Original Air Date: August 16, 2022 Join Lisa as she welcomes Cary Hamilton, an extraordinary expert in play therapy and neurodiversity, for an insightful conversation aimed at transforming how you support parents and caregivers of children with neurodiverse or sensory processing challenges. Cary Hamilton, the Director of Play Therapy at Antioch University in Seattle, owner of Olympia Therapy, and President of the Washington Association for Play Therapy, brings over a decade of experience as an author and international presenter on these topics. Additionally, Cary offers practical guidance through her educational platform, Playful Wisdom, designed to help parents rediscover the joy of parenting. In this episode, discover how to guide parents and caregivers from feelings of overwhelm and confusion to a state of curiosity and deep connection with their child. Cary and Lisa share their lived experiences while covering: Supporting parents/caregivers in trusting their intuition about their child's needs and empowering them in the healing process. Engaging parents/caregivers when they feel shut down, hopeless, or scared, including an amazing question from Cary that fosters complete support and acceptance. Addressing systemic family challenges such as differences in understanding between partners, sibling perceptions, and marital stress. Trusting the child's innate ability to regulate their own dysregulation. Gain a deeper understanding of neurodiversity and sensory processing challenges, and take away invaluable insights from this heartfelt and honest conversation. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: May 10, 2022 In this episode, Lisa welcomes a guest who holds a special place in her heart and professional journey—Felicia Carrol, a leading expert in Gestalt Play Therapy. As a Certified Gestalt Therapist, Lisa draws on one of the foundational theories of Synergetic Play Therapy, making this conversation particularly meaningful. Felicia Carrol, LMFT, RPT-S, is the founder and director of the West Coast Institute for Gestalt Therapy with Children and Adolescents. An international educator, Felicia has conducted training across numerous countries and has contributed extensively to the play therapy field through her publications. As a direct student and close friend of the late Violet Oaklander, Felicia brings a wealth of knowledge and personal anecdotes. Join Lisa and Felicia in a grounding and heartfelt discussion where you will: Discover the history and development of Gestalt Play Therapy, highlighting Violet Oaklander's significant contributions. Gain insight into the principles of Gestalt Play Therapy, including its paradigm and the 4 Pillars established by Violet Oaklander. Explore often overlooked yet powerful concepts such as "being for" your client, the "self-nurturing" technique, and the importance of a dialogic relationship. Learn about common misconceptions in Gestalt Play Therapy and the broader play therapy field, particularly regarding directive versus non-directive modalities. Hear personal and professional stories about Violet Oaklander, celebrating her legacy and the profound impact she had on play therapy. This episode is dedicated to Violet Oaklander, who passed away on September 21, 2021, at the age of 94. A pioneering child and adolescent therapist, Violet is renowned for integrating Gestalt Therapy with play therapy, and her groundbreaking book, "Windows to Our Children," revolutionized the field. Tune in to reconnect with the roots of play therapy and honor the legacy of Violet Oaklander. Thank you, Felicia, for sharing your wisdom and experiences. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

In this special episode, Lisa is joined by two extraordinary guests, Isabella Cassina and Claudio Mochi, pioneers using play therapy in international crisis intervention. As co-founders of the INA International Academy for Play Therapy Studies and Psychosocial Projects in Switzerland, Isabella and Claudio have dedicated their careers to supporting children and families in some of the most challenging environments around the world. Isabella, Director of Project Management, and Claudio, Director of the Academy, bring decades of experience and a wealth of knowledge to the table. They have worked in over 30 cities across 15 countries, addressing the needs of those affected by natural disasters, conflicts, and high-risk situations. Together, they developed the "Coping with the Present while Building for the Future" (CPBF) model, which they have shared globally. In this episode, you'll discover: How Isabella and Claudio began their journey in crisis and humanitarian work. The unique challenges and rewards of using play therapy to support children and their families affected by international crises. The philosophy behind "Empowering Playtime"—a program designed to restore play opportunities for children during migration and other crises. Insights into their model, CPBF, and its impact on mental health professionals worldwide. How to create play sanctuaries and foster a culture of play in international crisis contexts. The MAP (My Awareness Process) as a guiding reference point, emphasizing a comprehensive awareness process rather than just therapeutic techniques. The importance of co-constructing with populations in crisis to ensure program sustainability after providers leave, highlighting the need for community collaboration and cultural sensitivity regarding language, customs, and traditions. Claudio and Isabella also share personal stories from the field, highlighting the emotional impact of their work and the resilience of the children and communities they serve. Learn about their strategies for self-care and the significance of creating safe play environments amidst chaos. This is an inspiring conversation filled with practical insights and heartfelt stories, showcasing the transformative power of play therapy in crisis situations. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from two of the leading experts in the field. For more information about their work and the International Academy of Play Therapy, visit Crisis Play Therapy. Tune in to explore how play therapy can be a beacon of hope in the darkest times and how you can be a part of this vital work. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: December 20, 2022 Prepare for an enlightening conversation as Lisa Dion welcomes a distinguished guest, Dr. Cathy Malchiodi, Founder & Director of the Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute. Dr. Malchiodi is a renowned figure in the field of Expressive Arts Therapy, with a wealth of experience and expertise garnered from her extensive presentations and acclaimed books, including the timeless favorite "Understanding Children’s Drawings." In this episode, delve into the transformative realm of Expressive Arts Therapy and discover the significance of "rhythmic synchronization" and "action-oriented" interventions in supporting clients on their journey of sensory integration and trauma healing. Dr. Malchiodi introduces a groundbreaking approach to conceptualizing the client's "Window of Tolerance," emphasizing the expansion of their capacity for trauma integration and playfulness. Join us for a grounding conversation that transcends specific techniques, as we explore ways to empower clients in reclaiming and expanding their capacity for authentic self-expression. Dr. Malchiodi eloquently articulates the transformative potential of Expressive Arts Therapy, stating, "Trauma reduces our capacity for expression through movement, sound, enactment, image making, and play. Our job is to help people reclaim that capacity—to manifest a full range of restorative expression and reparative playfulness." Discover the profound impact of Expressive Arts Therapy in fostering healing and restoring vitality. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from Dr. Cathy Malchiodi's vast knowledge and experience in trauma-informed practices and expressive arts therapy. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

In this episode (and most timely for Pride Month), Lisa welcomes Jennifer Shivey, a Licensed Professional Counselor, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, and Approved Clinical Supervisor with a focus on supporting LGBTQ+ children and their families. Jennifer, who has personal experience as the mother of a transgender child, shares her journey and how it transformed her approach to creating safe and affirming play therapy spaces. You’ll gain practical insights on inclusive practices, the importance of understanding evolving language around gender diversity, and how to support both children and their families through their journeys of self-discovery. Jennifer emphasizes the ethical responsibilities of therapists to engage in ongoing education and offers advice for those who may feel challenged by these conversations. This episode is a call to action for therapists to reflect on their practices, understand the profound impact of inclusive therapy, and ensure their playrooms are welcoming spaces for all children. Join us for this vital discussion and learn how you can make a difference in the lives of transgender and gender-diverse children. *Want to take a full 90-minute course on this very topic? Join Jen and other amazing presenters including Marshall Lyles, Val Bruno, and Jodi Mullen for the upcoming Play It Forward: Elevating Play Therapy through Education and Service. This one-day virtual summit on July 25th, 2024 is designed to empower therapists while support play therapy training scholarships awarded through the Synergetic Play Therapy Foundation (....yes, every dollar of your registration). Learn about reflections and reflective functioning in Sandtray therapy with Marshall Lyles. Val Bruno will guide you with navigating legal processes as a play therapist. Jodi Mullen will offer insight into play therapy with sexually traumatized children. And Jennifer Shivey will help you to create an affirming play therapy space for transgender and gender-diverse children and their families. Secure your spot today! 🌟 Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: January 31, 2023 Prepare for an enriching dialogue as Lisa Dion welcomes esteemed guest Dr. Joyce C. Mills to explore the transformative practice of StoryPlay®. Rooted in Ericksonian principles and resiliency-based approaches, StoryPlay® harnesses the innate inner resources, skills, and strengths of individuals to foster profound healing, growth, and change. Dr. Joyce Mills is a renowned storyteller, trauma specialist, and the visionary behind StoryPlay®, recognized for her exceptional contributions to the field of Play Therapy Training and Child Psychology. Join Lisa and Joyce as they delve into the heart of StoryPlay®, offering playful and profound insights on facilitating healing, honoring children's authenticity, and creating safe spaces for growth. In this enlightening conversation, you'll discover: Strategies for identifying and utilizing clients' inner resources to transcend diagnosis and foster empowerment. Insightful perspectives on recognizing and supporting the struggles of parents and caregivers. The foundational principles of resilience inherent in the StoryPlay® model. The distinction between directive and indirective play therapy approaches. Essential elements of the StoryPlay® model and its transformative potential. Practical techniques for employing Therapeutic Metaphors to facilitate profound change. Listen closely as Dr. Joyce Mills shares her remarkable journey and insights into the healing power of storytelling, revealing how stories serve as medicine for the soul. Join us in celebrating Dr. Mills's invaluable contributions to our field and discover the profound impact of StoryPlay® in promoting healing and growth. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: March 19, 2020 Join us for an enlightening discussion on the vagus nerve, a pivotal component of our overall health and well-being. In this episode, discover why the vagus nerve holds such significance, not only in regulation but also in immunity and the body's capacity for recovery. Explore simple yet effective techniques for stimulating the vagus nerve, promoting its optimal function, and enhancing your overall vitality. Delve into practical strategies that can empower you to harness the power of this vital nerve and support your body's natural ability to thrive. Tune in to uncover the secrets of the vagus nerve and embark on a journey toward enhanced regulation and well-being. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/colleagues to join us.

In this especially important episode, we shine a spotlight on the harrowing issue of child sex trafficking and explore how we can support the young survivors of this modern-day slave trade. Join Lisa for a deeply insightful conversation with Alejandro (Alex) Castro Croy, a bilingual, bicultural Trauma and Addiction Counselor, and the owner/Lead Clinician of Transcending Consulting Group in Denver, Colorado. Alex brings his extensive experience from training law enforcement professionals and collaborating with the FBI on Crimes Against Children to the discussion. Together, they delve into the complexities of working with children who have endured compounded trauma and exploitation. Alex shares his journey into this challenging field and sheds light on the often-overlooked facets of child sex trafficking, including the surprising demographics it affects and the role of social media. Together they discuss the indicators of sex trafficking and key red flags to watch for. Alex also provides invaluable insights into the physical and behavioral signs that therapists should be aware of to help identify survivors. Learn why some clients might go AWOL or refuse treatment and how clinicians can approach these situations with sensitivity and care. Self-care for therapists is paramount, and Alex emphasizes the importance of mindfulness, debriefing, and the PERMS model—Physical, Emotional, Relational, Mental, and Spiritual domains of self-care—while sharing various intervention techniques and stressing the importance of honoring the human side of both therapist and client. This episode is a must-listen for therapists and anyone in the human services field. We encourage you to breathe and regulate as you listen to this important conversation, and as we navigate the challenging but essential work of supporting child survivors of sex trafficking. Talking Points: Understanding the true scope and demographics of child sex trafficking. The impact of social media and the daytime occurrences of trafficking. Recognizing indicators and key red flags. Identifying physical and behavioral signs of child sex trafficking survivors. The importance of self-care for clinicians and the PERMS model. Various therapeutic interventions: music, play, art, somatic, and narrative therapies. The importance of working with the client’s protective strategies. Developing awareness of our own reactions as therapists to clients' trauma stories. Join us for this so-very important conversation to better understand and support the healing journey of child sex trafficking survivors. Additional Resources: For more information about Online training for introduction to Sex Trafficking: https://connect.missingkids.org/learn/learning-plans/4/introduction-to-child-sex-trafficking Physical and Behavioral Indicators: https://www.missingkids.org/content/dam/missingkids/pdfs/CST-Identification-Resource.pdf Reporting Sex trafficking: Local Social services and Police department Call 1-800-THE-LOST (800-843-5678) www.Cybertipline.org

Original Air Date: March 29, 2022 Join Lisa Dion for a poignant and timely conversation with Liliana Baylon, a bilingual and bicultural therapist and Certified Synergetic Play Therapist/Supervisor. In this episode, Liliana shares her profound insights into the experiences and challenges faced by immigrant and refugee families, offering invaluable perspectives that will broaden your cultural awareness and enhance your therapeutic work with clients. Delve into a conversation where you'll learn: The unique experiences and hurdles encountered by immigrants and refugees. Strategies for supporting clients through the grieving process, acknowledging their journey, challenges, and emotional needs. Understanding the nervous system experiences of immigrants and refugees and its impact on their sense of identity and safety. Insights into the perceptions of immigrants and refugees through the lens of the 4 threats to the brain. Techniques for holding space for families dealing with intergenerational disruptions and facilitating repair and reconciliation. The existential crisis faced by immigrants and refugees regarding their global perspective and sense of self. Approaches for helping clients explore their identity, values, and cultural integration. As you listen, embrace moments of reflection and notice any tendencies to advocate, fix, or rescue. Consider how these actions may impact the empowerment journey of your clients, as Liliana emphasizes the importance of holding space with intention and sensitivity. Expand your cultural lens and deepen your connection with immigrant and refugee clients/families by incorporating Liliana's invaluable insights into your practice. This episode invites you to approach your work with curiosity, awareness, and empathy, fostering a more inclusive and supportive therapeutic environment for all. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: October 26, 2021 In this episode, Lisa Dion is joined by three important people in her life - Certified Synergetic Play Therapists/Providers Andrea Davidson (Colorado), Johanna Simmons (Vancouver, British Columbia), and Rachel Freeburg (Oregon). Together, they engage in a thought-provoking discussion about the various challenges that play therapists encounter in their practice. Pause and reflect as they explore strategies for addressing common scenarios such as: Children attempting to care for the therapist. Challenges related to teletherapy sessions, including situations where clients do not turn on their screens. Difficulties with transitions, such as reluctance to leave a parent's side or the playroom at the end of a session. Discover surprising insights and practical solutions as these experienced therapists share their wisdom and expertise. Join us for a candid conversation that sheds light on navigating the complexities of play therapy with connection to self and others. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/colleagues to join us.

Lisa is joined by three remarkable professionals, Jacque Maben, Cara Smith, and Amy Pennington, to uncover the boundless potential of play therapy across various contexts and non-traditional mental health settings. This episode expands the definition of play beyond traditional toys to encompass movement, body experiences, and relational dynamics.  Meet our guests: Cara Smith, a Certified Child Life Specialist; Amy Pennington, an Occupational Therapist; and Jacque Maben, an Equine/Animal Assisted Therapist. Learn more about them below. In this episode, each guest infuses the principles of play therapy into their unique practices, resulting in a magical fusion of healing modalities.   Cara enlightens us on integrating play into medical settings, using it as a tool to alleviate stress and anxiety surrounding medical procedures. Amy brings play into the realm of occupational therapy, shedding light on how it aids in sensory processing and skill development. Jacque shares her insights into incorporating animals, particularly horses, into play therapy, emphasizing their authenticity and ability to provide a sense of safety. Discover how these professionals serve as external regulators, co-regulating with children toward trauma integration across various contexts. Tune in to explore the myriad forms of play and the transformative power it holds in diverse therapeutic practices, witnessing the beautiful unity that emerges when harnessing play therapy principles for healing in any setting.    *Jacque Maben is a Licensed Professional Counselor with certifications in Gestalt Equine Psychotherapy, Synergetic Play Therapy, and EMDR Training. As the founder of Finding Hiawatha, an Animal Assisted Therapy Ranch, she leads a team of therapists and animal co-therapists in empowering clients to embrace their full potential through the healing connection between humans and animals. *Cara Smith, MA and Certified Child Life Specialist has over 17 years of experience in child life and academia. She has worked globally, advocating for children's psychosocial needs and fostering resilience. Currently, Cara integrates mindfulness, interpersonal neurobiology, and play therapy into her clinical practice, emphasizing the healing power of connection and play in building resilience. *Amy Pennington is a board certified Occupational Therapist with 15 years of experience in occupational therapy, specializing in pediatric and adult care across educational and medical settings. She integrates sensory-motor intervention principles and Synergetic Play Therapy into her practice. Passionate about child development, Amy supports students with sensory challenges and promotes neurodiversity-affirming, trauma-informed classrooms in public education.  

