us to know and some of it just might surprise you.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Play therapy is about the child. It's not about navigating the conflict between feuding parents." - Lisa Dion

Divorce is often painted as a traumatizing experience, but what it looks like through the perspective of a child varies greatly. Working with high conflict divorce requires recognizing this deviation. It also requires a neutrality, and a focus on what matters most: healing the child.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Emotional flooding is inevitable; it's part of relationship. It's not about shame, but connection, providing a platform upon which real repair can flourish." - Lisa Dion

Emotional flooding is part of therapy: it occurs in all play therapy paradigms. Looking at it not through a lens of shame but with a focus on connection turns it from an enemy into an ally. In fact, emotional flooding - because of its realness and rawness - can lead to greater levels of healing and authenticity.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"If you have a child who is not playing, honor that child and meet them where they are." - Lisa Dion

A playroom without play can cause confusion. But there are many reasons a child may leave the toy box shut. Sometimes, it's a reflection of anxiety or tied to a younger emotional age. Other times, this issue isn't one at all: discovering the play requires setting aside our preconceived notions about what play entails.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"If the things that are not challenging for them are promoted and highlighted, that gets to be their story, not the disability." - Lisa Dion

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is often misunderstood, with diagnoses that vary by country. In this podcast, Lisa is joined by special guest Natascha Lawrence as they work to break down the confusion surrounding FASD while exploring the ways to most effectively support these amazing and misunderstood children.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Games are platforms to help kids process their emotions. Sometimes peek-a-boo and hide-and-go-seek are just about wanting to be seen. " - Lisa Dion

Child's play is serious business and Peek-a-Boo and Hide-and-Go-Seek are no exceptions. But these games, like so many, act as a platform for the emotions a child is processing at any given time. At their heart, they may be most about wanting to be seen and wanting to be found.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Art isn't about interpreting a drawing. It's about being with and attuning to the child in the process of creation." - Lisa Dion

Art in the playroom can be a challenge, especially for therapists who believe they are artistically limited. But art provides a necessary and informative outlet for children. It's not the final product that's important; it's the process that counts. Being present and attuned keeps the therapist from painting themselves into a corner of insecurity and self-doubt.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Children will bring in whatever they need to bring in. There is no type of play that is better or worse." - Lisa Dion

Recreating a movie can sometimes take the place of imaginative play. When this happens in the playroom, it provides clues to the underlying problem and challenges. The key is learning to flip the "script" towards integration.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Don't be fooled by the smile. Underneath there may be a lot of pain waiting to come out." - Lisa Dion

People-pleasing in the playroom happens, and not just with children; therapists get caught in people-pleasing too! This ever-so-familiar coping strategy is often covering up challenges a child or therapist may not yet be able to face. Recognizing why this happens and what to do when it happens is the first step to creating a session filled with integration instead of placation.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Trust that both you and the child will be okay." - Lisa Dion

Early termination happens for a handful of reasons. Sometimes, we can't change this. But shifting our perspective helps us look at terminations through another view, trusting ourselves and the child in the process.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"The bop bags, like every other toy, will become what the child needs to be." - Lisa Dion

Bop bags in the playroom are a controversial toy. But do they promote aggression and anger? Or can they be used to promote integration, self-awareness, and regulation? The answer: it depends on how you use them.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care." - Lisa Dion

Teachers and play therapists make a powerful pair, but this starts with an initial conference. How can clinicians assure this meeting goes well, putting themselves in a position where they're viewed as an ally rather than a threat? Success involves nine elements and lots of validation.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Play is just the boat... we must figure out what's going on in the ocean." - Lisa Dion

Play therapists often focus on protocol, technique, and, of course, toys. But what's below all this? Engaging the right-brain and allowing yourself to feel are keys to helping your clients.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Challenges and discomforts are necessities of growth." - Lisa Dion

All of us have moments when we doubt ourselves. Moments when we shake our heads in frustration. Moments when we have no idea what we're doing. But challenges in the playroom are a necessity - they allow us to master new techniques and broaden our skills. Getting it wrong? It might just be right.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Regulating the client is the biggest challenge of teletherapy." - Lisa Dion

Teletherapy allows us to reach clients regardless of distance. In play therapy, it requires modification and parental support. But the connection can be powerful and purposeful.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Working with mutism means working with the anxiety underneath the symptom." - Lisa Dion

From the child who only talks to certain people to the child who doesn't talk at all, selective mutism has many faces. The playroom is a common place where it surfaces. But a silent child speaks without words, telling us to look below the surface at the nervous system underneath.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"The fear of going towards something in the playroom is a reflection of a wound in us that hasn't healed." - Lisa Dion

