Lessons from the Playroom

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 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 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. 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 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, 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. 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 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! 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 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 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 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. 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 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. 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.