Original Air Date: November 23, 2021 Join Lisa Dion on a soul-searching expedition as she delves into the profound question: why is it so challenging to relinquish control and accept the reality of "what is" in our lives? In this poignant episode of Lessons from the Playroom, Lisa provides invaluable insights and practical guidance for navigating the complexities of surrender, acknowledging that the journey is often fraught with discomfort and pain. Discover: The underlying reasons behind the struggle to surrender to life's circumstances. Strategies for maintaining a sense of self while navigating the process of letting go. Techniques for recognizing and addressing unmet expectations and the weight of "shoulds," fostering a sense of safety amidst uncertainty. Approaches for working through resistance and mindfully embracing surrender. Powerful methods for fully integrating the experience of surrender, including a transformative technique. Embark on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment with Lisa Dion as your guide, as you learn to navigate the transformative terrain of surrender and embrace the inherent wisdom of acceptance. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: December 7, 2021 Join us for an insightful journey with our esteemed guest, Marie José Dhaese, a psychotherapist with 50 years of experience, as she shares her profound insights into reconnecting with our sense of self and innate wisdom. As the founder of Holistic Expressive Therapy and the visionary behind a captivating therapeutic "play home," Marie José's work is nothing short of magical. In this captivating episode, Marie José delves into the concept of each individual harboring an inherent kernel of wisdom that propels them towards their fullest potential. Discover how she meticulously attends to the sensory nuances of indoor and outdoor environments, tailoring sessions to her clients' unique needs through a blend of expressive therapies. Explore Marie José's distinctive approach to healing, where she: Addresses clients' physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual needs comprehensively. Transcends rigid protocols to distinguish between therapy and genuine healing. Facilitates healing holistically, nurturing both the internal and external landscapes. Guides clients to tap into their inner reservoirs of strength and resilience before delving into deeper therapeutic exploration. Unlock the transformative power of Marie José's approach and embark on a journey towards holistic healing and self-discovery. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

In this episode, Lisa is joined by special guest Brian Keating, a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist and Certified Group Psychotherapist. Brian specializes in tele-play therapy and is a contributing author to Advances in Online Therapy: Emergence of a New Paradigm. He's presented on topics including grief, childhood bereavement, and the therapeutic use of the video game Minecraft, which is the focus of this episode.  Join Lisa and Brian as they demystify the use of video games in therapy, with a particular focus on Minecraft, the most popular and successful video game ever to hit the market. Here are just a few of the key takeaways from this episode:  Gain insight into Minecraft's therapeutic potential and ways to integrate it into the therapeutic process. Explore transitioning from a "doing" to "being" perspective of Minecraft during therapy. Understand various modes of gameplay and the therapeutic themes they evoke, including how Minecraft is a version of sandtray and art therapy. Learn to communicate gaming's therapeutic benefits to parents and caregivers. Examples of directive interventions and non-directive interventions when playing the game. Understand how video games can support a client with body awareness and how to regulate their nervous system.  Reflect on using Minecraft in one-on-one versus group therapy settings and learn from Brian's experiences (including his mistakes) with video games in therapy. Tune in and discover the transformative potential of incorporating something as seemingly simple as a video game into your therapy sessions. Uncover the therapeutic magic behind Minecraft and how special it is for kids when we speak their language! *For those not familiar, Minecraft is a sandbox video game that allows players to build and explore virtual worlds made up of blocks. It offers various modes, including Survival mode where players must gather resources, craft tools, and fend off enemies, and Creative mode where players have unlimited resources to build anything they can imagine. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: March 28, 2023 Join Lisa for a crucial conversation addressing a topic often overlooked in the therapy community: the profound impact of trauma exposure on therapists and helpers alike. As therapists, we find ourselves on the front lines, intimately engaging with trauma exposure day after day, session after session. Despite the ideal of remaining objective observers, the reality is that we are deeply affected by the traumas our clients share. This episode sheds light on the inevitability of experiencing secondary impacts such as compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, or secondary traumatization. Discover: How every therapist inevitably experiences a secondary impact when working with clients in trauma, crisis, or challenge. The effects of being impacted by the same traumas as our clients. The occurrence of our own unresolved traumas surfacing in the therapy room. Strategies for reconnecting with ourselves both inside and outside the therapy session, particularly during moments of activation. Listen and take a moment to honor your journey as a therapist. Reflect on the sacrifices you make and explore ways to mitigate the impact of trauma exposure. Embrace the wisdom of learning to be with ourselves through these challenges and cultivate a lifestyle that supports our chosen career path. You are extraordinary! Much love on your journey 💕 Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: March 14, 2022 Join Lisa and Judy Norman, Certified SPT therapist/supervisor and SPT co-teacher, as they unveil the inception of the Synergetic Education Institute (https://synergeticeducation.com/). 🎉🙌 Years in the making, their journey highlights the profound impact of integrating Synergetic Play Therapy principles into school settings to empower educators, school-based mental health professionals, and educational leaders. Their success story has garnered recognition from renowned developmental trauma expert Heather Forbes, Founder of Beyond Consequences Institute and author of "Help for Billy", who lauds one of their schools as the pinnacle of trauma-informed education. (...wow, thank you Heather 🙏💕) In this transformative episode, you'll delve into: Strategies for play therapists to collaborate effectively with schools Techniques to empower educators by shifting mindsets The 5 developmental stages of an educator's journey in meeting children's needs A redefined perspective on trauma-informed education How to redefine self-care and help teachers develop a deeper relationship within themselves (SPT-style) Practical resources to enrich your practice today! Tune in and explore why Heather Forbes hails Judy and the Synergetic Education Institute's work as pioneering "the most advanced trauma-informed school(s)" she's ever encountered - a testament to creating environments where every student feels that "they matter and are important." Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Join Lisa in this inspiring episode as she sits down with Amit Chintan Ramlall and his father, Dr. Kumar Ramlall, for a heartfelt conversation about navigating life with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Despite facing challenges with independent speech, Amit shares his remarkable journey and how he has embraced his talents and gifts to defy expectations. Drawing from their personal experiences, Lisa, Amit, and Kumar delve into the misconceptions surrounding ASD and the importance of assuming competence in all clients. They explore the journey of self-discovery, highlighting the invaluable lessons learned from Amit's unique perspective on human behavior. Through anecdotes and insights, they challenge conventional thinking in therapy, emphasizing the need to meet clients where they are and foster genuine connection. Amit's hunger for understanding Autism and his own journey led to the creation of the Chintan Project, which transforms challenges into opportunities for businesses, showcasing the power of resilience and determination. Amit’s story also illustrates the complexity of sensory compensation and its impact on neuroplasticity, especially concerning Autism. While neuroplasticity is a powerful tool, we can sometimes assume clients’ needs solely based on it. Amit's experience challenges such assumptions, emphasizing the importance of understanding individual perspectives. This episode offers a profound reminder to approach therapy with curiosity and humility, recognizing the depth of potential within every individual. Tune in to discover the transformative power of assuming competence and embracing alternative perspectives in therapy.  [Closing Line: Assume competence - there's always more to uncover for all of your clients!] *This conversation was inspired many years ago when Lisa met Amit when he was 8 years old at a conference (...he is now 22 years old). They were having lunch together and Amit shared that he would love for people to understand his journey and what it’s like to have Autism Spectrum Disorder and a severe developmental delay.  Learn more about Amit Chintan Ramlall and his father, Dr. Kumar Ramlall: *Amit Chintan Ramlall, who has Autism Spectrum Disorder, possesses a unique gift for helping leaders transform their challenges into sources of strength. He embarked on a journey of self-improvement, studying the works of great thinkers and change-makers, which helped him thrive because of his challenges, not despite them. A polymath with a vast knowledge base from reading over 14,000 non-fiction books since age 3, he integrates this knowledge with his unique insights to fulfill his deepest desire to help people discover and manifest their life's purpose. Co-founding the Chintan Project with his father, Dr. Kumar Ramlall, Amit believes that each person or team has a distinct purpose, enabling them to shine and make a significant impact.  *Dr. Kumar Ramlall, an entrepreneur and medical specialist, co-founded the Chintan Project, InspiroMed Clinics, Inspiram Group, and Chinvest Group. As a respected consultant and physician, he has a distinguished academic background and extensive experience. Together, they aim to help clients leverage their unique purpose and challenges for greater impact and rewards. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: July 29, 2020 Discover the profound language of the body in therapy! In this episode, Lisa delves into the power of attuning to both our own and the child's body language, crucial for fostering co-regulation in therapeutic settings.  Gain valuable techniques for staying within your window of tolerance to guide children through their discomfort. Join Lisa to explore the unerring wisdom of the body and learn to deepen your ability to listen and respond effectively to your clients. "The body never lies. The body is always revealing the truth relative to the individual's perception in any given moment." - Lisa Dion Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

In today’s episode, we delve into one of the most requested topics of the past year. Dr. Montserrat Casado joins Lisa to shed light on PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections), offering invaluable insights for supporting children, parents, and therapists. Tune in as Montse and Lisa engage in a captivating conversation, debunking misconceptions about PANS/PANDAS, and offering new ways of understanding and supporting clients and caregivers. Discover Montse's personal journey and her decade-long mission to educate therapists on understanding PANS/PANDAS in children. Key topics covered: Understanding PANS/PANDAS: Definitions and associated symptoms, including the gut-brain connection. Impact on immune responses and brain inflammation. Primary issues such as OCD, rage/aggression, developmental regression, and restrictive eating. Exploring underlying factors such as infections and toxicity. Trauma responses and navigating overactive reactions. The complexities of parenting a child with medical challenges and behavioral issues. How PANS/PANDAS impact nervous system regulation and dysregulation Counseling strategies with a focus on the brain and systemic therapy approaches. Supporting attachment and strengthening the parent-child relationship. Hope for healing: Insights into therapeutic strategies and fostering resilience in children with PANS/PANDAS. Wow, wow, wow! 😳🤯 Don't miss this enlightening discussion! Tune in now to gain invaluable insights into supporting children with PANS/PANDAS. 💖 Find the resource Montse recommends here: https://aspire.care/  *Dr. Montse Casado was a professor of counseling for 17 years training school counselors, mental health counselors, play therapists and marriage and family therapists. Montse loves working with children and families whether in therapy, schools or empowerment parenting workshops. As an educator, she has done many workshops over the years helping families and clinicians understand children through a holistic, trauma-focused and strength based approach. Her work integrates Play Therapy, Expressive Arts, Trauma, Attachment, Resiliency, Strength-Based Parenting and Nature based activities. Dr. Montse is currently working as a Child/Family Therapist, Parent Educator and Expressive Arts Coach/Educator in North Carolina. One of her passions is to educate child therapists as to how to Understand PANS/PANDAS in Children. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: February 15, 2022 In this Lessons from the Playroom episode, Lisa discusses the #1 thing that will get you off track as a therapist ... and it's trying to be someone you’re not! Despite messages that might suggest differently, authenticity and "being yourself" is not easy and has so many implications for therapists. Join Lisa in a conversation to explore:  How you know when you're trying to be someone you're not; Why it's so important to be yourself in the playroom; How to show up most like yourself and embody what feels true for you as a therapist; and How to access a deeper level of attunement that is needed to support your clients. Tune in and join Lisa on the journey to learn more about this most essential ingredient to your client’s healing journey - and this time it’s about discovering who you are as a therapist.  Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Join us in this enlightening episode as we delve into uncharted territory with guest Dave Hompes, a renowned author, nutritionist, functional medicine practitioner, and mind-body coach. With his extensive expertise in integrative approaches to health, Dave sheds light on the intricate connection between psychology and the dynamics of the mind and body. In this captivating conversation, discover: Insights into the profound relationship between nutrition and mental health through compelling case studies, including epilepsy, Autism Spectrum, Tourette syndrome, and more. The most important question you can ask when faced with a client's challenge or issue. Recognizing subtle clues indicating a potential mind-body or body-mind correlation. How individual genetics, nutrient needs, and environmental factors contribute to mind and body symptoms. How the stories that people tell are sometimes more telling than lab results when understanding health issues. Prepare to be intrigued and enlightened as we explore the intricate interplay between mind and body in this thought-provoking episode! *Dave Hompes is an author, nutritionist, functional medicine practitioner, and mind-body coach with extensive expertise in integrative approaches to health. During a career spanning almost 25 years he has worked with clients from all ages and many backgrounds, from toddlers, teens, adults and the elderly to professional athletes and celebrities. He employs a wide range of therapeutic methods to help people overcome digestive, hormonal, immune, detox, neurological, and energy-based imbalances. Dave embraces a multidimensional view of human nature, considering biological, philosophical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects in his work. He has recently founded the Higher Minded Health Academy with the goal of training polymathically-minded health and wellbeing practitioners.  

Original Air Date: March 1st 2022 This next Lessons from the Playroom guest gave Lisa the most amazing surprise when she jumped on - it filled Lisa with so much joy, delight and an urge to connect … And this is totally what they’re talking about today - how to captivate, engage, be with (along with what to do), and create a playful connection with your child clients during the initial play therapy session.  Lisa is joined by the one and only Liana Lowenstein. Liana is a Registered Clinical Social Worker, Certified Play Therapist - Supervisor, and Certified TF-CBT therapist who has been working with children and their families in Toronto, Canada for 32 years. She has 12 books (and is about to release her 13th!!) used by mental health professionals all over the world.  Join Lisa and Liana in a conversation about:   How to engage children (and their parents/caregivers) in the initial session (Liana will give tons of ideas, games and activities); Knowing when a child is engaging and what to do if they’re feeling anxious or struggling to connect; How to bring your play techniques, ideas and activities to life in an attuned way for your clients; and The significance of “being with” your client in order to facilitate “the doing” aspects of a play therapy session Listen to today's episode and discover some really, really cool play therapy activities, techniques, strategies and ideas to use with your clients. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Join Lisa as she hosts Tara McDonald and Karen O'Neill from PIP Solutions UK in an engaging discussion on the versatile practice of play therapy across the lifespan, with an added focus on the concept of symbolic repair. Prepare to be captivated by this episode, as it is filled with insightful content that you'll want to jot down or take notes! Key Insights: Discover the various forms that play therapy can take, spanning from infancy through childhood, adolescence, and into adulthood. Embrace the notion of allowing oneself to be playful, whether interacting with a parent-child dyad or engaging with a client in their senior years. Understand the importance of tailoring play therapy to suit the developmental stage of the client, even if it diverges from conventional perceptions of “play therapy.” Learn strategies for creating a neuroception of safety for adults around play, including ways to invite parents and caregivers to be playful in their interactions with their children. Explore the concept of "Symbolic Repair" in psychotherapy and its application across different stages of life. Discover the timeless game that transcends any age! Learn about its captivating nature and how it manifests at every stage of life. 🥰 Join Tara, Karen, and Lisa for an enlightening conversation that delves into the myriad ways play can be integrated into people's lives at any age, offering opportunities for profound healing through symbolic repair. Prepare to be intrigued and delighted! *Learn more about Tara & Karen and their training institute PIP Solutions UK here. What is also so exciting is that Tara and Karen will be hosting Lisa for a 3-day in-person Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy program in October 2024 in Cheshire, UK. Get all the details here and join us in 2024! Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: September 28, 2021 Embark on a transformative journey with Lisa Dion in this compelling episode as she navigates the fundamental question at the core of play therapy practice: "How do I empower parents/caregivers to become a co-regulator or external regulator for their child?" Guided by the mantra of treating parents/caregivers the way we wish them to treat their children, Lisa delves into the intricacies of supporting parents who may lack a regulation template, struggle with the art of regulation, or find their own internal disorganization echoing in their child's disarray. In this insightful episode, you'll discover: Strategies to support parents/caregivers without a regulation template or facing internal disorganization, fostering a ripple effect. The profound realization that all behaviors, both by the child and the parent/caregiver, are rooted in the pursuit of regulation. Four actionable steps to empower and prepare parents/caregivers to seamlessly step into the role of external regulator for their child. Guidance for situations where a parent/caregiver might not yet be ready to develop the essential skills of being the external regulator. Join Lisa in unraveling the secrets to nurturing resilient families and creating a roadmap for parents/caregivers to confidently embrace their role as co-regulators or external regulators. This episode is a must-listen for therapists, parents, and anyone wanting to support transformative parent-child dynamics. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

In this episode, we’re turning the tables back toward Lisa’s direction to discuss what it takes to make hard decisions (both personal and professional), the courage it takes to make the hard decisions, and the reasons we don’t make hard decisions. And joining Lisa for this discussion is the perfect person to have the conversation - Robert Abel, Jr., Operations Director for the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute.  Join us for a deep dive into the world of decision-making, touching on: Understanding the neurobiology and relational aspects that make decision-making challenging.  Cultivating the courage to authentically express ourselves and face difficult choices head-on. Unveiling some of the tough decisions therapists encounter in their clinical practice. Exploring what happens when we don’t make the hard decisions (... hint: it has something to do with the mind and body). Navigating the decision-making process as therapists concerning the well-being of children, such as mandatory reporting. Supporting a child in making hard decisions including discovering who they actually are versus who they think they should be (... perhaps our most important work). You’ll also hear some of the hard decisions Lisa has had to make in her life (personally and professionally), how these decisions have been instrumental on her life journey, and why her favorite quote is “I’d rather have the whole world against me than me against my own soul” (source: Dr. John Demartini). Tune in to this captivating episode and unravel the significance of embracing hard decisions. Gain insights into the profound impact they can have, allowing us to authentically express ourselves and allow ourselves to be fully loved for who we are. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  

Original Air Date: January 16, 2023 Lisa is joined by an incredibly important person in her life - Duey Freeman, a former professor at Naropa University (Lisa’s alma mater) and founder of the Gestalt Institute of the Rockies and the Gestalt Equine Institute. Duey, a true “elder” (as he is described by many) and mentor in the field of attachment and human development, was Lisa’s former graduate school professor and has been one the most instrumental professors in her career. (see below for Duey's full bio*) Get ready to learn about a new way to conceptualize the attachment process and human development- a theory that just may be a foundational piece of missing information in your work as a therapist, as well as how Duey uses equine therapy to re-heal attachment disruptions. This podcast isn’t just for those that work for horses - this information is a must hear for everyone!  Here's what you'll hear in this episode …  An attachment and human development theory that is usable clinically when working with people - the Freeman Attachment Cycle (Lisa integrates this model into her Synergetic Play Therapy courses); The reason why we're always supporting clients in working through the first stages of development ("Is the world ok?" and "Am I ok?") whether we’re working with a child that is 3 years old or 50 years old; What happens for a child when their attachment and developmental needs are not met;  How to bring instinct and intuition back into all our relationships and into all our therapeutic relationships; and How Duey's work with horses and equine therapy can give us greater understanding about our work in the playroom (plus you'll hear something amazing about what happens when a person is put on a horse and having them be moved by a horse...it's absolutely amazing!) This one will not only give you an amazing new lens from which to see your client work and how to become a therapist WITH your clients, but connect you to your own attachment and life experiences at a really deep level (...It might even bring tears to your eyes). *Duey Freeman is a sought after teacher, trainer, licensed therapist, and equine professional around the world. He has traveled to teach professionally in over 8 countries, has developed a practical attachment theory and human development theory that is taught to thousands of university students, has over 80,000 direct client hours, and co-founded both the Gestalt Equine Institute and the Gestalt Institute of the Rockies. He provides supervision to therapists and graduate students, does business and land consultations for new equine therapy sites, and models being a life-long student to your passions. Podcast Resources:  Freeman Attachment Cycle Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: July 6, 2021 Goodbyes can stir up complex emotions for our clients, their families, and even us as therapists. In this week's episode, join Lisa Dion as she delves into the art of saying goodbye in the therapeutic context. Discover valuable insights on recognizing the right moment for a child to transition and gain practical strategies to offer essential support to both the child and their parents or caregivers, especially in those challenging moments when saying goodbye feels particularly tough. Lisa shares her wisdom on this essential aspect of therapeutic work, ensuring that goodbyes become moments of growth and resilience for all involved. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

In this episode, Lisa is joined by Tammy Schamuhn, the Co-Founder and Director of the Institute of Child Psychology and host of the Child Psych podcast. Together, they delve into the essential topic of identifying the roadblocks that sometimes get in a parent/caregiver’s way of fully supporting their child’s therapy and healing process.    Tammy, an unwavering advocate for parents, shares insights from her experience, discussing the challenges parents face and the importance of involving them in the therapeutic journey. With a co-authored parenting handbook set to release in the upcoming year, Tammy speaks to the complexities of parenting and the need to engage and support parents/caregivers in the child’s therapy process.  Discover more about: The reasons therapists may hesitate to directly engage with parents/caregivers when the child is the focal point of treatment. The struggles parents/caregivers face, especially in dealing with shame. Strategies to align with parents/caregivers, fostering holistic support for the child's healing journey. Roadblocks for parents/caregivers in fully supporting their child’s therapy process, ranging from internal beliefs and unresolved childhood wounds to societal expectations and environmental influences. The key to empowering parents/caregivers to be co-regulators for their child (... Hint: It involves developing sometimes new templates). Helping parents/caregivers in uncoupling their projections to gain a holistic perspective of their child's challenges. The pivotal role parents/caregivers play in a child's therapy process and how empowering them enhances the child's healing journey. Don't miss this enlightening episode, serving as a poignant reminder to prioritize parents/caregivers in the therapeutic equation. Explore the roadblocks parents/caregivers face and discover how to support them in becoming agents of healing for their children.  🎉 And we’re so excited to announce a new partnership between The Synergetic Play Therapy Institute and the Institute of Child Psychology. SPTI courses will now be available at ICP through a unique subscription model, providing therapists with an additional valuable resource. Check it out here. 💜