As play therapists, we're often taught to check ourselves at the door. But, when the child's challenges reflect our own, this is difficult for even the most seasoned clinician. What happens when we embrace the mirror and tap into our humanness? You just might experience some of the most powerful sessions when you see yourself in your client's struggle.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"We can't promise to keep kids safe from tragedy, but we can promise to have a plan." - Lisa Dion

Tragedy is an inevitability of life, no matter how much we wish it wasn't. No one is immune, including kids. But heartbreak can bring about a myriad of emotions, inside and outside of the playroom. We can't always keep kids safe, but we can reduce their fear of the unknown.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"The intake session isn't about data collection; it's about creating a relationship." - Lisa Dion

The intake session is a vital part of play therapy. But it's not all about educating parents about the process and their involvement, it's also about the nervous system - yours and mom and dad's.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Sleep is the largest separation we go through everyday." - Jessica Schaffer, RPT, Infant Sleep Specialist

From the refusal to go to sleep to an inability to stay asleep, a child’s tossing and turning speak volumes. But why do some children want to ban the bed? And how does this look inside the playroom? A play therapist who also happens to be a sleep specialist helps us uncover the answers.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"When I think of being outside, I think of free-flowing." - Avery Dion, age 12

Play therapy often happens inside of four walls, but the world outside acts as a co-facilitator. Nature is a powerful force for adults as well as kids. Embracing everything from roots to rocks helps the healing process.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Emotional flooding is a normal response; it's the shame applied to it that does the damage." - Lisa Dion

Emotional flooding is often thought of as a bad thing, but this isn't necessarily true. There is knowledge in the nervous system and wisdom in the body's reaction.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

A child uses technology to fulfill a need. We must meet that need before turning off the TV. You can't take away someone's boat without giving them another one." -Lisa Dion

Children scream for ice cream and screen time too. But is technology as harmful as many assume or is it a necessity? Does using it mean a child is zoning out or could it mean they're engaging? In this podcast, we discuss why screen time isn't a clear cut issue: inside the shades of gray is a child meeting his or her needs.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Sand doesn't just help regulate the child; it helps regulate the therapist too." - Lisa Dion

There are so many ways to use sand in a play therapy session, but have you ever considered turning your sand tray into a regulation device? The key to this is the right tools. So, shift towards the sifter and explore the many ways sand helps tell us all about the state of the nervous system.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

Whether we remember before the age of two or three is still misunderstood and even debated, so understanding the different types of memory helps us understand that memory does indeed exist at early ages. It helps us understand that even if the mind doesn't remember, the body does.

"Maybe the goal is not to calm. Maybe the goal is to connect." Lisa Dion

Often, it's our natural inclination to ask children to calm down. This happens inside playrooms, classrooms, and on top of jungle gyms. But is this the best solution? Or should we focus less on the idea of calmness and more on the idea of connection?

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"It's not that 'I know better.' It's that 'I know different.'" - Dave Garrison

Working with dads in the playroom isn't always the same as working with moms. It takes understanding the psychology of men, learning how to communicate in a way that is meaningful, and proving that you are a partner who doesn't know "better", you just know "different."

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Rejection is one of the most challenging experiences we can have as humans. But behind rejection lies acceptance and growth." - Lisa Dion

Rejection is something we look upon negatively, both in the playroom and in our personal lives. But, here's a secret: behind rejection is always, always acceptance. This is one of the many reasons rejection is a boost rather than a barrier.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"It's the child really feeling that you're with them that heals them most. Sometimes, that just doesn't require words." - Lisa Dion

A child’s refusal to speak inside the playroom can leave even the most seasoned therapist flustered. But connecting with clients involves much more than words. Silence can be golden when you know what it means and how to harness it.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"The moment we believe we have figured it out is precisely the moment we stop growing" - Lisa Dion

Play therapy is an evolving field with new ideas around every corner. And each theory - new and old - has something to offer. Seeking knowledge improves your practice and benefits your clients (and yourself). As play therapists, it is important to embrace the idea that growth really never ends. The moment we believe we have figured it out is precisely the moment that we stop growing.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"The important message to our kids: 'All of you is welcome.'" - Lisa Dion

Sexual identity and sexual orientation are not discussed often enough in the field of play therapy. But embracing these topics benefits our clients. So does refraining from black and white thinking. After all, children are colorful (and so are we).

