Lessons From The Playroom

In this episode, we’re turning the tables back toward Lisa’s direction to discuss what it takes to make hard decisions (both personal and professional), the courage it takes to make the hard decisions, and the reasons we don’t make hard decisions. And joining Lisa for this discussion is the perfect person to have the conversation - Robert Abel, Jr., Operations Director for the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute.  Join us for a deep dive into the world of decision-making, touching on: Understanding the neurobiology and relational aspects that make decision-making challenging.  Cultivating the courage to authentically express ourselves and face difficult choices head-on. Unveiling some of the tough decisions therapists encounter in their clinical practice. Exploring what happens when we don’t make the hard decisions (... hint: it has something to do with the mind and body). Navigating the decision-making process as therapists concerning the well-being of children, such as mandatory reporting. Supporting a child

Original Air Date: January 16, 2023 Lisa is joined by an incredibly important person in her life - Duey Freeman, a former professor at Naropa University (Lisa’s alma mater) and founder of the Gestalt Institute of the Rockies and the Gestalt Equine Institute. Duey, a true “elder” (as he is described by many) and mentor in the field of attachment and human development, was Lisa’s former graduate school professor and has been one the most instrumental professors in her career. (see below for Duey's full bio*) Get ready to learn about a new way to conceptualize the attachment process and human development- a theory that just may be a foundational piece of missing information in your work as a therapist, as well as how Duey uses equine therapy to re-heal attachment disruptions. This podcast isn’t just for those that work for horses - this information is a must hear for everyone!  Here's what you'll hear in this episode …  An attachment and human development theory that is usable clinically when working with peopl

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

In this episode, Lisa is joined by Tammy Schamuhn, the Co-Founder and Director of the Institute of Child Psychology and host of the Child Psych podcast. Together, they delve into the essential topic of identifying the roadblocks that sometimes get in a parent/caregiver’s way of fully supporting their child’s therapy and healing process.    Tammy, an unwavering advocate for parents, shares insights from her experience, discussing the challenges parents face and the importance of involving them in the therapeutic journey. With a co-authored parenting handbook set to release in the upcoming year, Tammy speaks to the complexities of parenting and the need to engage and support parents/caregivers in the child’s therapy process.  Discover more about: The reasons therapists may hesitate to directly engage with parents/caregivers when the child is the focal point of treatment. The struggles parents/caregivers face, especially in dealing with shame. Strategies to align with parents/caregivers, fostering holistic supp

Original Air Date: April 12, 2022 Lisa Dion met her next guest at her very first APT conference. She was doing a presentation on supervision. As Lisa sat in her course, she remembers thinking, “Who is this woman?! Wow!” She was so captivated by her and her teaching.  And today, Lisa is delighted to be joined by Paris Goodyear-Brown, the creator of the TraumaPlay™ model, the founder and Clinical Director of Nurture House, and the Executive Director of the TraumaPlay™ Institute. She is an internationally renowned speaker, a prolific author, and a master clinician. Join them as they talk about how holding hard stories can be complicated, challenging, and at times confusing especially when your own stuff as a therapist comes up … Because in a sense, we’re all dedicated (... probably not consciously) to a lifelong inner-process and journey of self reflection and discovery as a way of being in service to others …  Learn more about how knowing many play therapy modalities helps you to be able to say "yes, yes, and

We have a really fun topic today! Lisa is joined by the fantabulous Maria Laquerre Diego to unravel the intriguing world of villains in play therapy! (...Learn more about Maria and some of the amazing trainings she offers to play therapists below.) In this episode, Maria shares her experiences incorporating villain characters into therapy, providing clients with a unique opportunity to explore their identities and feel seen. Get ready to talk about all things villainous! Join Maria and Lisa and discover: The significance of viewing villains as complex characters with their own motivations and narratives, offering a fresh perspective on clients' struggles and the realization that villains are not diagnosable. Insight into the indispensable role of villains in our lives, exploring why heroes cannot exist without their counterparts. An exploration of the perspective-dependent nature of labeling heroes and villains, challenging binary thinking. The connection between a child's perception of themselves or their w

Original Air Date: November 8, 2022 In this episode the tables are turned and the lovely Jackie Flynn, host of the Play Therapy Community Podcast/Facebook group and the Neuroscience of Play Therapy Summits, interviews Lisa about how play therapy and being a play therapist has become a spiritual practice for her over the years.  Join Lisa and Jackie as they talk about: What spiritual practice means and how doing our own “work” as a therapist can become a spiritual practice; How the playroom is a giant "meditation cushion" for therapists to grow within themselves as human beings;  How to hold a larger perspective as a therapist and engage in a deeply self-reflective practice as a way of supporting the client in their own reflective awareness and healing journey;  How the moment itself has everything we need in order to navigate whatever is arising in the client’s therapeutic work - Nothing is missing. The Synergetic Play Therapy concept of “One Foot In/One Foot Out” and how this is a contemplative practice in

