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.