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Boredom in the playroom may be a messenger. This turns it from something negative into your greatest friend." -Lisa Dion

Boredom in the playroom is something most therapists experience - from an unyielding yawn to counting the ticks of a slow-moving clock, we've all found ourselves less than enthused in one session or another. But boredom isn't always a negative thing. Sometimes, it's a gentle reminder that it's time to grow.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Congruence in the playroom is one of the most important elements in creating safety" - Lisa Dion

From fear of the unknown to uncomfortable incongruence, the brain is a worry wart! It's forever on the lookout for external and internal threats. And there are certain things that bother it more than others.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Everything that happens in the playroom must be linked back to goals" - Lisa Dion

From the boardroom to the playroom and everywhere else, setting goals is a vital part of success. But in therapy sessions, the best goals follow certain rules, rules that allow both parent and therapist to see the progress made. After all, it is seeing this progress that acts as a catalyst of encouragement, keeping the parent bought into the play therapy process and the therapist able to celebrate the changes their clients are making.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"In play therapy, children need to know that they're in charge" - Lisa Dion

A child wanting to end a session early can rattle even the most seasoned therapist. So how do you handle the situation? In this podcast, Lisa Dion discusses how to recognize flooding, return a child to their window of tolerance, and why ending a session doesn't need to end the relationship.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Game act as metaphors, providing insight into a child's feelings" - Lisa Dion

From Candyland’s Gum Drop Mountain to the rungs of Chutes and Ladders, games in play therapy are more than a race to the finish line. They provide us with direct insight into the minds and nervous system states of our child clients. Learn some tips on how to make games in your play therapy sessions more than about just winning and losing.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"We can work with parents to help them find a clear explanation that helps soothe their child’s potential anxiety and helps minimize apprehension."

Talking to kids about why they are going to play therapy isn’t always easy. As play therapists, we can work with parents to help them find a clear explanation that helps soothe their child’s potential anxiety and helps minimize apprehension. Not only does it teach kids what to expect, but it also helps the parent get on board.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Find the wisdom. Find the blessing. Learn from your clients and allow them to be your teachers" - Lisa Dion

It's easy to have gratitude for the good things in our lives, but what about the challenges? In this podcast, you'll learn how appreciation can widen your window of tolerance and open your heart. You'll also learn that clients come into our playrooms for a reason.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Play therapy is like a secret code that therapists know how to dissect" - Avery, age 11

Kids say the darndest things and they also ask the best questions. Join Lisa as she's interviewed by her eleven-year-old daughter, Avery. Listen in as they go back and forth discussing the power of play and hear Avery's advice to all play therapists.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

Voicing the toy is an important part of play therapy, but it’s the child’s voice that should prove loudest.

In this podcast, Lisa offers tips on helping the child stay engaged in their process. She explains why sticking to the facts helps both client and therapist experience a session that sticks as well.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

How do we help kids transition at the end of a play session? How do we help them face the unknown? Find out in this week's podcast.

It’s hard to say goodbye, especially for children! How do you help kids transition at the end of a play session? How do you help them transition at the conclusion of therapy altogether? How to you help them face the unknown? In this podcast, Lisa addresses why parting is sweet sorrow and how to help children accept change.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

Setting boundaries in the playroom can be quite the confusing process! When to set them? How to set them? Why to set them? Is it important to set them? These are just a few of the questions that Lisa will address in this podcast to help shed some light on this important topic.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Our playrooms should be rooms that allow children to explore a range of emotion." - Lisa Dion

Did you know that your playroom is a reflection of you? What you put in it and how you set it up is information to the child about where you are willing to go emotionally and what is happening in your own nervous system! Join Lisa as she discusses what your playroom says about you and explores some of the most essential toys to have in it and ideas about how to set it up.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"Part of play therapy is widening the child's perspective but also widening our own" - Lisa Dion

Therapists are so good at identifying and working with the problem, but are we as trained to also recognize empowerment? In this podcast, Lisa addresses why it can be challenging to recognize when a child is moving into empowerment, and she shares multiple strategies to help you identify when your child clients are overcoming their challenges.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"If you learn how to regulate your nervous system in a different way, you can avoid compassion fatigue" - Lisa Dion

Have you ever gone home at the end of the day only to realize that you can’t stop thinking or dreaming about your clients? Once home, have you found yourself agitated or highly fatigued and not sure why? Chances are your clients came home with you! In this episode, we explore what happens when we take our clients energetically home with us and what to do so that we can leave our clients in the playroom.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com

"You are the most important toy in the playroom" - Lisa Dion

Without learning about ourselves as the most important toy, we miss part of the magic in the playroom and we miss understanding how play therapy actually works. In this podcast, we'll explore why not recognizing our own internal states cuts off access to a deeper level of intuitive knowledge available to us during the play and leaves us missing out on the ability to fully connect with the child.

Come learn with us! .... for recorded play therapy training webinars for Non-Contact CE hours, introductory level SPT courses, the SPT Certification program, and free webinars to support you on your life's journey join us here: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com