"Often the question is, 'Why would we include digital tools in play therapy?" ... But the more important question is, 'Why wouldn't we?!'" -Dr. Jessica Stone * Join Lisa Dion and special guest, Dr. Jessica Stone, PhD in a lively conversation about demystifying the world of digital play therapy. They explore what digital play therapy is all about, how to speak the digital language of your clients, why we would even include digital tools in our work as play therapists (or more importantly, why wouldn't we?!), and how to take the fundamental tenets of play therapy and apply to the digital world. Dr. Jessica Stone, PhD is a psychologist, international speaker, sought after clinical supervisor, and renowned play therapist.  She is the co-creator of The Virtual Sandtray, a best-selling author, and developer of Digital Play Therapy. Dr. Stone has been featured for her work throughout the virtual world as an innovator, ambassador of play, and stalwart advocate for the use of digital technology in the field of psychology. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.

We’ve all experienced the “test” in the playroom. Is it personal? Is it not personal? How do we make sense of it? Lisa discusses this natural occurrence that happens in relationships, the importance of authenticity and congruence (and what that even means), and ultimately how to “show up” when the therapist is “tested.” Tune in as we discuss what the “test” is really all about and the two very important questions that children are asking – “Can I be me?” and “Will you be you?” 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.  

"When children are disengaged from learning, there is a disconnect between what they are being asked to learn and their interest level, style/way of learning." - Lisa Dion As we all know, not all children are thriving with online learning. Many children are really struggling as their routines, ability to engage with their peers and so much more has been disrupted.  Symptoms such as resistance to schoolwork, boredom, depression, lack of engagement and anger are leaving parents and clinicians scratching their heads trying to help these children who really do want to learn! Tune is as we discuss what this lack of engagement is really all about and how important it is to address learning styles, a child's interests, and of course, regulation.   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.  

"Sensory work requires a co-facilitator and co-regulator, and can be very workable and adaptable even via tele-therapy." -Robert Jason Grant Join Lisa and special guest Robert Jason Grant as they demystify the world of teletherapy when working with clients that have sensory and neurodevelopmental challenges. Discover why working with this population doesn't require as much adjustment from in-person to on-line as you might think, as well as how to do a pre-assessment that can be imperative to your success in the process, learn creative strategies and interventions to engage and treat, and why bringing parents into the process is so important. Dr. Robert Jason Grant, LPC, NCC, Registered Play Therapy Supervisor, and Advanced Certified Autism Specialist specializes in working with children, adolescents, and families affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders. He is the creator of AutPlay® Therapy, an ASD and neurodevelopmental disorders approach incorporating play therapy, behavioral therapy, and relationship development approaches. Dr. Grant is an international speaker and keynote presenter having presented for the American Counseling Association, Association for Play Therapy, American Mental Health Counselors Association, and The World Autism Congress. He is a multi-published author of several articles, book chapters, and books. He is currently serving on the board of directors for the Association for Play Therapy. Podcast Resources:  Synergetic Play Therapy Institute Synergetic Play Therapy Learning Website FREE Resources to support you on your play therapy journey  Aggression in Play Therapy: A Neurobiological Approach to Integrating Intensity * If you enjoy this podcast, please give us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcast, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and invite your friends/fellow colleagues to join us.  

To her thousands of listeners around the world, Lisa expresses in gratitude, "Thank you for providing me with a sense of home." ~ It's time to turn the tables! For 80 episodes, Lisa has shared play therapy knowledge and insights, interviewed special guests and helped create discussion and new learning for clinicians all over the world. But who is this person behind the microphone? In this episode, Lisa is the one in the hot seat as she is interviewed by Katherine Eastlake, Certified Synergetic Play Therapist. Katherine takes Lisa all the way back to her very first play therapy session, the play therapy influences in her life, why she created the Lessons from the Playroom podcast, how the podcast helps her connect to a global feeling of home, and so much more. 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.  

"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. 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.  

"The more we try to avoid conflict, the more it shows up in our life." - Lisa Dion Why is conflict so hard to deal with when it arises and something we want to avoid? Listen as Lisa shares what to do when conflict shows up, why it's actually a necessary part of growth, and how to cultivate a relationship within ourselves when it comes up in relationships both in and out of the playroom.  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.

"When a child comes into play therapy, we are not working with their chronological age, but their emotional age." - Lisa Dion When our clients come to session it is easy to get caught up in thinking that they are their age, when in fact, they are not their age.  At least not their chronological age.  This episode is dedicated to helping you begin to understand the difference between emotional age and chronological age, a few clues to help you spot emotional age and regression, and how to work with these younger states in both your clients and yourself when they arise in the play room. 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.  

"The body never lies. The body is always revealing the truth relative to the individual's perception in any given moment." - Lisa Dion Learning how to attune to body language, our own and the child's is an essential component for co-regulation in play therapy.  Staying in our own window of tolerance to helping the child move towards their own discomfort depends on it.  Tune in as we learn how the body never lies and how we can become more adept at listening to its wisdom. 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.  

"Let's ask parents, not how they are doing, but what they need and what it is like in their boat." - Clair Mellenthin From the uncertainty, having to homeschool, working from home, navigating family dynamics, and all the other challenges that parents are being confronted with, it is no wonder that so many are feeling burned out, questioning themselves, and needing extra support.  Join Lisa and special guest, Clair Mellenthin, as they talk about how attachment, the many challenges of parenting during the pandemic, and most importantly, how best to support parents in ways where they know they are not alone. 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.