Original Air Date: April 12, 2022 Lisa Dion met her next guest at her very first APT conference. She was doing a presentation on supervision. As Lisa sat in her course, she remembers thinking, “Who is this woman?! Wow!” She was so captivated by her and her teaching.  And today, Lisa is delighted to be joined by Paris Goodyear-Brown, the creator of the TraumaPlay™ model, the founder and Clinical Director of Nurture House, and the Executive Director of the TraumaPlay™ Institute. She is an internationally renowned speaker, a prolific author, and a master clinician. Join them as they talk about how holding hard stories can be complicated, challenging, and at times confusing especially when your own stuff as a therapist comes up … Because in a sense, we’re all dedicated (... probably not consciously) to a lifelong inner-process and journey of self reflection and discovery as a way of being in service to others …  Learn more about how knowing many play therapy modalities helps you to be able to say "yes, yes, and yes" to all the clients that walk in your doors;  How to hold both your client's stories and your own stories in connected, fun and compassionate ways; Learn more about TraumaPlay and this beautiful idea of the "cascade of care" and the "Play Therapist Pallett" technique as ways to mitigate hearing hard stories;  Ways to practice self-care as a therapist and "detox" the trauma energy after a session;  How to help parents/caregivers hold their own and their child's hard stories, especially when grief and gratitude doesn't go hand-in-hand. Listen to today's episode and discover not only how to show up for yourself and your clients in ways that are connected and compassionate, but a way of walking alongside your clients as they “tell” their hard stories. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

We have a really fun topic today! Lisa is joined by the fantabulous Maria Laquerre Diego to unravel the intriguing world of villains in play therapy! (...Learn more about Maria and some of the amazing trainings she offers to play therapists below.) In this episode, Maria shares her experiences incorporating villain characters into therapy, providing clients with a unique opportunity to explore their identities and feel seen. Get ready to talk about all things villainous! Join Maria and Lisa and discover: The significance of viewing villains as complex characters with their own motivations and narratives, offering a fresh perspective on clients' struggles and the realization that villains are not diagnosable. Insight into the indispensable role of villains in our lives, exploring why heroes cannot exist without their counterparts. An exploration of the perspective-dependent nature of labeling heroes and villains, challenging binary thinking. The connection between a child's perception of themselves or their world and their attraction to both hero and villain characters. Practical applications, including the use of sand tray figures and dress-up items, to delve into the duality within oneself. The encouragement to follow the client's lead, allowing them to be the expert in their process, whether identifying with heroes or villains. This episode will challenge the binary thinking of good and bad and help to embrace the nuanced nature of traits based on individual perspectives. Join the conversation as Maria and Lisa invite you to explore your own perceived "hero" and "villainous" qualities with curiosity and without judgment. It's time to own and celebrate all the parts within us! *A self-described geek, Maria Laquerre Diego, LMFT, RPT-S is a therapist turned CEO. In addition to supporting mental health providers, Maria takes an active role in addressing the continued stigma of mental health services through the use of pop culture – everything from movies and television shows to superheroes and Disney characters. Maria has spoken about mental health at several local events, has served as an officer on professional boards, and has provided training to clinicians all over the country. Check out her upcoming play therapy conference, Play Therapy: To Infinity & Beyond!, scheduled March 5-10, 2024 at the fantabulous Disney World Resort! Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: November 8, 2022 In this episode the tables are turned and the lovely Jackie Flynn, host of the Play Therapy Community Podcast/Facebook group and the Neuroscience of Play Therapy Summits, interviews Lisa about how play therapy and being a play therapist has become a spiritual practice for her over the years.  Join Lisa and Jackie as they talk about: What spiritual practice means and how doing our own “work” as a therapist can become a spiritual practice; How the playroom is a giant "meditation cushion" for therapists to grow within themselves as human beings;  How to hold a larger perspective as a therapist and engage in a deeply self-reflective practice as a way of supporting the client in their own reflective awareness and healing journey;  How the moment itself has everything we need in order to navigate whatever is arising in the client’s therapeutic work - Nothing is missing. The Synergetic Play Therapy concept of “One Foot In/One Foot Out” and how this is a contemplative practice in action in the playroom; and How being authentically with ourselves as therapists can support us in truly helping our clients in the most profound ways possible.  In this episode, you’ll also hear how Lisa's very first play therapy session revealed to her, not only how to help children in their healing journey, but how to experience the playroom as a place of curiosity for what needs to be developed and worked within herself so that she could continue to develop herself as a therapist.  A message from Lisa to all of her listeners - Give yourself permission to find safe places and connections that allow you to look inward; get curious about what parts of you are showing up in the playroom that are asking you to be in relationship with them; and a deeper invitation to be with the parts of yourself that are emerging - because as you know, you are the most important toy in the playroom. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Join Lisa Dion and Tracy Turner-Bumberry in this episode to explore the fascinating world of mandalas and their application in our work with children (... a super cool and likely unexplored tool in your clinical practice). In today's conversation, Tracy will unravel the mystery behind mandalas and share her insights into their powerful use in therapy.  Tracy is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist/Supervisor. She brings a wealth of expertise to our discussion as a Certified AutPlay Trainer and Therapist, a Certified Animal Assisted Play Therapist, and a Certified DBT Therapist. Tracy is also a national speaker on a variety of play therapy topics and a published author with her notable book, "2,4,6,8 This is How We Regulate." Join Lisa and Tracy for a deep dive into the transformative magic of mandalas and learn about: What a Mandala is, its multicultural roots, and the therapeutic power they hold for children and their families; How Tracy uses terms such as “circle art” and “circle play” to demystify mandalas in the therapy process;  How to embrace curiosity and playfulness in exploring circle play, focusing on the process and meaning; Practical applications including templates and Tracy’s Wellness Mandala practice; Adaptation of circle play for neurodivergent clients with emphasis on creation of a safe space; Dos and don'ts of using Mandalas in therapy, emphasizing a child-led, non-interpretative approach; Different ways to use Mandalas directively and non-directively, and with individual clients and with their families; Ways to enrich the therapeutic process using music during circle play and the significance of creating a quiet, introspective space;  Tracy's insights into recurring themes in mandala creation, such as centering, use of color, ideas of completion or incompletion, and impermanence; and The essence of the "safe circle" and its role in providing a sacred and protected space for authentic expression. Tune in and uncover the magic of mandalas and their powerful application in the therapy process for our clients and their families. 💫 Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  

Original Air Date: April 15, 2018 Lisa Dion is joined by Jessica Schaffer, Registered Play Therapist, Certified Synergetic Play Therapist and Certified Sleep Consultant to help us understand sleep issues for children. 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. "Sleep is the largest separation we go through everyday." - Jessica Schaffer, RPT, Infant Sleep Specialist Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: March 15, 2021 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. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

We’re so excited for this next topic. It’s a topic that’s never been addressed on this podcast series and a topic that is rarely explored in the  field of play therapy. So settle in, grab something to take notes because Lisa is joined by Ludmila (Mila) Golovine to talk about using interpreters in play therapy.  Mila is the CEO and President of MasterWord Services, Inc. As a professional interpreter, Mila is familiar with the toll interpreting for survivors may have on the interpreters themselves. For the past 15 years, she has applied her training in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) therapy, Synergetic Play Therapy and Trauma Informed Care, as well as skills as a Master Certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner and a Certified Demartini Method Facilitator to tirelessly help promote health and wellness for language professionals and raise awareness about the experiences of human trafficking survivors and their language access needs. See below to know a bit more about Mila and her organization MasterWord Services. We know that interpreters are sometimes used in play therapy, but there’s not a lot of training for play therapists to understand what the interpreter experience is or how to attune and work collaboratively with the interpreter in the shared goal of helping the child heal.  This is a brilliant and powerful conversation! And has so much helpful information for us as therapists. In this episode you’ll learn about …. The role of the interpreter and how to become aware of the language that is most comfortable for our clients; How to recognize the different cues in our play therapy sessions for our clients when we are speaking to the person in their primary language or in the language in which their trauma occurred; How the play therapist can be both the external regulator for both the child and the interpreter who is also becoming activated as they are channeling the trauma information through them (...as Mila shares, sometimes the interpreter becomes even more deeply affected than the therapist in the room);  How to set boundaries in a session that support interpreters who are asked to come into the session and relieve a trauma in a way to help us understand what the child is going through (...that’s a huge ask! Let’s appreciate this and make sure we are supporting interpreters in being in their window of tolerance.); The need for awareness and attuned collaboration between a play therapist and interpreter when facilitating healing for a client;  Why we do not want to use family members as interpreters;  The challenge interpreters have in the interpretation process itself (e.g., cultural cues, body language and non-verbal cues being different, etc.); The possible ruptures and challenges that can occur within the client-interpreter-therapist relationship with differences in culture and language and how to support interpreters in more mindfully aware ways; The attribution bias and how this can show up in the therapy session in the relationship between client and therapist; and The important takeaways and calls to action that Mila has for all of us as therapists when working with children and their families when there are language/cultural differences. Plus, check out the amazing trauma-informed resources that Mila has on her website MasterWord.com for interpreters that you can share with the interpreters you work with.  *Ludmila is also an advocate for social justice and is a nationally and internationally recognized speaker. Her work has been recognized by numerous awards, including California Healthcare Interpreting Association (CHIA) Trainer of the Year Award, Houston Business Journal's Women Who Mean Business Award; Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Gulf Coast Area regional winner, and Congressional Recognition G7 “Excellence in International Service” award. She’s a rockstar!!!! Thank you Mila for your vision and your heart 💕 Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  

Original Air Date: September 13, 2022 If you’ve ever studied with Lisa Dion, you know she loves talking about the nervous system. And in this episode, she’s going to talk about the collective nervous systems within families and how to help support the regulation of the family system. If you’re just as excited about this topic as Lisa, you’ll definitely want to take notes for this one …  Here’s what you’ll hear … How nervous system expressions occur within the context of families; How all behavior (even what we term as dysfunctional) is actually functional and has a purpose; How the family system is always in balance and how it is always attempting to equilibrate itself; How to become the external regulator to help regulate the family nervous system; and How to use this information clinically to inform your therapeutic work. Plus, learn a powerful tip that will help you shift the collective nervous system of the family unit in a most transformative way. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: October 25, 2022 The one-and-only Bonnie Badenoch* joins Lisa for this beautiful conversation about non-judgmental presence and how this is so critical in our role as therapists.  In this episode, you’ll hear: How, as a profession, we've become concretized into the left hemisphere (e.g., in a movement toward protocols, interventions, and evidence-based therapies) and how this has pulled us more into the role of experts trying to "fix" people; What holding a “non-judgement” presence means;  What the “inner community” is, how to be aware and work with our inner community in order to be present with our clients;   How to return to a non-judgmental presence in moments when we experience judgment (and how to even recognize when we’re in a place of judgment); The 2 pillars of non-judgmental presence and the importance of this in our work; and How to engage in our own reflective processes and having supportive others who can truly hold a nonjudgmental space for you.   Listen to this beautiful conversation that gets us back into the right hemisphere in our work as therapists and back to trusting the wisdom of the client in their own healing process. Discover how to bring more non-judgmental presence in your clinical work and how to offer this same space for yourself. Bonnie is moving toward retirement, and we’re so grateful that she could join. Thank you Bonnie and much love on the journey 🙏💕 *Bonnie Badenoch, LMFT, has been a therapist, mentor, teacher, and author, spending the last 17 years integrating the discoveries of relational neuroscience into the art of therapy. In 2008, she co-founded the nonprofit agency Nurturing the Heart with the Brain in Mind to offer this work to the community of therapists, healthcare providers, and others interested in becoming therapeutic presences in the world. For 30 she has supported trauma survivors and those with significant attachment wounds to reshape their neural landscapes for a life of meaning, resilience, and warm relationships.  Her conviction that wisdom about the relational brain can support healing experiences for people at every age led to the publication of Being a Brain-Wise Therapist: A Practical Guide to Interpersonal Neurobiology in 2008 and The Brain-Savvy Therapist’s Workbook in 2011. Bonnie’s latest writing is The Heart of Trauma: Healing the Embodied Brain in the Context of Relationships (2017). These books seek to build a bridge between science and practice with clarity, compassion, and heart. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Join Lisa Dion for a discussion on a topic that has been requested more than once since the beginning of this podcast, and it’s something we all experience (Yes … therapists, parents, children … all human beings on this planet!) …. We’re diving into the intriguing topic of negative self-talk and why we actually can’t get rid of it (... no matter how many positive self-affirmations we say to ourselves).   Through a compelling exploration of the multifaceted dimensions of negative self-talk, discover the brilliant purpose of negative self-talk. Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode:  How negative self-talk emerges (hint: It involves thoughts like "I should," "I shouldn't," "I need to," "I have to," and "I'm not good enough"). The limitations of the positive thinking movement and why we actually can’t get rid of negative self-talk. The function of negative self-talk (...it’s likely not what you think). The neuroscience behind negative self-talk and how it’s a homeostatic mechanism in the mind that is actually trying to support you (... what?!). A shift in our understanding of depression and when we or someone else is experiencing high levels of negative self-talk. What actually helps us quiet negative self-talk (...again, probably not what you’re thinking). How to come to a place of honoring yourself, your choices, and your unique way of moving through the world, while recognizing the valuable role of negative self-talk Tune in to this perspective-shifting episode and gain valuable insights into understanding and utilizing negative self-talk as a tool for growth and congruence. You'll also come to recognize that, in the journey toward authenticity, negative self-talk can be your ally rather than your adversary, helping you navigate the complexities of life with wisdom and deep self-appreciation 💕 Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: March 1, 2021 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." Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

In this engaging episode, Lisa Dion brings together three guests that are near-and-dear to her heart: Michelle Wayman, Mili Shoemaker, and Lisa Walton. All three are either Certified Synergetic Play Therapists or Certified Synergetic Play Providers and are joining her from diverse corners of the world - Argentina, Australia and the United States. Together, they embark on a profound exploration of the intricate connections between the therapist and their clients, with a particular emphasis on the intriguing question of why therapists seem to attract the clients they do. Have you ever found yourself wondering why certain clients gravitate towards you? Have you ever noticed patterns where clients with similar struggles appear in waves on your caseload? Or, that you have clients struggling with the same type of challenges? If so, perhaps this isn’t just a coincidence! In this episode, Lisa and these amazing therapists explore the multifaceted reasons behind the client-therapist connection. They discuss how therapists often manifest clients who reflect aspects of their own experiences and challenges, shedding light on the idea that the clients we attract serve as mirrors, guiding us toward self-discovery and growth. Join us as we delve into: Why the clients who enter our therapeutic spaces are not random and what they reveal to us about our own journeys. How our clients are actually our teachers, mirroring back reflections of our own experiences that we might be avoiding or haven’t yet integrated. Why countertransference is not something to fear, but actually something we can embrace to be better therapists for our clients.  How having an understanding of why we attract the clients we do can transform our work, infusing it with curiosity and self-awareness and offering our clients deeper experiences of co-regulation and healing. It's a phenomenon that indeed warrants introspection. In this enlightening discussion, you'll discover that clients are not just recipients of therapy—they are our teachers. The moment we gain awareness about why we attract certain clients, we embark on a journey of self-discovery that enriches both our professional practice and personal growth.  This podcast episode is dedicated to every one of our little mirrors who have walked into our therapy spaces and showed up in our lives … helping reveal to us our unfinished business so we can know where to shine the spotlight, where to do our own work, and where to keep healing within ourselves … and offering us the gift of healing within ourselves in order for us to keep showing up for our others in more expansive and meaningful ways 💕 Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  

Original Air Date: April 13, 2021 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. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

In this episode, Lisa Dion is joined by the fantabulous and oh-so-knowledgeable Heather Fairlee Denbrough, a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist/Supervisor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Registered Play Therapist Supervisor. Together, they tackle one of the most requested and also one of the most scariest topics for therapists … providing support to children dealing with suicidal ideation and attempts.  This episode is a valuable resource for any caregiver or professional working with children. Join Lisa and Heather as they shed light on this important and often misunderstood topic, providing insights, strategies, and hope for supporting children who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts. Don't miss out on this crucial conversation! Key Takeaways: Recognizing subtle signs of suicidal ideation in children Creating a safe space for children to express their feelings Holding space for children through play to explore and shift their stories and perceptions Developing structured safety plans with children and caregivers, identifying red flags and triggers Facilitating open dialogue on suicidal ideation with both children and caregivers Prioritizing self-care for therapists and managing the emotional impact (... Heather shares valuable and powerful techniques and tools that help her maintain her own felt safety during sessions) Preparing for challenging scenarios and accessing support networks during tough times (...there’s lots of support and resources so don’t feel you have to tackle this alone!)  Listen and join this conversation that sheds light on childhood suicidality, providing guidance on navigating it with empathy, connection, and compassion. ❤️ (Please note: This podcast episode is for educational purposes only and does not substitute professional advice.) Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  

Original Air Date: July 5, 2022 We're resharing this fabulous conversation between Lisa and Carmen Jimenez-Pride to talk about Internal Family Systems (IFS) and how to incorporate it in the playroom! In this episode, Carmen, a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor and an Internal Family Systems therapist herself, shares how the Internal Family Systems framework  offers a really cool way to hold the client’s experience in the playroom, as well as our experience as therapists. Whether you are or aren’t familiar with IFS, you will definitely want to have a listen!  Here’s a few things you’ll hear discussed in this conversation:  What IFS looks like in the playroom and for our child clients; How to help your clients build a relationship with all parts of themselves (e.g., exiles, protectors, and firefighters); How to support the client in fully embracing all aspects of themselves and the experiences that made them who they are;  How to share the IFS work with parents/caregivers and how to help parents understand their own parts and protective systems;  How to recognize our parts as therapists and how they can show up in the playroom as well; and One of the biggest lies that play therapists may tell themselves and how this can be so challenging to our own emotional wellbeing. Plus, you’ll hear a funny story about Carmen … how she did not want to be a therapist - What?!  And how she did end up starting her clinical and play therapist journey. On behalf of the field, thanks Carmen for going this direction and all you've been doing for communities, families and kids!  You’re such an inspiration to so many! *Don’t know Carmen yet? …. She’s the founder and Executive Director of Outspoken Counseling and Consulting and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, Certified EMDR Therapist, Internal Family Systems Therapist, Registered Yoga Teacher, Registered Children Yoga Teacher, Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator, and LEGO® Serious Play® Facilitator. She’s an international speaker, award-winning best-selling author, and business consultant, as well as a visionary in the play therapy community. You may also recognize her for creating the Diversity in Play Therapy Summit, which has brought together so many brilliant minds working to effect change within the practice of play therapy by increasing cultural awareness and cultural competence for healers working with diverse populations. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

