How a Therapist’s Own Experience of Shame & Confusion Helped a Boy Recover
By Daniel Howell, Senior Child & Family Counsellor at the Australian Childhood Foundation and Certified Synergetic Play Therapist Synergetic Play Therapy™ (2008) is a researched-informed model of play therapy blending […]
Sleep Issues in Kids: Why Some Children Ban the Bed
Getting children to go to sleep is often the Everest of parenthood. Kids resist, kids persist, and kids insist on another drink of water (even though they may fail to […]
Overcoming Fatigue in Teletherapy
From learning how to connect with a child through a computer screen, engaging parents in new ways, and incorporating more directive play than perhaps many are used to, many play […]
The Pose Begins When You Want to Leave It
You may already know this about me, but I love yoga! I do it almost every day. I love it because it helps me practice my life. It’s a place […]
Growth Requires Friction
In this article published in the Science of Psychotherapy magazine, Lisa talks about how growth requires friction. It requires tension points and challenge. It requires moving out of our comfort […]
Tragedy: Why No One-Emotion-Fits-All
Most of us think of tragedy as being synonymous with sorrow. And, indeed, this is true a large part of the time: tragedy is sad. But it doesn’t have the […]
Body Language: Why it Speaks Volumes
The body tells the truth. It is the great revealer – an integral part of the puzzle, a prominent pixel in the big picture. Too often we focus on words, […]
Helping Parents and Caregivers to Feel Heard
We hold true to the idea that every child deserves a play therapy experience; the benefits aren’t limited to children inwardly or outwardly struggling. Yet caregivers don’t usually put play […]
How Jon Bon Jovi Co-Founded Synergetic Play Therapy
As human beings, we all dream. And we all have people who help us dream. For me, my dream began with Jon Bon Jovi. That’s right: Jon Bon Jovi – […]
Nature Nurtures: Why the Great Outdoors are Good for Kids
From tree forts to snowball fights, playing outside is a rite of passage for children. They wear skinned elbows, burnt noses, and dirt between their toes like badges of honor. […]
Technology Inside the Playroom: Does Plugging in Mean Zoning Out?
By Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S Some therapists hold to the rule that the playroom is an electronics-free zone. Others embrace technology, viewing it as another tool at their disposal. Where […]
Explicit Memory versus Implicit Memory: When Do Kids Remember?
Memories – they may be in the corners of our minds, but they’re also in the corner with questions: the age that memory develops is a hot topic. Many people […]
The Vagus Nerve: Why it’s a Key to Regulation
“The vagus nerve has a crucial part in our overall health and well being.” – Lisa Dion The vagus nerve is one of the most important nerves in your body. […]
Impact of Therapist Authentic Expression on Emotional Tolerance in Synergetic Play Therapy
Dion, L., Gray, K. (2014). Impact of therapist authentic expression on emotional tolerance in Synergetic Play Therapy. International Journal of Play Therapy. 23(1), 55-63. Abstract: To date, there is little […]
Absorbing Sponge Bob: Does Childhood Have Space for Technology?
By Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S Technology in childhood is an often debated subject with the pro Pac-Man crowd facing off against those who suggest shutting down the iPad and turning […]