The Illusion of Safety: A Reflection for Play Therapists
Safety, as we commonly speak of it, feels like something solid—something we can find, build, or secure. But what if safety isn’t a place or even a state… but a […]
Resources and Links to Advance Your Practice
It may not come as surprise that the most requested topics people asked me to talk about last year was why regulation doesn’t mean “calm” and how to become the […]
Change and Transformation for a New Year
As we move into this New Year, let’s keep some things in perspective particularly as we’re thinking about change and transformation for the next year, or even reflecting on our […]
What Emotional Intelligence Really Means
How would you define emotional intelligence? When I define emotional intelligence, I define it as the capacity to BE with. But be with what?… The capacity to be with our […]
Más allá de las palabras: Una historia de conexión
Por Lisa Dion LPC, RPT-S Me senté en medio de la habitación y esperé. Me preguntaba qué niño vendría a mí. Ella vino. Tenía unos 6 años y ni siquiera […]
How Trying To Be Calm Gets In The Way Of Regulation
Have you heard the idea that a child needs a calm adult in order to regulate? The idea that an adult’s “calm” presence is the answer to regulating a child […]
Authenticity in the Playroom
By Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S “I assure you that it’s okay to be yourself in the playroom. In fact, it’s necessary if you’re going to help a child regulate through […]
Spring Cleaning Your Playroom: Don’t Throw Away the Broken
Spring (or even Fall if you reside in a country in the Southern hemisphere 😉) comes with many things – longer days, warmer weather, blooming trees and flowers. It also […]
Beyond Words: A Story of Connection
I sat down in the middle of the room and waited. I wondered which child would come to me? She came. She was about 6 years old and I don’t […]
‘What Did I Do?”: When Touch Arises in the Playroom
By Sonya Joyce “What Did I Do?” is an incredible dissertation that explores the inner experiences of child and adolescent psychotherapists when touch arises in the playroom. Sonya submitted this […]
Let’s Not Forget the Perfect Child
Have you ever noticed that the children who tend to make their way to your office are the ones that are acting out, aggressive, non-compliant, and anxious? And then sprinkled […]
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 […]
Discussing the Subject of Violence with Children
By Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S Talking to kids about violence is an unfortunate necessity of parenthood. School violence, in particular, is extraordinarily frightening: not every child loves school, but they […]
Setting Goals Inside the Playroom
By Lisa Dion, LPC, RPT-S With New Years, many people resolve to do something different. You might vow to hit the gym and get in shape or hit the books […]
Keeping the Connection When a Child Wants to Leave
From frogs inside of pockets to the darndest things they say, children are full of surprises. In many ways, this is wonderful: they make us laugh and smile and see […]