In this episode, Lisa and Robyn Gobbel talk about a topic never discussed before on this podcast and super important for us as clinicians working with kids ... They're talking about the brain (...Robyn loves to talk about the brain), and more specifically how to teach kids about the brain.  But first, we're so excited to announce Robyn's new book coming out this month, Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies that Really Work!! Weaving together relational neuroscience with practical ideas and application, Robyn has created the ultimate guide for parents who would love to understand and ultimately transform their children's challenging behaviors into safety and connection (... guaranteed, after listening to this episode, you're going to want to go get your copy today!). Robyn also gets the reward for favorite bio that Lisa has ever read ... see below for Robyn's bio (... it really gives you a sense of her awesomeness) and a link to her website to learn about her new book and so many helpful resources for you as a clinician and when supporting caregivers - she’s truly creating something very unique, very special, and very extraordinary.  Enjoy this fun and engaging podcast about teaching kids about the brain (... because sometimes, as clinicians we think, oh yeah, that's a good idea, but we don't always know how to actually go about doing it), as well as how to empower kids and grown-ups to understand their brain and themselves more fully.  In this episode, you’ll hear: A discussion about the importance of understanding the brain and its impact on behavior. How Robyn’s own experience with learning about the brain transformed her life and relationships. Strategies for introducing the topic of the brain to children, including visual aids and creating a safe space for curiosity (... including introduction to the concept of the Watchdog and Possum brain pathways as a way to explain brain functions to kids, as well as the importance of the Owl pathway for safety, connection, and presence). How children’s baffling behaviors stem from a longing for safety and connection. How to involve caregivers in the therapeutic process and help them to understand and recognize their child(ren)’s behaviors from a neurological perspective.  Listen to this super insightful episode that will encourage curiosity in yourself, support you in your work with caregivers and help them to understand their child(ren)’s behaviors with the same curiosity and understanding, and a deeper appreciation for how ALL children’s behaviors make so much sense. *Robyn Gobbel, MSW, loves coffee, P!NK, and everything about the brain. Once (recently!) her teenager went ballistic on her for getting ANOTHER (glitter!) coffee mug in the mail. Robyn loves cultivating deep, resonant connections with anyone who is up for it, and is especially fond of all the grown-ups in the world who love and care for kids impacted by trauma- helpers, healers, educators, and parents.  Her favorite thing ever (besides glittery coffee mugs) is teaching anyone who will listen to harness the power of neuroscience so they can cultivate deep, resonant connections. What would change in the world if we could all do that? To see, be with, feel, and deeply know each other…and ourselves. Robyn thinks everything could change.  You can get your hands on all sorts of free resources at www.RobynGobbel.com, including her podcast, The Baffling Behavior Show. Robyn is the author of Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies that Really Work (September 2023). Get Robyn's book, Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors here: https://robyngobbel.com/book. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  

Original Air Date: February 1, 2022 OMG! - the synergy between Lisa and this guest is … well, let’s just say, it’s like getting an opportunity to eavesdrop on a beautiful conversation between two brilliant minds! (... and we just couldn't help share this podcast episode again :) Kim Barthel is an award winning Occupational Therapist, teacher, and best-selling author who has successfully merged play, Polyvagal Theory and Sensory Processing. Tune in and discover: *Ways to more deeply understand the body, nervous system activation, and what it looks like in your client; *How to truly understand a child client’s behavior at a deeper level (hint: it has to do with perception and body movement); *How to visibly identify confirmation that something has integrated in the child (e.g., their moments of empowerment or deep connection to themselves); *The biggest misunderstanding about the autonomic nervous system; and *What regulation truly means, how it’s connected to the body, and ideas for how to regulate more through your own body. Listen to today's episode and “geek out” with Lisa and Kim on a topic that they both love dearly - Learn how to safely help a child be in their “vessel” and to access a more flexible, adaptable, socially connected, engaged, and playful response through the body. *Kim Barthel's mission is to support the conscious evolution of the human spirit. Kim is an award-winning occupational therapist, multi-disciplinary teacher and best-selling author who is active in supporting people in many contexts globally. She is passionate about understanding complex behavior, neurobiology, trauma-sensitive practice, attachment and mental health. Kim has 37+ years of practice in helping people to be their best selves. Join her for her online series - Trauma-Sensitive Practice. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Often, when we think about boundaries, we imagine a list of rules and restrictions like: you can’t do this, you can do this, and if you don’t do this, this is going to happen. But this isn’t actually the essence of a boundary and it’s not what the boundary is designed for.  Setting boundaries is actually a courageous act that requires self-awareness and self-love. It's about prioritizing your own well-being and honoring your own needs. And by understanding the importance of boundaries, we can navigate relationships and maintain our connection to ourselves. Join Lisa in this episode where you’re invited to embrace a more flexible approach to boundaries … but we get it - even the words "flexible" and "boundary" may seem contradictory to you right now.  Here’s what you’ll learn:  Why boundaries are flexible and can change from moment to moment; How setting boundaries is about taking responsibility for ourselves, not controlling others; How to recognize the clues (in our bodies) that tell us when it’s time to set a boundary;  Why nervous system work is essential for boundary work; Different ways to set boundaries, such as redirecting, being honest, or removing oneself from the situation; Why rejection often makes setting boundaries challenging (... and when we don’t set a boundary, how it’s a form of self-rejection);  Why sometimes perceived deal breakers aren’t actually deal breakers; and How to translate this more relational-boundary setting into our work as clinicians. Tune in to this episode and discover how honoring your boundaries not only allows for connection and maintains relationships, but is a deep act of self-love and acknowledgement of your own worthiness. ✨ Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: April 26, 2022 In this Lessons from the Playroom podcast from August 2022, Lisa clarifies one of the biggest misconceptions out there right now for parents and therapists - that regulation means being CALM. ...You’ve likely heard the idea that a child needs a calm adult in order to regulate - that in order to regulate, the adult needs to be and stay calm - or that an adult's "calm" presence is the answer to regulating a child when they are dysregulated. But if you’ve ever tried to truly stay calm when a child is activated, screaming, throwing a tantrum, doing something scary, or even shutting down and withdrawing, you know that it's actually really hard to be or stay calm (... nearly impossible) because inside you’re likely feeling your own activation and states of dysregulation.   So what do we do instead? ....  Join Lisa is this discussion and learn: What regulation is and what it isn't (defining regulation in relation to the autonomic nervous system); How to access our ventral state in the midst of a child's dysregulation; What regulation (and co-regulation) really looks like in the moment (... hint: it's not to calm them down or try to look calm as the adult to calm them down); Why regulation is not better than dysregulation (calm is not better than mad or anxious for example) - it's all information and both are necessary for integration and learning how to regulate; How the impulse to get a child to "calm down" has very little to do with the child and everything to do with us and our inability in the moment to access our ventral state; The key to not setting ourselves up for shame and helplessness as parents/caregivers and therapists when our children or child clients are dysregulated, flooded, and overwhelmed;  A new definition of emotional intelligence and a new way to cultivate emotional intelligence for children by helping them connect to themselves and access their ventral in the midst of all that activation.  Let's put the word "calm" in the drawer for a little while ... Not forever because calm is an important state of the nervous system and just as important as all the other ones ... But just for a little while because we've become overly attached to the word...  … And consider replacing "calm" with the word "connect." - To connect to ourselves in our own moments of dysregulation and when we're with a child that is starting to get activated and dysregulated. And next time we read or hear something that says a child needs a calm adult when they're having a hard time or are dysregulated, pause for a second and understand that what a child really needs is an adult that can connect to ventral, to themselves, be honest about their internal experience, not need to runaway from it, but knows how to be in it without losing themselves - not for the adult to pretend they are calm when inside they're having a really challenging time.  Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

To say that we’re excited for this conversation is an understatement because today’s topic is in the top three of the most requested topics since this podcast’s inception. We’ve been waiting for the perfect person to educate us on this topic, and there is no one better than Dr. Jodi Mullen to help us explore, understand, and make sense of a child’s sexualized play.  Dr. Jodi Ann Mullen, PhD LMHC NCC RPT-S CCPT-Master, is a professor at SUNY Oswego in the Counseling & Psychological Services Department and the coordinator of the Graduate Certificate Program in Play Therapy. She is the Director of Integrative Counseling Services, with several offices in Central New York.  Jodi is an international speaker, author, credentialed play therapist and play therapy supervisor.  She has 30 years in the field of counseling (... impressive!) and has authored books on play therapy, counseling children and adolescents, grief counseling and parenting.  Listen to this incredibly helpful and connecting conversation that will help you feel more prepared when you have a child show up on your caseload who has been sexually abused or demonstrates sexualized play:  How to trust your felt sense as the clinician when sexualized play shows up in the session; Some of the red flags and themes that may indicate sexualized play (... and how understanding transference and countertransference give clues to what is happening for the client); How to discern medical trauma vs. sexualized trauma; How aggression shows up for children with sexualized trauma and what the behavior really means for these children; How to talk to parents or caregivers when you expect trauma or abuse; and The single most important thing we can do for our client that promotes deep healing, especially when justice is not possible.  This is a wonderfully helpful podcast that will leave you thinking wow, wow, wow! Jodi not only gives so many examples to help us understand sexualized trauma play, but gives us all the contextual and complex pieces of this type of therapeutic work with children.  And if you want to learn more about the mindset of a sexual perpetrator (... so important when we’re doing this work as play therapists), check out Jodi’s self-study course here! Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: August 23, 2019 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. "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 Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Lisa is joined by another very very special guest, Gabriel (Gabe) Lomas, to cover a topic that has never been addressed on this podcast (...and very rarely at a play therapy conference) …  Understanding and working with deaf children in the playroom.  Gabe is a professor and Program Director of Counseling Programs at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. He’s been an RPT-S for many years and is the immediate past president of the New York branch of the Association for Play Therapy. Gabriel has performed assessment and treatment in over 2000 child welfare cases, including hundreds involving deaf children or deaf parents. He is the co-editor of the book “Deaf People in the Criminal Justice System: Selected Topics on Advocacy, Incarceration and Social Justice.” As well as many journal articles and book chapters in the field of counseling and psychology. He is a popular expert witness in courts across the nation where he consults on issues related to assessment and deaf people. Amazing! Here’s what you can expect in this podcast episode:  What we need to understand about children who are deaf and how these children can be easily misunderstood; Some of the challenges that arise for children as a result of being deaf including impact in the parent-child relationship and on emotional development; How deaf children deserve to be spoke to in a language that makes sense to them; How play therapy can build a bridge for greater understanding of children who are deaf including understanding perceptions of themselves and their world;  How to join the world of a deaf child in a play therapy session and offer the child a felt sense of being understood and seen; and What we can be aware of in terms of advocating for children who are deaf to be heard and get the support and services that they need.  Listen to this beautiful episode that will give a sense of what the world is like for a child who is deaf and how we can more fully support and advocate in our role as therapists, parents, educators, etc.; hear several case examples from Gabriel’s own life experiences working as a play therapist and in child welfare; and stay tuned to the end to find out what Gabriel thinks are the superpowers of children who are deaf. 💖 * For a video recording with subtitles, please visit our website: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/152-gabriel-lomas-working-with-deaf-children-in-the-playroom/  Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: October 1, 2017 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. "Boredom in the playroom may be a messenger. This turns it from something negative into your greatest friend." -Lisa Dion Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Lisa Dion has with her an extraordinary guest, Dr. Dee Ray to talk about an incredibly important topic for us as play therapists, Multiculturalism in Play Therapy (...  if you don’t already have Dee’s book, Multicultural Play Therapy, we hope you’ll go buy it by the end of this podcast. It’s a must-have for every therapist that works with kids!)  Dee Ray, Ph.D., LPC-S, NCC, RPT-S is Regents Professor and Elaine Millikan Mathes Professor in Early Childhood Education in the Counseling Program and Co-Director of the Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas. She has published over 150 articles, chapters, and books in the field of play therapy. Dr. Ray is a founding board member and past president of the Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling, as well as current board chair of the Association for Play Therapy. Dr. Ray also co-created and oversees the international certification program for Child-Centered Play Therapy and Child-Parent Relationship Therapy, as well as currently operates the counseling practice, EmpathyWell, in Highland Village, TX where she facilitates play therapy, training, and supervision. In this episode, you’ll learn:  What multicultural play therapy is and what it means to be  culturally-inclusive play therapist; What cultural humility is and how it is the cornerstone for cultural opportunity; Some of the barriers and fears that prevent us from connecting fully with ourselves and our child clients; What to do when a rupture occurs in our relationship with our client (...guaranteed to happen) and how to bring in cultural humility and cultural comfort to create cultural opportunity; How to develop a more multicultural orientation when working in the context of the family system or working with parents/caregivers; and What research says about a multicultural playroom and how to extend multiculturalism to your play therapy room. Enjoy this incredibly important discussion that we hope you’ll then share with whomever you feel like could also benefit from learning more about multiculturalism in play therapy. Let’s all bring multiculturalism more into our playrooms!  Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: Jun 07, 2022 Lisa has a really special guest joining her for this episode and they’re doing something different today … It’s time to talk about business! - One of the most important topics we don’t talk much about as therapists. And to help Lisa out with this conversation, she has Jen Taylor who’s going to be interviewing her on her business journey.  If you’ve ever wondered about Lisa and her entrepreneurial journey, what it took for her to build the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute or create this podcast, get ready for an insightful and inspiring conversation where you’ll get to know Lisa a little more and get some business insights along the way. Tune in and hear the answers to some very fun questions such as: What was Lisa like as a child and how did this influence her becoming a business owner and entrepreneur? How did Lisa hone her craft as a teacher (...and some tricks she uses to manage the anxiety she has before she teaches or gets on stage- yes she still gets anxious!)? How did Lisa give herself permission to go after her dreams? (and ways you can too!) How did Lisa learn to tackle and work with her fears? How did Lisa reconcile the challenge and conflicting feelings of wanting to be of service and make money at the same time? How did Lisa come to learn about the ins-and-outs of business as a therapist? (...because it’s not something we learn in graduate school) Why does she spend money on learning about business (the same way we do as therapists for training and certifications) and why did she take the same business course 4 times? What was the most valuable lesson Lisa learned as she reflected on some of the biggest unsuccessful business decisions she’s ever made on her entrepreneurial journey?  Plus, hear answers to some more personal questions like: What is one of her favorite business books;  Her biggest pet peeve on the business journey; The worst business advice she’s ever received; and The best advice she would give her younger self now. Listen to this episode and learn insight’s from Lisa’s journey on how to manage some of the learning curves, detours, and clunkiness of having a business, while continuing to stay focused on your dreams as the deepest expression of yourself. If you want more, join Lisa for The Business of Therapy, a 2.5 day live (and virtual hybrid) course on Nov 9-11, 2023. Lisa is so excited to get therapists in a room to teach them, not only the nuts and bolts of the business of therapy, but the psychology of being an entrepreneur - come learn how to write the book, launch the podcast, start your private practice or take your existing business to the next level! And something we do well as therapists is be in community - rallying around each other, playing, and bringing the conversation of business to life. *Some of you might be very familiar with Jen Taylor. She's done amazing things in this world and to support play therapists worldwide. She’s a therapist, teacher and writer. She originally launched the Play Therapy Summit a few years ago and she's been a previous guest talking about cooperative games. Find her here.

