From Panic to Purpose: How I Stumbled Into Teaching
As a child, I loved to play teacher. I had my imaginary students, my makeshift classroom, and a deep love of pretending to lead and explain things. But somehow, as […]
Regulating the Collective Nervous System of Families
I invite you to see the family as an interconnected system, always working to maintain equilibrium among its members…because recognizing this dynamic can deepen our understanding of family behaviors and […]
Embracing Evolution in Play Therapy: An Interview with Lisa Dion
Lisa joins Liliana Baylon, LMFT-S, RPT-S and Maria Laquerre-Diego, LMFT-S, RPT-S for an episode of A Hero’s Welcome podcast to share her journey of introducing Synergetic Play Therapy (SPT) to […]
Breaking Free from Paradigms: Unlocking Innovation and Personal Evolution
Albert Einstein famously said, “We can’t solve problems by using the same thinking we used when we created them.” Yet, often, we find ourselves stuck in repetitive patterns and ways […]
From Panic to Poise: The Power of Reconnecting with Self
I facilitated my own play therapy session using Synergetic Play Therapy principles…. A while back, when I was teaching a six-hour seminar on Working with Sand in Play Therapy, I […]
Impact of Trauma Exposure for Therapists
As therapists, we’ve chosen a profession that puts us directly on the frontlines of trauma exposure …. Day in and day out, we’re immersed in our clients’ struggles, witnessing, listening, […]
Lead With Your Heart
“Lead with your heart” is what I heard myself whisper to my daughter Avery, who lay curled up in my arms with tears pouring down her face. A few weeks […]
PART 2: Have We Forgotten the Most Important Toy in the Playroom?
Let’s continue our conversation …. As I mentioned in Part 1, the more we understand neuroscience, brain function, nervous system states, and what is really going on between the child […]
PART 1: Have We Forgotten the Most Important Toy in the Playroom?
We’re dedicated individuals. We work tirelessly to support the children and families we work with. We also study, a lot….. We sometimes spend weekends away from our loved ones and […]
Synergetic Play Therapy: A Research-Informed Model of Play Therapy
“You are the most important toy in the playroom.” Synergetic Play Therapy® (2008) is a researched-informed model of play therapy blending the therapeutic power of play with nervous system regulation, […]
Synergetic: What Does It Mean? Attunement, Connection, Collaboration
“When you’re working at the level that Synergetic Play Therapy works at, you’re really experiencing synergy in the playroom. It’s a deep level of attunement similar to the unspoken connection […]
Get Curious About Your Stress Reactions
… AKA – How to keep your cool as you’re learning about the newest school initiative! LOL What are the first things that pop into your head when you reflect […]
When Things Don’t Go As Planned
Let’s step outside of the playroom for a moment and talk business … I spend a lot of time thinking about what it means to lead a company and a […]
My injured shoulder. My friend
Thirteen years ago I injured my shoulder while carrying Avery, my daughter. As such I haven’t been able to do everything that my mind tells me my body can do […]
Learning Bracelets – The Importance of Movement in the Classroom
“Mom, I am struggling because I can’t concentrate in class!” This is something most children have said at some point – maybe they feel that science is boring, math is […]