Join Lisa Dion and Tracy Turner-Bumberry in this episode to explore the fascinating world of mandalas and their application in our work with children (... a super cool and likely unexplored tool in your clinical practice). In today's conversation, Tracy will unravel the mystery behind mandalas and share her insights into their powerful use in therapy.  Tracy is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist/Supervisor. She brings a wealth of expertise to our discussion as a Certified AutPlay Trainer and Therapist, a Certified Animal Assisted Play Therapist, and a Certified DBT Therapist. Tracy is also a national speaker on a variety of play therapy topics and a published author with her notable book, "2,4,6,8 This is How We Regulate." Join Lisa and Tracy for a deep dive into the transformative magic of mandalas and learn about: What a Mandala is, its multicultural roots, and the therapeutic power they hold for children and their families; How Tracy uses terms such as “circle art” and “circle

Original Air Date: April 15, 2018 Lisa Dion is joined by Jessica Schaffer, Registered Play Therapist, Certified Synergetic Play Therapist and Certified Sleep Consultant to help us understand sleep issues for children. From the refusal to go to sleep to an inability to stay asleep, a child’s tossing and turning speak volumes. But why do some children want to ban the bed? And how does this look inside the playroom? A play therapist who also happens to be a sleep specialist helps us uncover the answers. "Sleep is the largest separation we go through everyday." - Jessica Schaffer, RPT, Infant Sleep Specialist Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagu

Original Air Date: March 15, 2021 Sometimes we can get stuck in either/or thinking when it comes to whether we use non-directive or directive play therapy modalities.  But what if we could understand the significance and potential for both? What if we could go beyond to see that one is not better than the other? And what if we could honor that there are many paths to healing and that all theories serve a purpose?  Join Lisa as she discusses how it's possible to combine different theories and approaches, why we might do this, and how to make a decision not based on external pressures, but instead based on the client goals, what the therapist needs, the timeframe, and the context in which the therapist may need to do play therapy.  Because ultimately, both paths will get us to the end result. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrat

We’re so excited for this next topic. It’s a topic that’s never been addressed on this podcast series and a topic that is rarely explored in the  field of play therapy. So settle in, grab something to take notes because Lisa is joined by Ludmila (Mila) Golovine to talk about using interpreters in play therapy.  Mila is the CEO and President of MasterWord Services, Inc. As a professional interpreter, Mila is familiar with the toll interpreting for survivors may have on the interpreters themselves. For the past 15 years, she has applied her training in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) therapy, Synergetic Play Therapy and Trauma Informed Care, as well as skills as a Master Certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner and a Certified Demartini Method Facilitator to tirelessly help promote health and wellness for language professionals and raise awareness about the experiences of human trafficking survivors and their language access needs. See below to know a bit more about Mila and her organizati

Original Air Date: September 13, 2022 If you’ve ever studied with Lisa Dion, you know she loves talking about the nervous system. And in this episode, she’s going to talk about the collective nervous systems within families and how to help support the regulation of the family system. If you’re just as excited about this topic as Lisa, you’ll definitely want to take notes for this one …  Here’s what you’ll hear … How nervous system expressions occur within the context of families; How all behavior (even what we term as dysfunctional) is actually functional and has a purpose; How the family system is always in balance and how it is always attempting to equilibrate itself; How to become the external regulator to help regulate the family nervous system; and How to use this information clinically to inform your therapeutic work. Plus, learn a powerful tip that will help you shift the collective nervous system of the family unit in a most transformative way. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute

Original Air Date: October 25, 2022 The one-and-only Bonnie Badenoch* joins Lisa for this beautiful conversation about non-judgmental presence and how this is so critical in our role as therapists.  In this episode, you’ll hear: How, as a profession, we've become concretized into the left hemisphere (e.g., in a movement toward protocols, interventions, and evidence-based therapies) and how this has pulled us more into the role of experts trying to "fix" people; What holding a “non-judgement” presence means;  What the “inner community” is, how to be aware and work with our inner community in order to be present with our clients;   How to return to a non-judgmental presence in moments when we experience judgment (and how to even recognize when we’re in a place of judgment); The 2 pillars of non-judgmental presence and the importance of this in our work; and How to engage in our own reflective processes and having supportive others who can truly hold a nonjudgmental space for you.   Listen to this beautiful co

Join Lisa Dion for a discussion on a topic that has been requested more than once since the beginning of this podcast, and it’s something we all experience (Yes … therapists, parents, children … all human beings on this planet!) …. We’re diving into the intriguing topic of negative self-talk and why we actually can’t get rid of it (... no matter how many positive self-affirmations we say to ourselves).   Through a compelling exploration of the multifaceted dimensions of negative self-talk, discover the brilliant purpose of negative self-talk. Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode:  How negative self-talk emerges (hint: It involves thoughts like "I should," "I shouldn't," "I need to," "I have to," and "I'm not good enough"). The limitations of the positive thinking movement and why we actually can’t get rid of negative self-talk. The function of negative self-talk (...it’s likely not what you think). The neuroscience behind negative self-talk and how it’s a homeostatic mechanism in the mind that is actually