The beautiful Marshall Lyles is again joining Lisa Dion for another Lessons from the Playroom episode, but this time to talk about understanding Ableism and Disablism in the Playroom.  Marshall Lyles, LMFT-S, LPC-S, RPT-S, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, has 20 years of practice in family play therapy. Drawing on lessons learned from working with attachment trauma in a variety of settings, Marshall regularly teaches on sandtray therapy and family work around the globe. In our opinion, Marshall is one of the leading voices in helping us understand ableism and disablism. You can connect with him at www.marshalllyles.com. In this episode, Marshall and Lisa tackle this commonly occurring, yet secretly held subject of ableism and disablism in our field. Here’s what you’ll hear: How ableism and institutionalized ableism has entered our profession, and how we might be perpetuating ableist norms for our clients or even for each other as therapists;  How to step into the mind of another in order to really have the sufficient mentalization to think critically about our own play spaces and our play therapy practices; How to initiate repair when rupture happens due to unawareness or assuming all minds and bodies work in the same way; and How to more fully celebrate the uniqueness of individuals and help individuals love and appreciate themselves exactly as they are. You're invited to listen to this episode and take Marshalls’ wisdom to heart to discover ways to more fully welcome your clients’ mind and body into the therapeutic space. As well, to stay true to you as a clinician and do what you need to care for your heart, your mind, and your body.  Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: August 13, 2020 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. * "When a child comes into play therapy, we are not working with their chronological age, but their emotional age." - Lisa Dion Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

In this episode, we’re talking about a topic that we’ve never discussed, but is such an important topic to our work as play therapists. And that is dissociation. To have this discussion, Lisa has with her the fabulous Annie Monaco. Annie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist, and faculty member of the Child Trauma Institute. With over 20 years of experience, Annie is a global trainer and has a specialty in EMDR Therapy with children and teens, and advanced training in attachment and dissociation in children especially with aggressive and hostile parts of self - she’s the perfect person to learn more about this topic! Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:  A usable definition of dissociation beyond the textbook to really get a sense for how it shows up in our client sessions; How dissociation reflects the child’s inside personal struggles and what it looks like; Understanding dissociation connected to complex or developmental trauma; How to help a child, parent, and even us as the therapist have compassion for all of the parts of the child (...a critical part of a child’s treatment process); Activities and strategies to support children in exploring all of their parts of themselves and facilitate a path to healing.  Also, Annie shares a great question that you can ask children to really begin to understand the parts of themselves. You’ll definitely want to have this question in your play therapy toolbox!  Enjoy this conversation that will take you beyond textbook understanding of dissociation and demystify what dissociation looks like for our clients (.... and even for ourselves)! Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  

Original Air Date: Jan 20, 2021 As a play therapist have you ever experienced this or felt stressed thinking ... *"OMG, I don't have enough toys in the playroom" ... *" I don't have the right kind of toys"...  *"I need a certain kind of toy because I work with children who have these issues"... *"I live in a part of the world that doesn't have access to toys"... *Or, "I'm a play therapist, I'm supposed to have toys" In this episode, Lisa asks the question - Are toys really necessary in play therapy? ....  Join Lisa for this important conversation and dig a little deeper to explore:  What really is 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 really is the most essential toy in the playroom This episode is dedicated to therapists around the world who may have limited access to toys 💜 "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

We’re so excited for today’s topic (...it’s definitely a hot topic) and the amazing guest that is joining Lisa. Stacy Jagger is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S), as well as an AAMFT Approved Supervisor. A native of Nashville, Stacy is the founder and clinical director of Music City Family Therapy. She is the author of 30 Day Blackout, as well as the children's book, A Letter from Emma. She’s also a regular guest on the local NBC affiliate show “Today in Nashville” and has frequently been featured as a child expert for the local morning and evening news.  In this episode, Stacy will talk about how, for many families, the way screens (computers, phones, tvs, etc.) are used, can become a distraction from connection or dealing with deeper issues in families, as well as a cause for much of the dysregulation that we see in kids’ nervous systems. She’ll also share ways that we can help families start to manage their screen time use and return to a new “normal” where connection and relationship is the focus. Join Lisa and Stacy for this powerful conversation to support your child clients and their families. Here’s what you’ll learn: The potential impact of screen time for children; How to assess a child and family’s screen time usage and connect to the child/family’s treatment goals; Ways to support families in disconnecting from screens and shifting the focus on connection back to self and family;  What it looks like to re-calibrate a child and family’s collective nervous system through a 30-day digital detox (blackout/greyout); and  How to artfully come back to a new normal after a blackout period.  If you’re curious and want to see if you (or your family) might benefit from a 30-Day Blackout, Take the quiz here. It’s also a great resource for your clients! Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  

This episode aired on Oct 5, 2020. 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 several years, 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 and Supervisor. 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. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Synergetic Play Therapy is celebrating 15 years 🎉 (... and Lisa is also celebrating her birthday this week 🥳) … And it’s a perfect time to reflect on this amazing field of play therapy that we’re all a part of including where we started as a field and where we’re headed (.... yes, there will be a bit of predicting the future happening 🚀✨). Join Lisa as she talks about the journey of the mental health field at large and how that has influenced the play therapy field … how we started with a focus on changing behaviors… then moving more deeply into an appreciation for the body and its importance in the healing process … the influence of neuroscience, interpersonal neurobiology, and the Polyvagal Theory … a greater understanding of the role of the therapist and the therapist’s contribution to the healing process (... you are the most important toy in the playroom after all 💕) … and where Lisa thinks we’re headed as a field (hint: it has to do with the role of mind and perception and science). This is one episode you’re not going to want to miss! *Celebrate with us! Enjoy $15 off any of our 1-3 hour courses through the month of June! That’s 50% off all of our 1-hour courses. Use coupon code “Celebrate15” at checkout. Sale ends July 9th. And thank you to all of our listeners!  We’re nearing one million downloads and, whether you started out with us in 2017 when we launched this podcast or only just recently found your way here, we couldn’t be more thrilled to have you as part of our weekly conversations and journey. Sending love and gratitude to you all! 💕 Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: Aug 30, 2022 Lisa is joined by an incredibly important person in her life - an individual that she is excited to introduce you to (...someone outside the field of play therapy that you may not have heard of) - Jayson Gaddis is an author, podcaster, speaker, “personal trainer for relationships”, and is a global leader on interpersonal conflict and connection. In this episode, Lisa & Jayson explore conflict and how it shows up in all our relationships - the relationships we have with our clients, their parents/caregivers, and in our personal relationships. Plus you'll learn ... 2 reasons why conflict is so hard to talk about; A new view/understanding of conflict that you've likely not considered before; Why being overly-careful in relationships is a disservice, even in your therapeutic relationships; How to lean into the uncomfortable experience of conflict and embrace conflict in all relationships); How to recognize and start to work with your own activation (transference/countertransference) within your relationships; and Tips to navigate hard conversations in both personal and professional relationships (including what L.U.F.U stands for and the 3 most impactful words you can say to transform any relationship). You’ll also hear Jayson and Lisa role play and model what these hard conversations can look and feel like - super fun! Podcast Resources:  Jayson Gaddis: https://www.jaysongaddis.com Jayson Gaddis' Relationship School®: https://relationshipschool.com Synergetic Play Therapy Institute: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/ Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/ FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/free-resources/  Aggression in Play Therapy: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/books/ * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Join Lisa to talk about attunement and how it is such an important part of the therapeutic relationship. But why is it that important you might ask … In our play therapy sessions, we can follow the script, say the right words, go down the therapeutic checklist, but if we are not attuned to our clients (or ourselves), our clients will walk away likely feeling not seen, not felt, and not met by us. So attunement is really the heart of the therapeutic exchange between us and our clients! (...by the way, the same is true in the parent-child dynamic) Join Lisa in a conversation and …  Expand your understanding of what attunement is and what it is not; Find out what gets in the way of us being attuned to our clients; Learn how to develop attunement at a deeper level for your clients (...to create an experience for your client where they feel energetically and emotionally met by us); and How to “explain” the felt-sense experience of attunement with a parent or caregiver Lisa shares a really beautiful experience she had at a play therapist training where she was role playing with another therapist and how she might have missed a really critical piece of the play therapist’s experience if it wasn’t for the power of attunement.  A final message - Thank you for being on the receiving end of the conversation today; for feeling with Lisa today; and allowing yourself to learn ways to bring in attunement more into your play therapy sessions so your clients can feel deeply seen, deeply met, and deeply heard by you.  Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: Aug 2, 2022 Join Lisa in exploring a topic that is relevant to every single person on the planet and particularly inspired by a conversation Lisa had with her daughter who is now almost 17 years old.  In this episode, you're invited to think about self-esteem in a new or different way so you can support your clients at a deeper level when self-esteem is the thing they are struggling with. Learn …. A new reframe on understanding self-worth and how it translates to our work with clients; Why everyone has both low and high self-esteem (and the purpose of it); The correlation between self-worth and nervous system activation; How to support clients who feel they are struggling with low self-esteem/self-worth; and How to support parents/caregivers when they are the ones struggling with feeling not good enough and like an inadequate parent/caregiver.  Plus, you’ll hear a 17-year-old's amazing definition of what "high self-esteem" can look like and feel like and what "low self-esteem" can look like and feel like- it just might be the best nugget of the entire podcast! Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

In this next Lessons from the Playroom episode, we’re going in a totally different direction. Lisa Dion has a very special guest to talk about perspective - a topic we often don’t talk about enough (... or in some cases, at all!) and the significance of it in our work as therapists and as beings walking through the world.  Lisa’s special guest is the lovely Dr. Rachel Altvater (Psy.D., RPT-S™). Rachel is an award-winning, pioneering expert, leader, researcher, international trainer, author, and supervisor in the field of play therapy. Her book, “Perspective: Contemplating the Complexities of Our Realities" was just recently published (...and is the main topic of discussion for this episode). She has also published her research in the International Journal of Play Therapy on technology use in play therapy, and is a contributing author in numerous scholarly texts on implementing digital technologies in play therapy practice. Join Rachel and Lisa in this highly thought provoking and human normalizing conversation that will start to create an alignment with who you are and the perspectives that you hold about yourself.  You’ll learn about: The birth of Rachel’s new book, Perspective: Contemplating the Complexities of Our Realities,  and how her “brain vomit” practice helped it come into “perspective”; How you come to see yourself, others, and the world (...really how you become who you are!); Why understanding perspective is so important for you to know as a therapist (or as any human being); How to explore the perspectives that you’re holding about yourself (...Rachel gives several questions you can start asking yourself today); and Questions that will expand your awareness about what perspectives you might be holding about others (including your clients). Enjoy this oh so lovely conversation that ends with a beautiful transition message from Rachel to you - You will never know how far your ripples of healing and connection expand into this world, but the more aligned you are with yourself, the further these ripples will expand in the direction they need to go.  Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

  Original Air Date: August 31, 2021 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: What it means to become culturally competent as a therapist  Steps to building an anti-racist and culturally-informed practice  Ways to respond when children are exploring racism and cultural issues in the playroom  How to dive deep within yourself to move from not just reflection, but ACTION!  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. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Join Lisa Dion for a really important and special conversation about a topic that has never been discussed in this entire podcast series … It's about supervision. And not just any type of supervision, but reflective-relational kinds of supervision. Some of you may likely be engaged in your own supervision and some of you may be supervisors ... you're encouraged to listen to this conversation in whatever way you feel is most meaningful for you.  To have this conversation, Lisa has three very important people in her life - Polly Douglass, Kim Buller, and Khris Rolfe are three extraordinary play therapists and supervisors and some of the top supervisors at the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute. They've been trained not only in Synergetic Play Therapy, but in multiple other modalities, and have a beautiful perspective about how to do this thing we call supervision in a way that is incredibly reflective and relational.  In this episode, you'll learn: What it means to be reflective and relational in supervision; How to cultivate a reflective and relational supervisor-supervisee relationship; What it means to be the external regulator for a supervisee;  How to support a supervisee in becoming more embodied in their work as a play therapist; and  How to offer an empowering supervision experience for a supervisee that ultimately develops their trust within themselves as a therapist.  Listen to this conversation that weaves together a beautiful tapestry of reflection and relationship within the supervisor-supervisee experience, and one that allows for the play therapist to “feel” about their client instead of just “think” about their client.  Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  

Lisa Dion’s next guest has made quite the name for herself in the world of EMDR Therapy (although this is not a conversation about EMDR Therapy, if you work with the population that we’re talking about today, you might want to consider some EMDR training 😉). Join Ann Beckley-Forest and Lisa in an inspiring conversation … one that is also quite near and dear to Ann’s heart … that will help you conceptualize how to work with children and families when adoption, foster care, or some kind of placement experience is part of the child’s life story.  Ann is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S), Certified in EMDR Therapy and an approved provider for EMDRIA, faculty member of the Child Trauma Institute, and co-founder of Playful EMDR LLC Training and Consulting. Ann, with Annie Monaco, also wrote a fabulous book called “EMDR with Children in the Play Therapy Room: An Integrated Approach” - it’s truly a foundational book if you use EMDR Therapy and work with children. Here’s what you’ll learn: What attachment trauma or attachment wounding is (... as Shirley Jean Schmidt says, the idea of “the important good things that didn’t happen”); How a movement powered by adoptees has helped us take a look at language, stance and attitudes around adoption, as well as how to honor all the parts of the “adoption triad”;   The impact to the collective adoptive family nervous system and how adoptive/foster parents inherently vicariously acquire the child’s trauma history; One of the major reasons for unprocessed trauma in childhood and how we can address it in sessions; and Different reparative treatment approaches when working with children with attachment trauma or attachment wounding (hint: it’s not about cognitive processes, but ultimately attuned experiences). We hope that you’ll find a lot of value in this conversation and that you’ll continue to learn and study about this topic … because the odds of you, as a play therapist, having a child walk through your door that has an adoption or foster care or some kind of placement experience in their history is, well, let’s just say, quite high. You’re invited to start/continue your learning journey on this topic with Ann and Lisa today! Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: July 17, 2019 Medical trauma can be prevalent for many children who have undergone medical procedures or experienced chronic and acute conditions. And it can show up in the playroom in a variety of ways, including in ways 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. "One of the best ways to reduce medical trauma is by making the unknown known. Children need information and lots of it." - Lisa Dion Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: December 21, 2021 This has been one of the most requested topics – Working With Childhood Sexual Abuse  Lisa Dion is joined by Sueann Kenney-Noziska whose work with sexually abused children and adolescents is absolutely remarkable. In addition to maintaining a full-time private practice, she is internationally recognized as an esteemed author, guest lecturer, and professional speaker (… a phenomenal speaker!). Sueann has been educating therapists, courts, and community partners for years regarding the impact of trauma, dynamics of sexual abuse, delayed disclosure, and other matters pertaining to childhood abuse and trauma.  This episode is packed with so much information, you might want a paper and pen to take notes. And join them in a conversation to explore:  Challenges (and rewards) of working with this population Common dynamics that occur during sexual abuse The disclosure process and why it’s so hard for children/teenagers to disclose Ways to support parents in building relationships with their children for future open dialogue/disclosure How the trauma narrative can look differently for these children and in a play therapy process Ways to navigate this work while taking care of yourself to prevent vicarious trauma/compassion fatigue Listen to this episode and let Sueann’s wisdom give you insight and clarity on working with this very special population through the play therapy process. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

This next episode is so unbelievably important (maybe even critical) for you as a therapist to hear … Join Lisa for a conversation about this not so widely discussed topic - the impact of trauma exposure on therapists (or really for anyone in a helping role). As a therapist (or helper of any kind), we've chosen a profession that puts us directly on the frontline. We are required to be right there in the midst of trauma exposure, day-in and day-out, session after session. We’re asked to listen, witness, play through the trauma, and experience the trauma alongside our clients. The old adage that the therapist stays an objective observer when facilitating someone else is, well, impossible.  Ultimately, we can’t avoid being impacted by exposure to another’s trauma/crisis/challenge and, as a result, we’re susceptible to compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, or secondary traumatization.  In this episode, you’ll learn: How we always experience a secondary impact when working with clients who have/are experiencing trauma, crisis or challenge; What happens when we are impacted by the same trauma, crisis or challenge that our clients are experiencing; What happens when our own unresolved trauma comes into the playroom (guaranteed it happens more frequently than we give ourselves permission to be aware of); and  How to reconnect back to ourselves both outside the playroom and during those moments of activation in the therapy session.  Listen and take a moment to connect/reconnect with yourself. Find some time to reflect on this extraordinary profession that you’re part of and the sacrifices you’re making; hear ways to help mitigate the impact (hint: it starts with learning how to be with ourselves through the impact); and then start to create a lifestyle that supports this career we’ve chosen.  You are extraordinary! Much love on the journey 💕 Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity

Original Air Date: August 2, 2021 Join Lisa Dion 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 you 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. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Another pioneer in the field of play therapy joins Lisa for this next episode. Lisa is super excited to be joined by Dr. Risë VanFleet (learn about her amazing background below*) for a conversation about Filial Therapy and how parents and caregivers can become a change agent for their child. Join Risë and Lisa in this insightful discussion that will enhance your child client’s therapy experience through their relationship with their parent/caregiver and deepen your commitment to the model. You’ll also hear how Risë entered the field of play therapy and learn … The history of Filial Therapy and the theoretical elements that make the model successful; How Filial Therapy is a psychoeducational model (vs. a medical model) The 7 key aspects that make up Filial Therapy and create the elegance of the model; How parents/caregivers become the primary change agent for their child; and How to combine Filial Therapy with other therapeutic interventions. *Dr. Risë VanFleet is a Licensed Psychologist (PA), Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor and specializes in Animal Assisted Play Therapy™, Filial Therapy, play therapy, chronic medical illness in families, disaster mental health, complex trauma and attachment issues, as well as animal welfare and behavior.  She’s also the President of the Family Enhancement & Play Therapy Center, Inc., in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania, an organization specializing in the training and supervision of child, family, and play therapy professionals. She is the founder and president of the International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy®. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: March 30, 2021 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 understanding 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 podcastepisodes 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 Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

