182. Climbing the Mountain: A Holistic Approach to Family Play Therapy with “Dr. Sassy” (Stacy Jagger)

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Dec 17, 2024

Stacy Jagger, affectionately known as "Dr. Sassy," is the founder and clinical director of Music City Family Therapy and creator of the Mountain Method. In a lively discussion, she emphasizes the importance of viewing the entire family as the client in therapy. Dr. Stacy breaks down her holistic approach, including engaging reluctant family members and nurturing creativity in sessions. The conversation highlights how reconnecting parents with their inner child can vastly improve family dynamics, fostering deeper connections and joyful healing.

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ADVICE

Family-Centered Approach

Work with the entire family system, not just the child.
Prioritize family change for lasting child transformation.

ADVICE

Gradual Family Integration

Start with individual assessments of family members before involving the whole family.
This nuanced approach avoids overwhelming dysregulated nervous systems.

ADVICE

Managing Resistance

Be upfront with families about your approach, even if it's challenging.
Work with the most motivated family members first to encourage wider engagement.

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"Working with families isn’t about fixing individuals; it’s about finding the rhythm where everyone can grow together." – Dr. Stacy Jagger

In this episode, Lisa welcomes back the inspiring Dr. Stacy Jagger, affectionately known as “Dr. Sassy,” to dive into a topic that has shockingly never been fully explored in the series: working with the entire family system in play therapy. With her groundbreaking Mountain Method and a reputation for blending bold truth-telling with heartfelt humor, Dr. Stacy shares her unique approach to supporting families as a unit, rather than focusing solely on the child as the client.

Together, Lisa and Dr. Stacy discuss:

Reframing the family as the client: Why working with the entire system transforms outcomes.
A step-by-step roadmap: The Mountain Method’s stages and how to engage every family member in the healing journey.
The role of creativity and intuition: How therapists can embrace their inner artist to navigate family dynamics.
Addressing resistance: Strategies for working with families who are hesitant to engage in the process.
Healing through play: The profound impact of helping parents reconnect with their own inner child to better connect with their children.

With her refreshing honesty and deep compassion, Dr. Stacy inspires therapists to think beyond traditional methods and reimagine what’s possible when the whole family becomes part of the healing process.

Join Lisa and Dr. Stacy for a conversation that’s as insightful as it is empowering, and discover practical tools and encouragement to bring more creativity, authenticity, and connection to your work with families.

Tune in to uncover how you, too, can support families in climbing their own mountains of transformation. 🌟

Podcast Resources:

Dr. Stacy Jagger’s work: www.drsassy.com
The Mountain Method: www.themountainmethod.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/

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