Original Air Date: March 1, 2021 Countertransference is not something we can avoid, get out of, check at the door, or even separate from ourselves ... In this episode, Lisa discusses how transference and countertransference is really the therapeutic landscape from which to support our clients in a process of deep integration and healing. Using a lens of Synergetic Play Therapy®, Lisa offers an understanding of how countertransference is not something to be afraid of, but something that offers incredible wisdom and a window into the inner experiences of our clients. It gives us an opportunity to become curious about our beliefs, both that keep us from being fully present and authentic, and that support us in being more deeply present, more deeply resonant, and ultimately, more deeply attuned. As beautifully stated by Sebern F. Fisher in her book, Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Developmental Trauma: Calming the Fear-Driven Brain, "Countertransference and transference are always co-arising & co-construc

In this engaging episode, Lisa Dion brings together three guests that are near-and-dear to her heart: Michelle Wayman, Mili Shoemaker, and Lisa Walton. All three are either Certified Synergetic Play Therapists or Certified Synergetic Play Providers and are joining her from diverse corners of the world - Argentina, Australia and the United States. Together, they embark on a profound exploration of the intricate connections between the therapist and their clients, with a particular emphasis on the intriguing question of why therapists seem to attract the clients they do. Have you ever found yourself wondering why certain clients gravitate towards you? Have you ever noticed patterns where clients with similar struggles appear in waves on your caseload? Or, that you have clients struggling with the same type of challenges? If so, perhaps this isn’t just a coincidence! In this episode, Lisa and these amazing therapists explore the multifaceted reasons behind the client-therapist connection. They discuss how therap

Original Air Date: April 13, 2021 How do we know when we are grumpy, tired, overheated, or overwhelmed? ... Lisa talks about this 8th sense called Interoception or the "How do we know" sense, which is absolutely critical to enhancing a child's regulatory capacity ... Why? Because what we see in the playroom is actually not behavioral issues, but really the child's inability to stay connected and regulate through the activation of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). But what does this have to do with Interoception? ... Regulation and attunement starts with our interoceptive capacity. We can teach children tons of regulation strategies, but if they cannot register the clues that let them know they need to regulate in the first place, what we've done is just handed them tools that they have no clue how or when to use.  And as therapists we need to have this capacity enhanced in us!  Lisa shares ideas for starting to develop the interoceptive capacity in ourselves as therapists and our child clients, in this real

In this episode, Lisa Dion is joined by the fantabulous and oh-so-knowledgeable Heather Fairlee Denbrough, a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist/Supervisor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Registered Play Therapist Supervisor. Together, they tackle one of the most requested and also one of the most scariest topics for therapists … providing support to children dealing with suicidal ideation and attempts.  This episode is a valuable resource for any caregiver or professional working with children. Join Lisa and Heather as they shed light on this important and often misunderstood topic, providing insights, strategies, and hope for supporting children who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts. Don't miss out on this crucial conversation! Key Takeaways: Recognizing subtle signs of suicidal ideation in children Creating a safe space for children to express their feelings Holding space for children through play to explore and shift their stories and perceptions Developing structured safety plans with children

Original Air Date: July 5, 2022 We're resharing this fabulous conversation between Lisa and Carmen Jimenez-Pride to talk about Internal Family Systems (IFS) and how to incorporate it in the playroom! In this episode, Carmen, a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor and an Internal Family Systems therapist herself, shares how the Internal Family Systems framework  offers a really cool way to hold the client’s experience in the playroom, as well as our experience as therapists. Whether you are or aren’t familiar with IFS, you will definitely want to have a listen!  Here’s a few things you’ll hear discussed in this conversation:  What IFS looks like in the playroom and for our child clients; How to help your clients build a relationship with all parts of themselves (e.g., exiles, protectors, and firefighters); How to support the client in fully embracing all aspects of themselves and the experiences that made them who they are;  How to share the IFS work with parents/caregivers and how to help parents understand

In this episode, Lisa and Robyn Gobbel talk about a topic never discussed before on this podcast and super important for us as clinicians working with kids ... They're talking about the brain (...Robyn loves to talk about the brain), and more specifically how to teach kids about the brain.  But first, we're so excited to announce Robyn's new book coming out this month, Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies that Really Work!! Weaving together relational neuroscience with practical ideas and application, Robyn has created the ultimate guide for parents who would love to understand and ultimately transform their children's challenging behaviors into safety and connection (... guaranteed, after listening to this episode, you're going to want to go get your copy today!). Robyn also gets the reward for favorite bio that Lisa has ever read ... see below for Robyn's bio (... it really gives you a sense of her awesomeness) and a link to her website to learn about her new book and so m