In this episode, Lisa revisits the topic of parents and caregivers and discusses one of the most commonly asked questions that she is asked - how to support and offer parents and caregivers templates so they can regulate themselves and ultimately regulate with their child when their child is dysregulated.  Imagine being able to offer parents in the therapeutic journey co-regulatory moments to help repattern their nervous system and that supports them in being their child’s external regulator - It’s really so powerful!! Here’s what you will learn in this episode:  How the parent/caregiver can show up in the therapy process in some form of dysregulation and what they need; How to use the Synergetic Play Therapy concept of “The Set Up” or “Offering” to understand the parent at a deeper level; Why it’s important to not dismiss the felt sense of what’s arising inside ourselves and how to connect with our own activation first before becoming the external regulator for the parent;  What it looks like to teach parents/caregivers to become external regulators including how to develop within them regulatory templates they can use when in relationship with their child;  Key things to recognize when working with parents/caregivers to create new templates and templates they may not have for regulation; and Being able to support the parents/caregivers in shifting their perception of their child’s behavior in a way that allows for spaciousness and connection.  Join Lisa and consider this important question - Are we willing to do what we can to create new templates for parents and caregivers, and based on our therapeutic approach, how might we do that?  Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: January 18, 2022 Lisa Dion’s next special guest is a Certified SPT therapist, coach, mom and yoga instructor. Lisa has known her for years – all the way back to when Lauren worked in Cape Town, South Africa.  Listen as Lauren Porter and Lisa talk about how to make Yoga a practice that can support you as a therapist and redefine and unpack yoga in a way that maybe you haven’t considered…  …And how getting to know yourself more and experiencing a widening of your window of tolerance for your emotional states can help your practice as a therapist tenfold.  Whether you’re experienced in yoga or not, deepen your understanding of the possibility of how yoga can support you in being with your clients in more embodied ways.  You’ll discover: What yoga is really about (hint: it’s not to help you feel better) How yoga gives understanding to both the conceptual world and the embodied YOU How to overcome the mental, emotional and physical blocks that prevent you (and all of us) from having a lived experience  How to use yoga as a practice for knowing yourself more and why it’s so important to consider if you’re a therapist How yoga can “hold you” in times of flooding or overwhelm The connection between yoga and [one of Lisa’s favorite concepts) Interoception All the ways that a yoga practice can look (…the answer might surprise you) Listen to today’s episode and expand your capacity for accessing the ventral vagal response so that you’re able to stay connected to yourself with whatever is happening in you and around you (…playroom included).  And before she goes, Lauren guides you through an exercise to unlock the diaphragm (…it’s perfect for when someone says, “take a deep breath” and you can’t – because this absolutely happens sometimes … or more times than we want to count).  Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Dr. Robert Jason Grant, creator of AutPlay Therapy joins Lisa to discuss AutPlay Therapy as an integrative family play therapy approach designed to address the mental health needs of neurodivergent children and their families.  Robert Jason Grant is a Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, Consultant, Trainer, and Neurodiversity Advocate. Robert has a deep understanding of sensory differences, Autism, ADHD, implementing play therapy with groups and play therapy theories.  His development of AutPlay Therapy provides therapists with a play therapy approach that addresses the mental health needs of neurodivergent children and their families. Listen as Robert shares his practical experiences and insight to help therapists understand the importance of “play preferences” to respect a child’s presentation and how therapists can make play therapy a safe space for neurodivergent and neurotypical clients. Plus you’ll learn … How and why Robert developed AutPlay® Therapy and how you can incorporate it into your practice working with kids with sensory issues; A definition of neurodivergence and the connection between neurodivergent and neurotypical;  What the Neurodiversity Paradigm is and how to put it into practice;  How to help a child feel seen, and treated with love and respect at a deeper level; and How to incorporate more neurodiversity affirming practices and principles into your therapeutic practice. This special episode touches on many amazing topics that you’ll find valuable and will help you grow as a therapist to support this misunderstood population to address their mental health needs. And you’ll feel Robert’s love, compassion and empathy for his clients that are neurodivergent and neurotypical - just beautiful!  Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: January 4, 2022 Lisa is jumping into another most requested topic – Translating the Play to Parents/Caregivers. In this episode you’ll find out why this can be such a challenge for play therapists, but oh-so important! Learn 4 tips for how to translate the child’s play to parents/ caregivers including how to: Set the stage early on in the process for parents about what they can expect and to honor/protect the confidentiality of what’s going on in the room with the child client. Develop or enhance parent buy-in within the therapeutic process.  Translate what the child is doing in the room to the parents (being able to shift from a right-brain experience to a left-brain process) Maintain congruence and authenticity when explaining to parents what’s happening in the child’s process  Note: If it’s helpful, you might want to return to podcast episode #13 to discover how to set great goals in the playroom. We know it’s tough work being a play therapist – a gentle reminder to give yourself grace and time in the process, as well as know that you’re doing an amazing job already and it’s good enough – You are the most important toy in the playroom.  Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Lisa has another amazing guest speaker joining her - Dr. Joyce Mills to talk about StoryPlay®, an Ericksonian, resiliency-based, indirective process of Play Therapy that draws upon the natural inner resources, skills, and strengths of each child, adolescent, adult or family member to effect transformational healing, growth, and change. Dr. Joyce C. Mills is a nationally and internationally recognized storyteller, keynote presenter, workshop leader, consultant, trauma specialist, and program developer for health-care, psychological, educational, and community organizations. Founder of  StoryPlay, Dr. Mills is the recipient of the 1997 Play Therapy International Award for outstanding career contributions to the field of Play Therapy Training and Child Psychology. She is also the author and co-author of seven books including the award-winning Therapeutic Metaphors for Children and the Child Within, Sammy the Elephant and Mr. Camel, Gentle Willow, and Little Tree. Join Lisa and Joyce in this conversation that will offer playful and serious insights on how to help children grow and heal; how to honor who the child is and create safe spaces for healing; and how, through Joyce’s own personal story of raising a son with cerebral palsy, she found a path to help parents and caregivers who were struggling.  Plus you’ll learn … How to identify, access, and utilize the inner resources, skills, and gifts within our clients as invaluable gems to move beyond diagnosis; How to recognize a parent or caregiver’s struggle; The importance of resilience which is what StoryPlay is all about; The difference between directive and indirective play therapy models; The essential elements of the StoryPlay model; How to use the Therapeutic Metaphors process to effect transformational change. Listen and discover Joyce’s natural ability to tell stories and how stories are the medicine of the soul! She’s a true gift to our field  Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: November 9, 2021 This 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 and Lisa in a discussion about EMDR Therapy with kids where Ana gives understanding to: What is EMDR Therapy and how it can be applied to your child clients; How to support your child clients in developing a relationship with their inner world; How attunement is key in the healing process; and  The importance of doing your own “work” as a therapist so that you can accompany your clients on their journeys through their traumas from a more embodied perspective.  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. Podcast Resources:  Global Child EMDR Alliance (resource formed by Ana and other amazing EMDR Therapists) Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Lisa is joined by an incredibly important person in her life - Duey Freeman, a former professor at Naropa University (Lisa’s alma mater) and founder of the Gestalt Institute of the Rockies and the Gestalt Equine Institute. Duey, a true “elder” (as he is described by many) and mentor in the field of attachment and human development, was Lisa’s former graduate school professor and has been one the most instrumental professors in her career. (see below for Duey's full bio*) Get ready to learn about a new way to conceptualize the attachment process and human development- a theory that just may be a foundational piece of missing information in your work as a therapist, as well as how Duey uses equine therapy to re-heal attachment disruptions. This podcast isn’t just for those that work for horses - this information is a must hear for everyone!  Here's what you'll hear in this episode …  An attachment and human development theory that is usable clinically when working with people - the Freeman Attachment Cycle (Lisa integrates this model into her Synergetic Play Therapy courses); The reason why we're always supporting clients in working through the first stages of development ("Is the world ok?" and "Am I ok?") whether we’re working with a child that is 3 years old or 50 years old; What happens for a child when their attachment and developmental needs are not met;  How to bring instinct and intuition back into all our relationships and into all our therapeutic relationships; and How Duey's work with horses and equine therapy can give us greater understanding about our work in the playroom (plus you'll hear something amazing about what happens when a person is put on a horse and having them be moved by a horse...it's absolutely amazing!) This one will not only give you an amazing new lens from which to see your client work and how to become a therapist WITH your clients, but connect you to your own attachment and life experiences at a really deep level (...It might even bring tears to your eyes). *Duey Freeman is a sought after teacher, trainer, licensed therapist, and equine professional around the world. He has traveled to teach professionally in over 8 countries, has developed a practical attachment theory and human development theory that is taught to thousands of university students, has over 80,000 direct client hours, and co-founded both the Gestalt Equine Institute and the Gestalt Institute of the Rockies. He provides supervision to therapists and graduate students, does business and land consultations for new equine therapy sites, and models being a life-long student to your passions. Podcast Resources:  Freeman Attachment Cycle Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: February 7, 2020 In this episode, Lisa is joined by special guest Jen Taylor to talk about how to use cooperative games in play therapy and how in the playroom, they are used effectively with siblings and families, reminding each player that it's not about winning; it's about the experience. "The object of the game is not to win; the object of the game is to experience playing for the sake of playing." - Jen Taylor, LCSW, RPT-S *Some of you might be very familiar with Jen Taylor. She's done amazing things in this world and to support play therapists worldwide. She’s a therapist, teacher and writer. She originally launched the Play Therapy Summit a few years ago and she's been a previous guest talking about cooperative games. Find her here. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Join Lisa for a discussion to explore three different types of relationships that come into play when working with parents/caregivers … What you’re about to hear will transform your work with parents/caregivers to create a more conscious relationship that honors both you as the therapist and the parents you work with.  In this episode, you’ll learn …. The three different types of relationships (... they can actually extend beyond the playroom to any and all relationships); How these different types of relationships play out in the dynamic with parents/caregivers;  Why we sometimes experience challenging relationships when working with parents/caregivers; and How to develop and create a space that allows parents/caregivers to show up as themselves and explore who they are with us. Listen and also find out how these different types of relationships potentially impact your nervous system and what you can do to stay connected to yourself so that you can honor both yours and the parent's/caregiver's unique rhythms and needs. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: January 15, 2021 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." 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/ Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Lisa has another really special guest joining her … Dr. Cathy Malchiodi is the Founder & Director of the Trauma Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute. She has done countless presentations around the world and written some amazing books, one that she wrote several years ago is still one of Lisa’s all time favorite books - Understanding Children’s Drawings. Cathy is one of the pioneers in Expressive Arts Therapy. In this episode, you’ll learn what Expressive Arts Therapy is and the importance of “rhythmic synchronization” and “action-oriented” interventions to support clients in sensory integration and trauma healing. You’ll also be introduced to a new way to conceptualize the client’s “Window of Tolerance” that is more about expanding the client’s capacity for trauma integration and playfulness.   Join a grounding conversation that will take you beyond the use of specific techniques to support your clients in reclaiming and expanding their capacity for full expression of their authentic self.   "Trauma reduces our capacity for expression through movement, sound, enactment, image making, and play. Our job is to help people reclaim that capacity -- to manifest a full range of restorative expression and reparative playfulness." - Cathy Malchiodi, PhD from Handbook of Expressive Arts Therapy *Cathy Malchiodi is the Executive Director of the Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute. She works as a consultant to the Department of Defense and an investigator on a five-year grant with the US Department of Education, integrating trauma-informed expressive arts into classrooms. A popular presenter and workshop leader, she has given over 700 keynotes and workshops (...pretty much you name the country and Cathy has probably been there to present in some capacity). She has authored 20 books including her most recent, "Handbook of Expressive Arts Therapy." You’ll find a sample chapter by clicking the book title for free! Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: May 25, 2021 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/ Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Have you ever wondered what intergenerational trauma can look like when it shows up in a play therapy session?  If so, you have also likely wondered what you can do to support both the child and the parent to integrate the trauma. In this episode, Lisa Dion is joined by Dr. Arielle Schwartz (you might know her from the amazing books she’s published including “The Complex PTSD Workbook” or “The Post Traumatic Growth Guidebook), to discuss this very topic. You will learn: What intergenerational trauma is and what it can look like in play therapy sessions How to cultivate your own trans-generational resilience and develop generational empathy (that you can then model to your clients and their parents/caregivers);  What to do when your own intergenerational trauma shows up in a session with your clients; and How practicing self-care supports you in being a better steward of trauma for this kind of work (...learn Arielle’s own embodiment practice that she starts each day with and before meeting with clients).  Join this lovely conversation and widen your lens beyond the client’s present day (or recent history) experience to what might be happening across generations in the parent/caregiver-child relationship, what’s happening in the family system, and even to the generational patterns and unresolved traumas generationally that are part of your client’s story. *Arielle Schwartz, PhD, CCTP-II, E-RYT, is a licensed clinical psychologist, certified complex trauma professional, and Kripalu yoga teacher with a private practice in Boulder, Colorado. As an internationally sought-out teacher and leading voice in the healing of PTSD and complex trauma, she is the author of six books, including The Complex PTSD Workbook, Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma, and The Post-Traumatic Growth Guidebook. She is dedicated to offering informational mental health and wellness updates through her writing, public speaking, social media presence, and blog. As the founder of the Center for Resilience Informed Therapy, she offers integrative, mind-body approach to therapy including relational therapy, parts-work therapy, somatic psychology, EMDR Therapy, and therapeutic yoga for trauma. She believes that the journey of trauma recovery is an awakening of the spiritual heart. Learn more about Arielle at www.drarielleschwartz.com. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: October 12, 2021 In this episode, Lisa is joined by 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 … The use of Sandtray therapy in healing attachment and trauma; How attachment styles present for clients (and yourself) in the sandtray; How to go deeply within yourself through the “sandtray mirror;” Ways to navigate your own inner landscape and cultivate a “reflective practice;” and How to further develop yourself as a play therapist through the modalities that you practice. 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). Podcast Resources:  Freeman Attachment Cycle Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

This time Lisa has again invited two very important people in her life to join her. Two Certified Synergetic Play Therapists both residing in Canada – Helen Ritchie and Kristina Dixon. Join them in this conversation about working through the challenges and dilemmas that we sometimes have as therapists when working with the parents/caregivers. Find out: Why working with parents and caregivers can be more challenging than working just with our child clients. How to overcome some of the biggest challenges therapists have when working with parents/caregivers. How to bring a parent/caregiver into a team approach in the therapeutic process. How to support the parent/caregiver with implementing strategies in the home that might help the child client (including what to do when the parent/caregiver says, “I tried that, and it didn’t work” or “that won’t work for my child”). This podcast episode honors parents/caregivers and will open your heart around being in a therapy process together when helping your child clients heal. Podcast Resources:  Freeman Attachment Cycle Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: November 13, 2017 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. Join Lisa and find out how supporting a child in their healing process doesn't have to require words.  "It's the child really feeling that you're with them that heals them most. Sometimes, that just doesn't require words." - Lisa Dion Podcast Resources:  Freeman Attachment Cycle Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

In this episode the tables are turned and the lovely Jackie Flynn, host of the Play Therapy Community Podcast/Facebook group and the Neuroscience of Play Therapy Summits, interviews Lisa about how play therapy and being a play therapist has become a spiritual practice for her over the years.  Join Lisa and Jackie as they talk about: What spiritual practice means and how doing our own “work” as a therapist can become a spiritual practice; How the playroom is a giant "meditation cushion" for therapists to grow within themselves as human beings;  How to hold a larger perspective as a therapist and engage in a deeply self-reflective practice as a way of supporting the client in their own reflective awareness and healing journey;  How the moment itself has everything we need in order to navigate whatever is arising in the client’s therapeutic work - Nothing is missing. The Synergetic Play Therapy concept of “One Foot In/One Foot Out” and how this is a contemplative practice in action in the playroom; and How being authentically with ourselves as therapists can support us in truly helping our clients in the most profound ways possible.  In this episode, you’ll also hear how Lisa's very first play therapy session revealed to her, not only how to help children in their healing journey, but how to experience the playroom as a place of curiosity for what needs to be developed and worked within herself so that she could continue to develop herself as a therapist.  A message from Lisa to all of her listeners - Give yourself permission to find safe places and connections that allow you to look inward; get curious about what parts of you are showing up in the playroom that are asking you to be in relationship with them; and a deeper invitation to be with the parts of yourself that are emerging - because as you know, you are the most important toy in the playroom. Podcast Resources:  Freeman Attachment Cycle Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: March 27, 2017 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. "Part of play therapy is widening the child's perspective but also widening our own" - Lisa Dion Podcast Resources:  Freeman Attachment Cycle Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

The one-and-only Bonnie Badenoch* joins Lisa for this beautiful conversation about non-judgmental presence and how this is so critical in our role as therapists.  In this episode, you’ll hear: How, as a profession, we've become concretized into the left hemisphere (e.g., in a movement toward protocols, interventions, and evidence-based therapies) and how this has pulled us more into the role of experts trying to "fix" people; What holding a “non-judgement” presence means;  What the “inner community” is, how to be aware and work with our inner community in order to be present with our clients;   How to return to a non-judgmental presence in moments when we experience judgment (and how to even recognize when we’re in a place of judgment); The 2 pillars of non-judgmental presence and the importance of this in our work; and How to engage in our own reflective processes and having supportive others who can truly hold a nonjudgmental space for you.   Listen to this beautiful conversation that gets us back into the right hemisphere in our work as therapists and back to trusting the wisdom of the client in their own healing process. Discover how to bring more non-judgmental presence in your clinical work and how to offer this same space for yourself. Bonnie is moving toward retirement, and we’re so grateful that she could join. Thank you Bonnie and much love on the journey 🙏💕 *Bonnie Badenoch, LMFT, has been a therapist, mentor, teacher, and author, spending the last 17 years integrating the discoveries of relational neuroscience into the art of therapy. In 2008, she co-founded the nonprofit agency Nurturing the Heart with the Brain in Mind to offer this work to the community of therapists, healthcare providers, and others interested in becoming therapeutic presences in the world. For 30 she has supported trauma survivors and those with significant attachment wounds to reshape their neural landscapes for a life of meaning, resilience, and warm relationships.  Her conviction that wisdom about the relational brain can support healing experiences for people at every age led to the publication of Being a Brain-Wise Therapist: A Practical Guide to Interpersonal Neurobiology in 2008 and The Brain-Savvy Therapist’s Workbook in 2011. Bonnie’s latest writing is The Heart of Trauma: Healing the Embodied Brain in the Context of Relationships (2017). These books seek to build a bridge between science and practice with clarity, compassion, and heart. Podcast Resources:  Freeman Attachment Cycle Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: July 20, 2021 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 Louise 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 … Be proactive and prepared so you don't find yourself stuck in these often challenging and painful situations such as getting quality training, reading articles and books, and having consultation experts and seasoned supervisors on speed dial. Keep attuned to the ever-changing status of your own "band-width" when working with high conflict casts. Learn how to put your own self-care first. Practice grounding and shifting into neutral gear. Not let parents at war hook you into the chaotic energy of their high conflict (whether they throw that hook at you intentionally or unintentionally). How to maintain the child's therapy as their “oasis” when parents are at war and be the “oasis keeper” for the child. 💗 Know your role and stay in your role, and practice this over and over again during the client case. *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. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/ Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/ FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/free-resources/  Aggression in Play Therapy: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/books/ * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Lisa’s next guest has so many amazing contributions to the field of play therapy. Terry Kottman is the founder of Adlerian Play Therapy and the League of Extraordinary Adlerian Play Therapists. She is an unbelievably fun and engaging presenter and author who teaches around the world and writes about so many different aspects of play therapy. In 2014, she was granted a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Play Therapy; in 2017, she was given a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Iowa Association for Play Therapy; and in 2020, she received a third Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Society for Adlerian Psychology (…she seems to be collecting them). In this episode, Terry will take you into the world of Adlerian Therapy and share how she developed Adlerian Play Therapy. You’ll also learn: How to bring more of YOU into your client’s sessions; How to custom-design your sessions to meet your client’s unique needs; How to enhance your client’s insight into themselves and what it means to “spit in the client’s soup;” How to navigate the client’s process when phases of the therapeutic work are not discrete; and How to attune not just to your client, but to their entire treatment process (a meta-attunement of sorts). Listen to the brilliant words of Terry Kottman and feel inspired and jazzed about play therapy and the work you’re doing with your clients. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/ Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/ FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/free-resources/  Aggression in Play Therapy: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/books/ * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: October 30, 2017 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. "The moment we believe we have figured it out is precisely the moment we stop growing" - Lisa Dion Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/ Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/ FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/free-resources/  Aggression in Play Therapy: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/books/ * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Wondering what bibliotherapy is or how to incorporate it in your client sessions? Lisa has invited another special guest to talk about using bibliotherapy with kids. Althea T. Simpson is the founder of Brighter Day Therapeutic Solutions and Unicorn Life Training. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, Certified LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Facilitator, and host of the podcast Chronicles of a Play Therapist. She's all about innovative solutions for mental health and her creativity has been such a blessing and inspiration to the play therapy field (thank you Althea!).  In this episode, discover how all books can be therapeutic and the many ways to be creative in using bibliotherapy with your clients including:  How bibliotherapy helps children find their way through psychological, emotional, and social problems; How to choose books relevant to a client's personal situation and developmental needs;  How to use bibliotherapy through a Teletherapy platform; and How to engage children in activities that help them reflect on what they read, including art-based expressions, LEGO, sand tray, journal writing, and group discussion. Althea also shares some of the books that she loves to have in her playroom including the book she would have if she could only have one book. Plus, learn about her own recently published book - "Hurt to Healing: Child Witnesses of Domestic Violence and Their Invisible Injuries" and how it blended her professional and personal life experiences.   Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/ Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/ FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/free-resources/  Aggression in Play Therapy: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/books/ * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: May 31, 2018 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. "The fear of going towards something in the playroom is a reflection of a wound in us that hasn't healed." - Lisa Dion Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/ Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/ FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/free-resources/  Aggression in Play Therapy: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/books/ * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

If you’ve ever studied with Lisa, you know she loves talking about the nervous system. And in this episode, she’s going to talk about the collective nervous systems within families and how to help support the regulation of the family system. If you’re just as excited about this topic as Lisa, you’ll definitely want to take notes for this one …  Here’s what you’ll hear … How nervous system expressions occur within the context of families; How all behavior (even what we term as dysfunctional) is actually functional and has a purpose; How the family system is always in balance and how it is always attempting to equilibrate itself; How to become the external regulator to help regulate the family nervous system; and How to use this information clinically to inform your therapeutic work. Plus, learn a powerful tip that will help you shift the collective nervous system of the family unit in a most transformative way. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/ Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/ FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/free-resources/  Aggression in Play Therapy: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/books/ * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: June 3, 2020 "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 Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/ Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/ FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/free-resources/  Aggression in Play Therapy: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/books/ * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Lisa is joined by an incredibly important person in her life - an individual that she is excited to introduce you to (...someone outside the field of play therapy that you may not have heard of) - Jayson Gaddis is an author, podcaster, speaker, “personal trainer for relationships”, and is a global leader on interpersonal conflict and connection. In this podcast episode, they explore conflict and how it shows up in all our relationships - the relationships we have with our clients, their parents/caregivers, and in our personal relationships. Here's what you'll learn ... The two reasons why conflict is so hard to talk about; A new view/understanding of conflict that you've likely not considered before; Why being overly-careful in relationships is a disservice, even in your therapeutic relationships; How to lean into the uncomfortable experience of conflict and embrace conflict in all relationships); How to recognize and start to work with your own activation (transference/countertransference) within your relationships; and Tips to navigate hard conversations in both personal and professional relationships (including what L.U.F.U stands for and the 3 most impactful words you can say to transform any relationship). You’ll also hear Jayson and Lisa role play and model what these hard conversations can look and feel like - super fun! Plus hear/read one of the coolest and funniest bios of this entire podcast series  Jayson Gaddis got tired of complaining that street-level relationship skills are not taught in school, so he founded The Relationship School®, an impact-based company dedicated to helping individuals, couples and teams work out their differences in order to have indestructible relationships. He is the creator of Interpersonal Intelligence® and Present Centered Relationship Coaching® and the Getting To Zero Method™. His new book Getting to Zero: How to work Through Conflict In Your High Stakes Relationships was voted Editors Choice, Best non-fiction, and Best Leadership and Business book in 2021 on Amazon. He’s been married to his amazing wife since 2007 and has two beautiful kids. They live in Boulder, Colorado. When he doesn’t live and breathe this relationship stuff with his family, he pretty much gets his ass handed to him. Jayson Gaddis: https://www.jaysongaddis.com The Relationship School -https://relationshipschool.com Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/ Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website: https://learn.synergeticplaytherapy.com/ FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/free-resources/  Aggression in Play Therapy: https://synergeticplaytherapy.com/books/ * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

Original Air Date: February 19, 2020 "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. *💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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 Cary Hamilton, another amazing guest, for a conversation that will transform your work with parents/caregivers who have children with neurodiverse or sensory processing challenges.  Cary is the Director of Play Therapy at Antioch University in Seattle, Owner of a group practice clinic - Olympia Therapy and current President of the Washington Association for Play Therapy. She is an author and international presenter on Neurodiversity and Sensory Sensitivities and Play Therapy for the last 10 years. Also check out her educational platform called Playful Wisdom that offers real-world guidance to help parents develop their inner know-how and bring back the joy of being a parent.  Hear how to take parents and caregivers from a place of overwhelm, confusion and disempowerment to a place of curiosity and deep connection to their child. Plus, hear some of Cary (and Lisa’s) lived experiences, while learning: How to support parents/caregivers in trusting their intuition about what their child needs and empower them in their child's healing process; How to engage parents/caregivers when they are feeling shutdown, hopeless, or scared to engage (...Cary gives us an amazing question to ask parents/caregivers that helps them feel complete support and acceptance in spite of their struggles);  How to address systemic challenges in the family (e.g., differences in understanding/opinion between partners, sibling perceptions, marital stress, etc.); and How to trust the child's lead in knowing what their body needs to regulate their own dysregulation. Understand neurodiversity and sensory processing challenges at a much deeper level and grab some beautiful nuggets/insights in this most heartfelt and honest conversation. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

Original Air Date: September 23, 2020 "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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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 in exploring a topic that is relevant to every single person on the planet and particularly inspired by a conversation Lisa had with her daughter who is now almost 17 years old.  In this Lessons from the Playroom episode, you are invited to think about self-esteem in a new or different way so you can support your clients at a deeper level when self-esteem is the thing they are struggling with. Learn more about …. A new reframe on understanding self-worth and how it translates to our work with clients; Why everyone has both low and high self-esteem (and the purpose of it); The correlation between self-worth and nervous system activation; How to support clients who feel they are struggling with low self-esteem/self-worth; and How to support parents/caregivers when they are the ones struggling with feeling not good enough and like an inadequate parent/caregiver.  Plus, you’ll hear a 17-year-old's amazing definition of what "high self-esteem" can look like and feel like and what "low self-esteem" can look like and feel like- it just might be the best nugget of the entire podcast! * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

Original Air Date: July 25, 2018 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. Find out why getting it wrong, might just be right "Challenges and discomforts are necessities of growth." - Lisa Dion   * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Mailing List💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

In this Lessons from the Playroom episode, Lisa again is joined by Andrea Davidson, Johanna Simmons, and Rachel Freeburg - three Certified Synergetic Play Therapists … but this time for a discussion on messes in the playroom and messy play - ooh, so much fun!  Tune in as they explore: How to explain and normalize to parents/caregivers that messes are ok; How to turn messes in the playroom into opportunities for boundaries, containment, and growth; Ways to support children when they need the expression or sensory experience of messy play; When to have a child clean up or not when messes happen (hint: it’s about the child's treatment goals); Strategies for you as the therapist to stay in your window of tolerance with messes or messy play; and Understanding messes from the experience of Nervous System regulation/dysregulation. *Special guests: Certified Synergetic Play Therapists,  Andrea Davidson (Colorado), Johanna Simmons (Vancouver, British Columbia), and Rachel Freeburg (Oregon). * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/  

Original Air Date: September 14, 2021 Lisa Dion 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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Mailing List💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

Join Lisa and Carmen Jimenez-Pride in a conversation about a topic that has never been talked about so far in this entire podcast series -  Internal Family Systems (IFS) and how to incorporate it in the playroom. In this episode, Carmen, a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor and an Internal Family Systems therapist herself, shares how the Internal Family Systems framework  offers a really cool way to hold the client’s experience in the playroom, as well as our experience as therapists. Whether you are or aren’t familiar with IFS, you will definitely want to have a listen!  Here’s a few things you’ll hear discussed in this conversation:  What IFS looks like in the playroom and for our child clients; How to help your clients build a relationship with all parts of themselves (e.g., exiles, protectors, and firefighters); How to support the client in fully embracing all aspects of themselves and the experiences that made them who they are;  How to share the IFS work with parents/caregivers and how to help parents understand their own parts and protective systems;  How to recognize our parts as therapists and how they can show up in the playroom as well; and One of the biggest lies that play therapists may tell themselves and how this can be so challenging to our own emotional wellbeing. Plus, you’ll hear a funny story about Carmen … how she did not want to be a therapist - What?!  And how she did end up starting her clinical and play therapist journey. On behalf of the field, thanks Carmen for going this direction and all you've been doing for communities, families and kids!  You’re such an inspiration to so many! *Don’t know Carmen yet? …. She’s the founder and Executive Director of Outspoken Counseling and Consulting and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, Certified EMDR Therapist, Internal Family Systems Therapist, Registered Yoga Teacher, Registered Children Yoga Teacher, Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator, and LEGO® Serious Play® Facilitator. She’s an international speaker, award-winning best-selling author, and business consultant, as well as a visionary in the play therapy community. You may also recognize her for creating the Diversity in Play Therapy Summit, which has brought together so many brilliant minds working to effect change within the practice of play therapy by increasing cultural awareness and cultural competence for healers working with diverse populations. . . * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Mailing List💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

Original Air Date: February 14, 2017 Go back to the beginning in this very first Lessons from the Playroom podcast episode 💜✨ ....Because 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, Lisa Dion will 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. Additional Resources: Authenticity in the Playroom blog Online Introduction to Synergetic Play Therapy 6-month course * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Mailing List💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

In this episode, Lisa talks about a most tender subject- the “shoulds” and “should nots” that we all have as clinicians – you probably know what we’re talking about … they show up in the playroom, when working with parents and caregivers, and in our personal lives. It’s our own judgments of ourselves, and the sometimes constant brain noise that we have. Once again, Lisa has invited two very important people to join her – Helen Ritchie and Kristina Dixon, two Certified Synergetic Play Therapists. Join in this deeply personal conversation about exploring our shoulds and should nots (you know - “I should stay calm when a child is dysregulated,” “I should not emotionally flood,” “I shouldn’t feel lost or confused in the play,” or “I should be able to manage the collective nervous system of the world”).   Here's what you’ll hear in this episode: Why shoulds and unmet expectations register as a threat to the brain; The different “shoulds” that relate to the experience of being a clinician (…you’ll hear several, but what are your own that come up in your practice and life?); What to do when we experience a “should” or “should not” (in our therapy sessions, with parents/caregivers, etc.) and how to take care of ourselves in those moments; Explore the “shoulds”/”should nots” for newer therapists and how to overcome the “Am I ok?” challenges of starting out in the field; and Find out how the “shoulds”/”should nots” even show up for seasoned therapists (… Lisa even shares some of her own) Listen and come back to a more deeply rooted trust in yourself as a play therapist and the amazing work that you do each and every day. Big hugs and much love on the journey!  Additional Resources:  Breaking Out of the Shoulds Short Video (1:58) 4 Threats to the Brain: Shoulds & Unmet Expectations (4:44) Blog: When You "Should" Yourself, It's a Betrayal to Your Authentic Self

Original Air Date: October 16, 2017 Dustin Baker joins Lisa to talk about sexual identity and sexual orientation in the playroom - a topic not discussed often enough in the field of play therapy. Learn how embracing these topics benefits our clients. After all, children are colorful (and so are we). Here's what you'll hear in this episode: 1:45 Lisa introduces Dustin Copenhefer 2:49 The need for more play therapy resources on gender orientation and identity 3:15 Sexual identity versus sexual orientation 4:15 The importance of multi-cultural counseling 6:10 The importance of staying curious 7:45 How play appreciates the uniqueness of people 8:36 Different is normal 9:56 What does this look like in the playroom? Where can play therapists start? 10:50 How can you let children know that they're in a safe place? 11:40 "All of you is welcome" 12:30 The importance of dress-up items 13:30 What you make available in the playroom is a message to kids on where you're willing to go 15:40  "Knowing" and "investigating" on your part aren't important - allow the process to unfold on its own 17:00 Addressing these issues in adolescence 17:15 The gender abacus 20:15 How can you help create the resources that are needed? 20:30 Working with parents 21:30 How can you avoid assumptions and diversify your thoughts? 23:15 What happens when the parent or parents struggle? 24:10 Why is timing between you and your client so important? 26:00 Acknowledging where the parents are in the process 27:00 Serving as a model for the parent 28:05 Kids are colorful - embrace that color in them and in yourself * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Mailing List💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

Lisa has a really special guest joining her for this episode and they’re doing something different today … It’s time to talk about business! - One of the most important topics we don’t talk much about as therapists. And to help Lisa out with this conversation, she has Jen Taylor who’s going to be interviewing her on her business journey.  If you’ve ever wondered about Lisa and her entrepreneurial journey, what it took for her to build the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute or create this podcast, get ready for an insightful and inspiring conversation where you’ll get to know Lisa a little more and get some business insights along the way. Tune in and hear the answers to some very fun questions such as: What was Lisa like as a child and how did this influence her becoming a business owner and entrepreneur? How did Lisa hone her craft as a teacher (...and some tricks she uses to manage the anxiety she has before she teaches or gets on stage- yes she still gets anxious!)? How did Lisa give herself permission to go after her dreams? (and ways you can too!) How did Lisa learn to tackle and work with her fears? How did Lisa reconcile the challenge and conflicting feelings of wanting to be of service and make money at the same time? How did Lisa come to learn about the ins-and-outs of business as a therapist? (...because it’s not something we learn in graduate school) Why does she spend money on learning about business (the same way we do as therapists for training and certifications) and why did she take the same business course 4 times? What was the most valuable lesson Lisa learned as she reflected on some of the biggest unsuccessful business decisions she’s ever made on her entrepreneurial journey?  Plus, hear answers to some more personal questions like: What is one of her favorite business books;  Her biggest pet peeve on the business journey; The worst business advice she’s ever received; and The best advice she would give her younger self now. Listen to this episode and learn insight’s from Lisa’s journey on how to manage some of the learning curves, detours, and clunkiness of having a business, while continuing to stay focused on your dreams as the deepest expression of yourself. And if you want more, join Lisa for The Business of Therapy, a 2.5 day live (and virtual hybrid) course on Nov 11-13, 2022. Lisa is so excited to get therapists in a room to teach them, not only the nuts and bolts of the business of therapy, but the psychology of being an entrepreneur - come learn how to write the book, launch the podcast, start your private practice or take your existing business to the next level! And something we do well as therapists is be in community - rallying around each other, playing, and bringing the conversation of business to life. *Some of you might be very familiar with Jen Taylor. She's done amazing things in this world and to support play therapists worldwide. She’s a therapist, teacher and writer. She originally launched the Play Therapy Summit a few years ago and she's been a previous guest talking about cooperative games. Find her here. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Mailing List💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

Original Air Date: May 16, 2018 "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. Here's what you'll hear in this episode: 1:40 How do we help children who have lost their sense of safety or the sense of safety in the community? 2:25 How do we help parents allay their own fears? 3:24 The importance of not rescuing 3:50 What are some dangers of rescuing the child? 5:42 We can’t always keep kids safe no matter how much we wish we could 6:45 How can we help a child find safety internally? 7:49 The goal of healing is to empower and help the child regain their neuroception of safety 8:50 Why should we avoid making assumptions that people feel a certain way about tragic events? 10:30 Tragedy comes with a full range of emotions, both expected and unexpected 12:18 Encouraging parents to discuss the full range of emotions 12:42 Emotions are fleeting and can change day by day or many times a day 13:20 Parents and therapists must honor whatever feelings emerge 14:20 How do we discover what part of the tragedy is most traumatic for the child? 16:24 Helping a child integrate means avoiding blame 18:00 How do we allow children to access their deeper level of emotions? 18:39 Giving yourself permission to be open to different reactions 21:19 Why is having a plan so vital? 21:45 How can we help parents form this plan? 22:50 How do we maximize the sense of safety? Episode resource: Tragedy: Why No One-Emotion-Fits-All Blog   * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Mailing List💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

Another amazing guest is joining Lisa Dion for this Lessons from the Playroom episode - Dr. Bonnie Goldstein. As a faculty member at Pat Ogden’s Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, she’s taken Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and applied it to children* …. Fun story - Bonnie and Lisa had a random (but not random 😉) meeting in Melbourne, Australia in 2019 at the Australian Childhood Foundation's world-renowned trauma conference. They both found themselves at the same dinner one night, and by the end, the two were cuddled up, holding hands and laughing - it was an immediate “Hi! I like you”- connection ✨ Join Bonnie and Lisa as they talk about how to bring the body more into your therapy practice to empower your child clients. You’ll hear: How to utilize your own sense of self in your work with clients through embedded relational mindfulness techniques; How the body influences the mind and how mindfulness and mind-body awareness come together to shift a client's narrative; How to bring in collaborative curiosity into your therapeutic work with children;  Different techniques to help clients get into their bodies after experiencing trauma including the "choo-choo train" activity;  How to read the client's story through the aliveness of the body; and How to more accurately attune to your body to then be able to attune to your client's body as the most important "toy" in the room. Throughout, you’ll hear so many client stories that will really help give you a sense for how you can bring sensorimotor work into your therapeutic practice. And you’ll also get to meet Bonnie's co-therapist who helps her out in some of her client sessions. 💕 *The focus of Dr. Bonnie Goldstein’s work is to foster and heal relationships through  the lens of attachment theory, somatic and mindful awareness, and the dynamic interaction of group psychotherapy. Dr. Goldstein is the founder/director of the Lifespan Psychological Center and a faculty member at the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute. She’s authored and co-authored several publications over the years and, what’s really cool is that she has a manuscript right now at Norton Publishing where she and Pat Ogden wrote a book on Sensorimotor Psychotherapy with Children. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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 Lessons from the Playroom topic is near and dear to Lisa's heart as she is a Certified Gestalt Therapist and Gestalt is one of the root theories of Synergetic Play Therapy. And not only is the topic important to Lisa, but so is her guest.  She is one of the Gestalt Play Therapy experts on the planet.  Yes, we’re talking about Felicia Carrol.  Felicia Carrol is a LMFT, RPT-S, and founder/director of the West Coast Institute for Gestalt Therapy with Children and Adolescents - she is an international educator and the list of countries where she has done training would take the entire podcast to share. She's published several chapters and articles to support the play therapy field. Felicia was also a direct student and dear friend of Violet Oaklander who passed away in 2021.   Join Lisa and Felicia in a most grounding and heartfelt conversation where you’ll:  Hear the background story of Gestalt Play Therapy including Violet Oaklander's amazing contributions to the field of play therapy; Become familiar with the wisdom of Gestalt Play Therapy, it's paradigm, and the 4 Pillars that Violet Oaklander created to form its structure; Discover (or rediscover) some often overlooked and powerful concepts that you might not be including in your therapy practice such as "being for” your client, the "self-nurturing" technique, and the benefit of establishing a dialogic relationship with your client; Learn one of the biggest misconceptions for Gestalt Play Therapy, as well as in the field of play therapy that continues to prevail today (hint: it’s about directive vs. non-directive modalities); Hear some personal and professional stories about Violet Oaklander - Get to know this lovely human being that made such an impactful difference in the play therapy field! This podcast is dedicated to Violet Oaklander who took her final breath on September 21, 2021 at the age of 94. She was a child and adolescent therapist known for her method of integrating Gestalt Therapy theory and practice with play therapy. She wrote the groundbreaking book, "Windows to Our Children," which put the play therapy world on its side.  Listen to today's episode and come back to your roots as a play therapist. Thank you, thank you, thank you Felicia! * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

In this Lessons from the Playroom podcast, Lisa clarifies one of the biggest misconceptions out there right now for parents and therapists - that regulation means being CALM. ...You’ve likely heard the idea that a child needs a calm adult in order to regulate - that in order to regulate, the adult needs to be and stay calm - or that an adult's "calm" presence is the answer to regulating a child when they are dysregulated. But if you’ve ever tried to truly stay calm when a child is activated, screaming, throwing a tantrum, doing something scary, or even shutting down and withdrawing, you know that it's actually really hard to be or stay calm (... nearly impossible) because inside you’re likely feeling your own activation and states of dysregulation.   So what do we do instead? ....  Join Lisa is this discussion and learn: What regulation is and what it isn't (defining regulation in relation to the autonomic nervous system); How to access our ventral state in the midst of a child's dysregulation; What regulation (and co-regulation) really looks like in the moment (... hint: it's not to calm them down or try to look calm as the adult to calm them down); Why regulation is not better than dysregulation (calm is not better than mad or anxious for example) - it's all information and both are necessary for integration and learning how to regulate; How the impulse to get a child to "calm down" has very little to do with the child and everything to do with us and our inability in the moment to access our ventral state; The key to not setting ourselves up for shame and helplessness as parents/caregivers and therapists when our children or child clients are dysregulated, flooded, and overwhelmed;  A new definition of emotional intelligence and a new way to cultivate emotional intelligence for children by helping them connect to themselves and access their ventral in the midst of all that activation.  Let's put the word "calm" in the drawer for a little while ... Not forever because calm is an important state of the nervous system and just as important as all the other ones ... But just for a little while because we've become overly attached to the word...  … And consider replacing "calm" with the word "connect." - To connect to ourselves in our own moments of dysregulation and when we're with a child that is starting to get activated and dysregulated. And next time we read or hear something that says a child needs a calm adult when they're having a hard time or are dysregulated, pause for a second and understand that what a child really needs is an adult that can connect to ventral, to themselves, be honest about their internal experience, not need to runaway from it, but knows how to be in it without losing themselves - not for the adult to pretend they are calm when inside they're having a really challenging time.  * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

Lisa Dion met her next guest at her very first APT conference. She was doing a presentation on supervision. As Lisa sat in her course, she remembers thinking, “Who is this woman?! Wow!” She was so captivated by her and her teaching.  And today, Lisa is delighted to be joined by Paris Goodyear-Brown, the creator of the TraumaPlay™ model, the founder and Clinical Director of Nurture House, and the Executive Director of the TraumaPlay™ Institute. She is an internationally renowned speaker, a prolific author, and a master clinician. Join them as they talk about how holding hard stories can be complicated, challenging, and at times confusing especially when your own stuff as a therapist comes up … Because in a sense, we’re all dedicated (... probably not consciously) to a lifelong inner-process and journey of self reflection and discovery as a way of being in service to others …  Learn more about how knowing many play therapy modalities helps you to be able to say "yes, yes, and yes" to all the clients that walk in your doors;  How to hold both your client's stories and your own stories in connected, fun and compassionate ways; Learn more about TraumaPlay and this beautiful idea of the "cascade of care" and the "Play Therapist Pallett" technique as ways to mitigate hearing hard stories;  Ways to practice self-care as a therapist and "detox" the trauma energy after a session;  How to help parents/caregivers hold their own and their child's hard stories, especially when grief and gratitude doesn't go hand-in-hand. Listen to today's episode and discover not only how to show up for yourself and your clients in ways that are connected and compassionate, but a way of walking alongside your clients as they “tell” their hard stories. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

Join Lisa Dion for a most beautiful and eye-opening (and, unfortunately, so relevant to what’s happening in the world right now) conversation with someone very dear to her about understanding the experience of immigrants and refugees.  Liliana Baylon is a bilingual (English-Spanish), bicultural therapist and Synergetic Play Therapist/Supervisor. And today she talks with Lisa about understanding the experience of immigrant and refugee families, and some really important things to be aware of that will widen your cultural lens and shape how you work with your clients.  Liliana will share insights from her own journey, as well as how this has led to her interest and niche in treating couples and children who have experienced trauma/abuse and multicultural issues from an attachment lens. Here’s what you’ll hear in Lisa’s conversation with Liliana… Understand the experience and challenges of immigrants and refugees; How to support immigrant and refugee clients with a process of grieving - becoming aware of their journey, perceived challenges, and giving language to organize what they are going through (e.g., their emotions, needs and hopes); Understand the nervous system experience of immigrants/refugees and what it means for their identity and their internal/external sense of safety; Learn the perceptions of immigrants and refugees from the SPT concept of the 4 threats to the brain - physical safety, perceptions of the unknown, incongruence in the environment, and shoulds/unmet expectations; How to hold the family when there has been intergenerational disruptions and support them in repairing the ruptures and coming back together;  Understand the crisis that an immigrant or refugee is faced with regarding their "global perspective" - their view of self, view of others, and view of the world; and  How to hold space for clients with the intention of helping them answer the questions: “Who am I?”, “What do I want?”, “What is important to me?”, “What are my values?”,  and “How can I be myself in my many worlds/cultures?”  As you listen, you’re invited to pause and notice what comes up for you ... Noticing moments where you might feel a need to advocate, fix, or rescue ... And if you do, consider, as Liliana shares, what possibly might we be taking away from our clients including how this may impact their journey to empowerment - wow, just so powerful! Listen to today's episode and expand your cultural lens when working with immigrant and refugee clients/families - Take what Liliana shares and become a bit more sensitive, aware, and curious, as well as feel more resourced with your clients when normalizing and speaking to what the experience might have been for them.  *Liliana Baylon holds a Master's Degree of Science in Counseling/Marriage, Family, and Child Therapy in addition to being an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, Register Play Therapist - Supervisor, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, ICEEFT Certified EFT Therapist, EMDR Certified, Certified Synergetic Play Therapist - Consultant, Completed Level 2 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy, AF-CBT trained, and an Independent Facilitator of the Becoming a Love and Logic Parent Way. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

Drumroll please ….. Lisa Dion and her next guest have a super exciting announcement to make (hint: if you’re a teacher, educator, school counselor or work in any way with schools, you’re going to love this 😍) Join Lisa and Judy Norman, Certified SPT therapist/supervisor and SPT co-teacher as they share the launch of the Synergetic Education™ Institute (https://synergeticeducation.com/). 🎉🙌  ...It's been years in the making as they've both seen the profound impact of bringing Synergetic Play Therapy® tenets into schools to support educators, school-based mental health professionals, and educational leaders. In fact, it's been such a success, Heather Forbes, Founder of Beyond Consequences Institute, "Help for Billy" Author, Speaker, and Developmental Trauma Expert (...many of you may know of her) referred to one of their schools as the most advanced trauma-informed schools she's ever visited! (...wow, thank you Heather 🙏💕). Not only will you learn more about this new Institute and it’s trainings - a real paradigm shift, but you’ll also hear: *Ways to collaborate with schools if you’re a play therapist; How to shift your mindset to help empower educators; The 5 developmental stages of where an educator is at in the process of meeting children where they are at; A reframe on what trauma-informed really means at an education level; How to redefine self-care and help teachers develop a deeper relationship within themselves (SPT-style); New resources that you can bring into your practice today. Listen to today's episode and discover why Heather Forbes believes that what Judy and the Synergetic Education™ Institute is doing in the schools is creating “the most [that she has ever visited. - And she has visited a lot!] advanced trauma-informed school(s)” where every student knows “they matter and are important.” * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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 Lessons from the Playroom guest gave Lisa the most amazing surprise when she jumped on - it filled Lisa with so much joy, delight and an urge to connect … And this is totally what they’re talking about today - how to captivate, engage, be with (along with what to do), and create a playful connection with your child clients during the initial play therapy session.  Lisa is joined by the one and only Liana Lowenstein. Liana is a Registered Clinical Social Worker, Certified Play Therapist - Supervisor, and Certified TF-CBT therapist who has been working with children and their families in Toronto, Canada for 32 years. She has 12 books (and is about to release her 13th!!) used by mental health professionals all over the world.  Join Lisa and Liana in a conversation about:   How to engage children (and their parents/caregivers) in the initial session (Liana will give tons of ideas, games and activities); Knowing when a child is engaging and what to do if they’re feeling anxious or struggling to connect; How to bring your play techniques, ideas and activities to life in an attuned way for your clients; and The significance of “being with” your client in order to facilitate “the doing” aspects of a play therapy session Listen to today's episode and discover some really, really cool play therapy activities, techniques, strategies and ideas to use with your clients. **And check out Liana’s newest book, Assessment & Treatment Activities for Children, Adolescents & Families (vol. 4) that was just released today - there’s one creative and playful idea after another from so many therapists from around the world - it will fill your mind with so many different possibilities and strategies. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

In this Lessons from the Playroom episode, Lisa discusses the #1 thing that will get you off track as a therapist ... and it's trying to be someone you’re not!   Despite messages that might suggest differently, authenticity and "being yourself" is not easy and has so many implications for therapists. Join Lisa in a conversation to explore:  How you know when you're trying to be someone you're not; Why it's so important to be yourself in the playroom; How to show up most like yourself and embody what feels true for you as a therapist; and How to access a deeper level of attunement that is needed to support your clients. Tune in and join Lisa on the journey to learn more about this most essential ingredient to your client’s healing journey - and this time it’s about discovering who you are as a therapist.  *If you'd like to learn how to develop a more embodied practice to support your clients on their healing journey, check out this episode on Interoception & Play Therapy (episode # 91). * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

OMG! - the synergy between Lisa and her next guest is … well, let’s just say, it’s like getting an opportunity to eavesdrop on a beautiful conversation between two brilliant minds! Kim Barthel is an award winning Occupational Therapist, teacher, and best-selling author who has successfully merged play, Polyvagal Theory and Sensory Processing. Tune in and discover: *Ways to more deeply understand the body, nervous system activation, and what it looks like in your client; *How to truly understand a child client’s behavior at a deeper level (hint: it has to do with perception and body movement); *How to visibly identify confirmation that something has integrated in the child (e.g., their moments of empowerment or deep connection to themselves); *The biggest misunderstanding about the autonomic nervous system; and *What regulation truly means, how it’s connected to the body, and ideas for how to regulate more through your own body. Listen to today's episode and “geek out” with Lisa and Kim on a topic that they both love dearly - Learn how to safely help a child be in their “vessel” and to access a more flexible, adaptable, socially connected, engaged, and playful response through the body. *Kim Barthel's mission is to support the conscious evolution of the human spirit. Kim is an award-winning occupational therapist, multi-disciplinary teacher and best-selling author who is active in supporting people in many contexts globally. She is passionate about understanding complex behavior, neurobiology, trauma-sensitive practice, attachment and mental health. Kim has 37+ years of practice in helping people to be their best selves. Join her for her online series - Trauma-Sensitive Practice. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

Lisa Dion’s next special guest is a Certified SPT therapist, coach, mom and Yoga instructor. She’s known her for years - all the way back to when Lauren worked in Cape Town, South Africa.  Listen as Lauren Porter and Lisa talk about how to make Yoga a practice that can support you as a therapist and redefine and unpack yoga in a way that maybe you haven’t considered…  ...And how getting to know yourself more and experiencing a widening of your window of tolerance for your emotional states can help your practice as a therapist tenfold.  Whether you’re experienced in yoga or not, deepen your understanding of the possibility of how yoga can support you in being with your clients in more embodied ways.  You’ll discover: What yoga is really about (hint: it’s not to help you feel better) How yoga gives understanding to both the conceptual world and the embodied YOU How to overcome the mental, emotional and physical blocks that prevent you (and all of us) from having a lived experience  How to use yoga as a practice for knowing yourself more and why it’s so important to consider if you’re a therapist How yoga can “hold you” in times of flooding or overwhelm The connection between yoga and [one of Lisa’s favorite concepts) Interoception All the ways that a yoga practice can look (...the answer might surprise you) And before she goes, Lauren guides you through an exercise to unlock the diaphragm (...it’s perfect for when someone says, “take a deep breath” and you can’t - because this absolutely happens sometimes … or more times than we want to count).  Listen to today's episode and expand your capacity for accessing the ventral vagal response so that you’re able to stay connected to yourself with whatever is happening in you and around you (...playroom included).    * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, 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/

Happy New Year! To kick off January 2022's first podcast, Lisa Dion is jumping into another most requested topic - Translating the Play to Parents/Caregivers. In this episode you’ll find out why this can be such a challenge for play therapists, but oh-so important! Learn 4 tips for how to translate the child’s play to parents/ caregivers including how to: Set the stage early on in the process for parents about what they can expect and to honor/protect the confidentiality of what’s going on in the room with the child client. Develop or enhance parent buy-in within the therapeutic process.  Translate what the child is doing in the room to the parents (being able to shift from a right-brain experience to a left-brain process) Maintain congruence and authenticity when explaining to parents what’s happening in the child’s process  Note: If it’s helpful, you might want to return to podcast episode #13 to discover how to set great goals in the playroom. We know it’s tough work being a play therapist - a gentle reminder to give yourself grace and time in the process, as well as know that you’re doing an amazing job already and it’s good enough - You are the most important toy in the playroom. 💜 . * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, 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/

We’re ending the year with our most requested topic - Working With Childhood Sexual Abuse  In this episode, Lisa Dion is joined by Sueann Kenney-Noziska whose work with sexually abused children and adolescents is absolutely remarkable. In addition to maintaining a full-time private practice, she is internationally recognized as an esteemed author, guest lecturer, and professional speaker (... a phenomenal speaker!). Sueann has been educating therapists, courts, and community partners for years regarding the impact of trauma, dynamics of sexual abuse, delayed disclosure, and other matters pertaining to childhood abuse and trauma.  This episode is packed with so much information, you might want a paper and pen to take notes. And join them in a conversation to explore:  Challenges (and rewards) of working with this population Common dynamics that occur during sexual abuse The disclosure process and why it’s so hard for children/teenagers to disclose Ways to support parents in building relationships with their children for future open dialogue/disclosure How the trauma narrative can look differently for these children and in a play therapy process Ways to navigate this work while taking care of yourself to prevent vicarious trauma/compassion fatigue Listen to today's episode and let Sueann’s wisdom give you insight and clarity on working with this very special population through the play therapy process. * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

Have you ever thought about where and how you most connect with your sense of self and innate wisdom?... This next Lessons from the Playroom guest has made it her life’s focus to help her clients do just this (...48 years as a psychotherapist!) Marie José Dhaese is the founder of Holistic Expressive Therapy and creator of an absolutely amazing and beautiful therapeutic “play home” (See it for yourself. It’s so magical!).  In this episode, Marie José talks about how all of us hold within ourselves an innate kernel of wisdom that drives us to grow into our potential …  This view has shaped how she then attends to the nurturing sensory qualities of all environments (indoors and outdoors) and tailors each session to her client’s needs using a variety of expressive therapies. Learn this unique and special way that Marie José approaches a client’s healing process and discover how to: Address the physical, emotional, cognitive and spiritual needs of the client; Go beyond a specific protocol or intervention and understand the difference between “therapy” and healing; Facilitate healing not only from the “inside/out” but from the “outside/in;” and Help clients connect to their inner strengths and resources (before engaging in a deeper exploration of the issues that bring them to therapy.) * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

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: Why it’s so hard to let go and surrender to what is happening in your life How to not lose yourself when you’re letting go or surrendering How to become aware and work through the shoulds/unmet expectations and being in the unknown of what it is to create safety How to work with the resistance and mindfully move into a place of surrendering and letting go How to fully integrate the experience of letting go/surrendering (including a powerful technique to do so) * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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: What is EMDR Therapy and how it can be applied to your child clients; How to support your child clients in developing a relationship with their inner world; How attunement is key in the healing process; and  The importance of doing your own “work” as a therapist so that you can accompany your clients on their journeys through their traumas from a more embodied perspective.  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.   *💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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: tries to take care of the therapist; does not turn on their screen during a teletherapy session (and what is really necessary for attunement to occur - the answer might surprise you);  struggles with transitions, including not wanting to leave a parent’s side or not wanting to leave the playroom when it’s time to go. *Special guests: Certified Synergetic Play Therapists,  Andrea Davidson (Colorado), Johanna Simmons (Vancouver, British Columbia), and Rachel Freeburg (Oregon). *💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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 … The use of Sandtray therapy in healing attachment and trauma; How attachment styles present for clients (and yourself) in the sandtray; How to go deeply within yourself through the “sandtray mirror;” Ways to navigate your own inner landscape and cultivate a “reflective practice;” And how to further develop yourself as a play therapist through the modalities that you practice. 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).  *💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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: How to support parents/caregivers when they themselves do not already have a template for regulation, or they don’t know how to do it well, or perhaps their own internal disorganization is activating their child’s disorganization and dysregulation.  How to help the parent/caregiver come to see that all behaviors are designed to support regulation (their child’s and their own). Four things you can do to help support and set the parent/caregiver up for success in becoming the external regulator for their child.  What to do if the parent/caregiver is not quite ready to develop the skills of being the external regulator.    *💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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: What it means to become culturally competent as a therapist Steps to building an anti-racist and culturally-informed practice Ways to respond when children are exploring racism and cultural issues in the playroom How to dive deep within yourself to move from not just reflection, but ACTION! 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.  *💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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. *💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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/ *💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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 … Be proactive and prepared so you don't find yourself stuck in these often challenging and painful situations such as getting quality training, reading articles and books, and having consultation experts and seasoned supervisors on speed dial. Keep attuned to the ever-changing status of your own "band-width" when working with high conflict casts. Learn how to put your own self-care first.  Practice grounding and shifting into neutral gear. Don't let parents at war hook you into the chaotic energy of their high conflict (whether they throw that hook at you intentionally or unintentionally). Maintain the child's therapy as their “oasis” when parents are at war and be the “oasis keeper” for the child.  Know your role and stay in your role, and practice this over and over again during the client case.  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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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.   *💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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: What’s the point of death & dying play for children in the playroom? How do we stay present with ourselves in the midst of activation and dysregulation when a child offers an experience of death and dying? How do we deepen into the vulnerability and stay connected to ourselves in what may feel like an uncomfortable experience to promote integration? *💜Join Our Newsletter💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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."   *💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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. *💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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’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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy  *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://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy *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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜Join our Newsletter💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/   

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. C * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/   

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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/   

"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? * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/   

"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." * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/   

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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). * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜  https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/   

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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/   

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/ 

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/   

"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. * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us. * 💜 Join our Newsletter 💜 https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy * 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/